mole, vole or gopher ???

[DDRanch]

What will eat my garden?
A. Mole
B. Vole
C. Gopher
D. All of the above

Something is living and tunneling in my garden, which is surrounded by concrete, but doesn't seem to be eating or destroying anything. I see a tunnel when I pick root vegs but the lettuce, beans, carrots, herbs, tomatoes all seem fine. So far.

What do you think?

Anne

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

If there are no mounds I'm guessing voles, which look more like mice than the other two. They also feed on roots and plants. They will usually run between different burrows which might explain why they are getting to your beds surrounded by concrete?

If there are mounds, then it's either moles or gophers. Moles don't eat plants. Their diets consist of ground bugs (worms, grubs, other larvae, etc). They can create a mess in lawns but I've never really worried about them in other places. They aerate the soil (sometimes too well) and eat bugs. It is possible for them to damage root systems of some more sensitive (like roses, ugh!) or newly placed plants but this is usually rare and really only happens with a larger population, IME.

Gophers also leave mounds and gophers will eat roots, plants and actual vegetables and their tunnels and mounds will bury the plants and destroy root systems they don't eat. Their mounds usually look like a hole with an amphitheater around it unlike the mole hills that look like hills with a hole or indention in the middle.

If you're not losing anything yet then you still have time to battle whatever it is. A spray of garlic/onion/peppers will scare them off. In a well ventilated room, take about 1 head of garlic, 2 onions and a handful of hot peppers (more or less depending on how hot), chop, place everything in a 5 gallon bucket and pour about a gallon hot water over it. Let it sit overnight (also in somewhere well ventilated) fill the bucket with water and then pour over the area where the holes or mounds are and around the garden. You can make a perimeter if you have a small enough area or a large amount of the solution.

Good luck

 

[DDRanch]

Oakland City,
Thank you so much, I appreciate your response. I particularily love the "organic" fix. I will let you know how it works out.

Anne

 

[The Mustard Seed Gardener]

We have Moles. They have flat paws that dig through the ground and leave a tunnel. Moles do not eat plants, however they dig underneath in your garden and create air pockets in the ground near the roots that can destroy, almost any flower/plants. I just noticed that one was in a bed that is surround by a sidewalk. They dig under and go where they want. The Pacific Northwest where I am from has lots of these critters. This past spring, moles destroyed my young Azaleas by leaving tunnels under them. The roots eventually died....no more azalea. They can dig up a veggie garden in no time! They are also bad in the fields...your cattle/horses can sprain the legs in the old tunnels. We are allowed to set traps. in the tunnel...... No poison involved.

What will eat my garden?
A. Mole
B. Vole
C. Gopher
D. All of the above

Something is living and tunneling in my garden, which is surrounded by concrete, but doesn't seem to be eating or destroying anything. I see a tunnel when I pick root vegs but the lettuce, beans, carrots, herbs, tomatoes all seem fine. So far.

What do you think?

Anne

 

[DDRanch]

Thank you mustard seed. Beautiful avatar, love your part of the country.

Anne

 

[The Mustard Seed Gardener]

Your welcome...glad I could help! My avatar was taken from my front porch! That's Mt. Rainer. N. Cal is a beautiful area too!
Chris :rainbow-sun

Thank you mustard seed. Beautiful avatar, love your part of the country.

Anne

 

[coxhw]

Has anyone used Chase Granular Mole and Gopher Repellent ? Heard about it on HGTV. So far all I have found that works is my 12Ga. #6's. Any info on this product will be helpful me and others. Thanks