Have you noticed your arborvitaes lately? Has something been trimming them for you? Or how about those yews? Do they appear misshapen? And then there's the impatiens! You planted them weeks ago, but they have gone nowhere....in fact, if you didn't know better, you'd say they have actually shrunk. And, has there been a thief of some kind raiding your vegetable garden? Well if you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone; in fact, welcome to the clubMice/Voles a very common find in the garden, but easier to control compared to some of the other pests.Try planting a border of artemisia around an area to repel them. Other methods of control include the inhumane sticky traps,vitamin d baits which affect only rodents, and traps. Also, good sanitation is very important. Keep the area free from tall weeds and grass, especially around tree trunks, and clean up fallen fruit under trees. Moles it is easy to confuse moles with voles but look for velvety fur,very short tail or none, hidden ears, on moles and small round ears and longer tail on voles. Moles are mainly carnivores and actively search for grubs, earthworms and other soil life. Moles are pretty territorial too, and usually the damage you find on your lawn is the work of one rambunctious mole. Control methods include harpoon traps(yuck), flooding, digging him out when you see him moving under the soil, burying a coffee can below the active run for use as a live trap, applying any product containing castor oil to the soil, and using any number of vibratory devices to annoy him. Also, moles dislike digging in rocky soil, so place a 6 inch border of stone 2 feet deep around your lawn or garden. Other repellants include placing used catlitter in the burrow and sprinkling red pepper around. Chipmunks Cute little critters which are highly territorial. If you find plants and bulbs dislodged right after you plant them, there's a darn good chance that a chipmunk is the culprit. To deter them try dipping bulbs in Wiltpruf or a repellant and spray plants with repellant.
Everyone who gardens eventually is forced to deal with one or more marauding mammals. From mice and moles to deer and dogs, there is always some little beastie trying our gardening patience. Some folks throw up their hands and stop gardening altogether, while others continue their battle using many different kinds of techniques, gadgets, and potions. Today we will be discussing some common garden mammal pests and ways to control them. And your suggestions in handling these little buggers are always welcome too.
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