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judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 05 8:38 am Post subject:

My OH uses the "wait until you see the soil move and then whack it as hard as you can with a spade" method. As far as we know, this has never worked yet, but it makes him feel better and I find it very entertaining!

Or you can just wait it out - the worst of the mole courting season is over. The activity will lessen as the year goes on.

Or buy a mole trap. If you fit them properly, they are very effective.

Jb

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 7761
Location: 91� N

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 05 8:58 am Post subject:

Judith wrote:

I've seen this work with a lawnmower (albeit I think it was luck rather than the guy was actually hunting the things). Petrol driven lawnmower over a mole hill at just the right (or wrong depending on your point of view) time producing a brief spurt of red from the lawnmower and a neat cross section of molehill and half a mole.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 05 9:01 am Post subject:

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18416

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 05 12:43 pm Post subject: moles and legumes

interesting - (moles in Simon's runner bean plot). yesterday I noticed new molehills in my legume plot - well, round the edges, particularly near the french beans.

do moles have a predilection for all, or only some legumes ? could they account for the non-appearance of my first sowing of peas this year ?

I find my cat kills moles by sitting waiting for them to exit from their hills - they must die of fright, as they seem uninjured. Keeps the cat happy though - she's very proud of her little dead black gentlemen.

cheers
g

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 05 12:54 pm Post subject:
Perhaps you should hire out your cat. Does she travel well?

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 05 9:13 pm Post subject:

Judith wrote:

ROFLMAO (as borrowed from blacksmith)

Ther isn't a chance in this world that you could ever even dig up a mole even tho' you can see it scuffling - much less bash the ruddy thing into submission with a spade. But the picture you have instilled of you OH doing his best trying has cheered us up no end

Anyhow, the cat got the latest mole so he has had tuna for tea as a reward for his gallantry (and as a pudding aswell I suppose

)

Next time please get a video Judith .... It would be most entertaining I'm sure!

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 05 9:25 pm Post subject: Re: moles and legumes

gbst wrote:

yesterday I noticed new molehills in my legume plot - well, round the edges, particularly near the french beans.

do moles have a predilection for all, or only some legumes ? could they account for the non-appearance of my first sowing of peas this year ?

I don't think that moles really do their damage on purpose and therefore I asume that where they pop-up is random and accidental (a bit like e-bay pop-ups really, only not quite as annoying). It isn't the fact that they are after your veg that is the problem. They just have a nasty habit of burrowing and searching for worms. The fact that your veg has to take a bashing in the process just doesn't occur to the little beggars.

On the subject of peas I am told that it is the mice that take the seed while they are still dry. We have had a similar problem here this year of only a few plants germinating. The solution as I have recently been advised is to soak your pea seed overnight and then place them on a sheet of newspaper (damp) with another sheet over the top and store them in a cool place. In a couple of days you will have peas with good shoots that can be planted (pre-germinated) into the ground and the mice (maybe moles too) don't touch them.

Not tried this yet myself but I certainly intend to with my next batch.

Let me know if you have any luck

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18416

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 05 11:32 am Post subject: resowed peas

and this time more have germinated, with (I think) more still to come up. next year will try Simon's suggestion of sprouting the peas first before sowing (the idea of soaking them in paraffin to repel mice seems pretty repellent). I've got nothing against moles; it didn't seem likely that they would prefer dry peas to earthworms.

unfortunately, the cat doesn't travel well. even getting her to the vet is major turmoil.

cheers
g

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 05 11:34 am Post subject:
OK. My last batch of peas (for this year) are going out tomorrow .... will let you know if they fair any better than previous sowings

sara jane goodey

Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 45
Location: north wales

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 05 6:56 pm Post subject: moles r us

My OH and i shoot moles for the local farmers its vvv effective, i think i have heard just about every mole control legend!! the vibration thing will just make your mole move elsewhere and not that far away. You will just find the poo lion or other on the top of the mound one morning! The other stories that i have heard with limited effectiveness are mothballs in the runs, here's a nice bit of welsh farmer lore...moles are haemophiliacs, so put hawthorn or blackthorn into the runs the moles allegedly prick their noses and bleed to death. Trapping or shooting is the only way I'm afraid as they don't relocate well either!!

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 05 7:09 pm Post subject:
Smoking no good either then, Sarah Jane?...what do you shoot them with?

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 05 8:40 pm Post subject: Re: moles r us

sara jane goodey wrote:

My OH and i shoot moles for the local farmers its vvv effective

I won't argue with that!!! I'm sure it does the job a treat.

I have a friend coming over on Friday night with his "mole traps". He is a self-confessed mole trapping expert so I am eager to see how true this is.

In the mean time the little Tvvat$ have pushed up most of my raised bean beds. Beans are still growing by some miracle but if the b()gg�rs reach my brasica plot we are kn&cked for the winter

update after the weekend.

.... and yes ... what do you shoot them with????

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 05 8:52 pm Post subject:
Simon, I have a mental picture of you out with the shotgun, shooting the ground shouting "Take that, you B)(ggers!

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 05 8:04 am Post subject:

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 05 9:50 am Post subject:

Did anyone hear Test Match Special last night? During one of the rain breaks, Jonathon Agnew and Graham Gooch were both bemoaning their mole problems at length, and requested listeners' advice. My favourite came from a parish priest who suggested that you call in the Bishop to confirm the moles. As the priest said, after confirmation 98% of people disappear, never to be seen again. Perhaps the effect would be the same with moles!

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