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Re: Moles`

   Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 13:05:36 EST
   From: RayHammett <RayHammett@aol.com>

	   I wonder if anyone on the list has had success in controling moles
   in the garden.  I have garnered some info and one thing is the application
   of castor oil in a soapy solution via a hose end sprayer.  Seems that it
   taints the taste of the grubs and insects, and moles dislike the taste.
   Sounds good, but my concern is what effect will this application have on
   the plants (in this case roses and myrtle hedges) and the micro organisms?
	   Any help would be greatly appreciated as the garden is really being
   tunneled.

Ray, are you sure you have moles?  Everything I've read tells me that moles
are generally a welcome addition to a garden.  They till the soil, bring
minerals up to the top soil, get rid of grubs that can damage your plants,
and rarely harm the plants themselves (some people report they have to push
some plants back into the ground every day or so for a while).

You might have gophers or voles or something similar.  They gobble up whole
plants and can cause a lot of damage.  We had gophers for a few days last
summer.  About a dozen mounds popped up in the back and side yards.  Then
they disappeared and never returned.  We have several stray cats who live
in our yard so my guess is that is why the gophers left.

This month's issue of Organic Gardening has an article on getting rid of
gophers and voles.  I recommend it.  Other people have said also that
putting human hair in the tunnels works to chase them away.  I can't vouch
for any remedies though.

Do you really want to be tainting the taste of grubs and insects that will
likely do more damage to your plants than the tunnelling animals will?  I
don't think that is the effect of castor oil though, but it's something to
consider. 

Cyndi

-- 
_______________________________________________________________________________
"There's nothing wrong with me.  Maybe there's                     Cyndi Norman
something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG)                   cnorman@best.com
__________________________________________________ http://www.best.com/~cnorman
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