PEST(S) OF THE MONTH:
Moles 'N' Voles
Few gardening and lawn care topics generate more
war stories, myths, and proposed solutions than
moles and voles. Moles tunnel through lawns and
garden beds scarfing down grubs, which is a good
thing, actually--but in the process, they often
disturb root systems and damage plants, to say
nothing of criss-crossing your yard with big,
ugly tunnels. To make matters worse, these handy
tunnels provide an underground superhighway for
the more destructive voles, which do go after
your seeds and roots.
There are millions of folk remedies, along with a
variety of ingenious traps and gadgets that
purport to eliminate mole populations. And cats
get a lot of good press as mighty mole hunters.
But one of the most promising strategies,
according to many who have tried it, is the
application of a castor oil-based solution in
areas where moles are prevalent. You can purchase
commercial versions of this stuff from garden
centers and catalogs--or you can whip up a batch
yourself:
- Mix 3 ounces of caster oil and 3 tablespoons of
liquid detergent in a blender.
- Add 8 tablespoons of water and mix well.
- Place 15 tablespoons of the solution into a 15
gallon hose-attached sprayer, then fill the sprayer
jar with water.
- Spray the area thoroughly, and then water it
with a sprinkler.
SLEEPS, CREEPS, AND LEAPS
If you're looking for a nice, dense, groundcover
for shaded areas, especially around the base of
trees where it's tough to mow, consider
pachysandra. Even though it takes a while to get
established (in typically follows the "three-year
plan":
- The first year it sleeps,
- The second it creeps,
- And the third it leaps,
pachysandra will form a beautiful carpet of dark
green leaves. Pachysandra is very easy to grow
from stem cuttings, making it affordable (you can
probably get cuttings from friends or neighbors)
and it's evergreen, providing coverage all year
round. Just make sure you don't grow it in a sunny
location, or the leaves will yellow and grass will
begin to infiltrate it.
LOW-TECH COMPOSTER
You've probably seen those pricey "tumbling"
composters in gardening magazines and catalogs.
Just fill them with well-moistened kitchen
scraps, leaves, and grass clippings, then give
'em a spin every few days to distribute the
ingredients and expedite the composting process.
Well, you can tap into the same benefits by
creating a homemade (not to mention cheaper)
version of this model. All you need is a dark-
colored (heat absorbing) plastic trash can, with
handles that flip over the lid to keep it snug.
Drill holes around the sides for drainage and air
circulation. Then, just build your compost pile
inside the can. Every day or so, make sure the
top's on tight, flip it on its side, and roll it
around your yard for a minute. Genius!
MULCH OVERBOARD
them to preserve moisture and prevent weeds--
but you need to make sure you don't OVERMULCH
them. It's hard to believe that such a natural,
beneficial strategy could have a negative impact
on your plants, but it's true:
If you pile wood or bark mulches too deeply, you
could be asking for trouble. As a general rule,
you shouldn't mulch more than two inches deep.
Any more than that and you could promote a dry,
water-repellent layer that actually keeps plants
from getting the moisture they need. In addition,
decomposing mulch can tie up the nitrogen your
plants rely on for nourishment, so you want to be
careful not to over due it..
