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Thread: Moles & voles in the veggie garden-asking for feedback

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    Default Moles & voles in the veggie garden-asking for feedback


    I was raised in MN, spent most all my adult life in AZ & TX, moved here 7 yrs ago, first encounter with these dadgum varmints. Heres what I have come to know, or what I have found: I know the moles are after grubs & earthworms and dont do the actually damage, that the field mice use their tunnels and are herbivores. I have talked to co. extension agents, local gardeners, nurserymen, trying to glean what is known & effective. I have been to Cornell, TX A&M, some reputable sources that have done controlled studies.
    Grub-X, granual grub killer. Remove the grubs the moles wont go there and thus no tunnels for the mice to use. Removing the moles is what is key as I have thunk it. Milky spore: heard it is costly, labor-intensive and questionable as to its effectiveness. Spraying concentrated castor oil, or planting castor beans in the garden: most likely the most effective thing I have done. Doesnt kill the moles but makes em leave long enuf to get yur crop out.
    Truck farmer here told me spray liquid Seven, it will kill the grubs, moles will leave unhappy hunting grounds and problem addressed. I have done this too, and really aint sure if the SEVEN or castor oil spraying has been to credit.
    Chewing gum in the tunnels, whirly bird ornamental pinwheels causing vibration in the ground: Old wives tale. Several studies have disproved this.
    I have castor bean seed and am leaning toward trying growing it, as I have a few contacts who garden swear by it. Downfalls are the plants get big & invasive but mainly the bean itself is so deadly due to the ricin content that you can kill a kid who picks and eats just1, or yur pets and even hate to think deer would browse and wake up dead. The other thing highly touted is trapping the moles but man for a kid who took my share of muskrats, mink, coon, fox, and beaver growing up, I cant trap these suckers worth a tinkers dam. Dropping a line from yur exhaust and trying to fumigate em I hear is another rookie ploy-they dam up and barricade their tunnel and life goes on for them.
    Ya know, I been known to have fallen prey to smoking a little weed from time to time. My ol lady is the original redneck and disapproves strongly but 19 yrs later I still smoke it, she still wants to flush it and call the PoPo on me.:p We stick to our guns around here even if they conflict.:D I took her hand and led her to the garden. Looked like a Bugs Bunny cartoon- my snap beans were just blooming, a few adolescent beans on. A plant would shake, vibrate, and slowly get drug down as a mouse dined. She knew I was at the end of my rope and I burnt one and both of us fell out laughing at the sight of it-was nuthin I could do, may as well enjoy the show.
    I had grown 50 foot row of potatoes and by golly gawdangit I love, know, and enjoy growing them. I had hilled them up, piled mulch on em as they grew taller, even sorta freaked me out in that I had never grown such large, lush deep green colored potatoes. 9Well, plants as it turned out) I brought the neighbors all by and we laughed, sang, and danced next to the garden. Not a potatoe 1 had not set eyes and sprouted, nary a gap between em. Half of Williamsburg Virginia was watching with great interest with Baked or French Fries in their eyes. I just KNEW I had it nailed and donned my potato pimp hat, struttin my stuff, chest all puffed out, calling Idaho and giving them pointers on how to grow em. Made plans and did research about storing tons of them spuds. Plants did their natural life cycle, died back, I went to dig em up and pick em. Had hired 2 dumptrucks and a backhoe to handle this bumper crop. 30 minutes later I am in the house crying, with all the potatoes I had picked fitting in a too-tight baseball cap with room to spare. Teeth and claw marks on literally lbs and lbs of spuds the mice had scratched at and sampled and had rotted in the ground. I have since moved, and as said, still battling moles and voles and getting a good crop of veggies with very little loss to them bastages but its a constant battle. I am at the brink of hiring 40000 Jack Russell Terriors and telling them go after it kids. Pardon my French but there are things that mildly git my goat, then those that upset me somewhat, this is pissing me off anymore and zero tolerance is the song of the day.
    HELP.
    Shoer,
    12th Degree Ninja

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    Barnacle Bill's Avatar
    Barnacle Bill is offline Super Mod and 2014 Crappie.com Man of the Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    You obviously need one of these.
    Fair Winds and Following Seas

    Bill H. PTC USN Ret
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    Quote Originally Posted by IBNFSHN View Post
    You obviously need one of these.

    I am leaning in that direction Bill, thanks. Is that one for sale? I have thought what a dumchit I am, Farmer would no doubt not only have the answer, but solution, and self-motivated with an intense hatred of varmints. Just scared if I ask him to come up there will be no chikkins, horses, or neighbors left when he departs.
    Shoer,
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    Oh thanks for all the help guys and gals, I will remember you fondly when I dont stuff lettuce in a manilla envelope and send it to you.:D
    That IBNFSHN a case in point why to not trust a moderator. Only time we hooked up, other than a few get-togethers where he beat me out for BIG FISH HONORS he ate all my pickled eggz, drank all my whiskey, caught the sweetest of fish, and just took his fare-thee-well like nuthin was amiss.

    This is some kinda representative of C.c I thought at the time, but I found out it gets much worse.
    Shoer,
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    Quote Originally Posted by IBNFSHN View Post
    You obviously need one of these.

    Is that manually-operated or do I have to pull spent cartridges out and reload while it spins?
    Shoer,
    12th Degree Ninja

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    Cane Pole's Avatar
    Cane Pole is offline Crappie.com 2011 Man of the Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    Zinc Phosphate. But, You can't buy it anymore. Tree huggers. Kills squirrels and other eaters.

    I dug a shallow trench around my garden and burried folded chicken wire. This keep them out during spring and summer when they are tunneling shallow.

    I also get up early in the morning and set my lawn chair near a active tunnel. I wait them out and gig them. Nothing squirms more than an impaled vole. I usually finish the off with them still impaled over my gas grill burner. The pop like popcorn.
    Member BS Pro-Staff and Billbob Pro-Staff
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cane Pole View Post
    Zinc Phosphate. But, You can't buy it anymore. Tree huggers. Kills squirrels and other eaters.

    I dug a shallow trench around my garden and burried folded chicken wire. This keep them out during spring and summer when they are tunneling shallow.

    I also get up early in the morning and set my lawn chair near a active tunnel. I wait them out and gig them. Nothing squirms more than an impaled vole. I usually finish the off with them still impaled over my gas grill burner. The pop like popcorn.
    Boy that sounds like big fun and satisfaction all mixed in one Pole. I have heard that too-to git up early and walk softly and develop froth with hatred while you watch them tunnel, then stab the life outta them. I have heard the theory about the wire mesh, and surrounding yur garden in sharp sand and it will make them put their joint out and go home cuz their little feetsies git a bad experience. However, if I have to go to those extremes I think I will have to just grow them along with my pot and let hydroponic rats try come in and make a statement and see where that gits em. Thanks for the feed on the backside.
    Last edited by horseshoer; 03-20-2009 at 07:59 PM.
    Shoer,
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    I have nuthin else going tonight, just rained here and warming, moles oughta be on a rush tonight. Think I will see about my ol lady doing push-ups or my dog just hangin 10 with me as I sharpen the tines on my rat gig.
    Shoer,
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    Poxes' avitar is starting to haunt me at this point.
    Shoer,
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    Quote Originally Posted by horseshoer View Post
    Poxes' avitar is starting to haunt me at this point.
    Yep I was sure expecting Pox to be to one to really help you out here. His avitar sure indicated some expertise in this area.:D
    “There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide.” Ayn Rand

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