How to Get Rid of Moles or Gophers

Moles and gophers are serious threats to your lawn and garden.

Even if you love animals, it's hard to watch your beautiful lawn or garden fall victim to moles or gophers. For tiny little critters, they can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage! Make no mistake - this is war. Here are some effective ways to get rid of the moles or gophers wreaking havoc upon your yard.

Instructions

1. 

   Plant botanical deterrents. For moles and gophers, try planning oleander. Many people will line the edge of their mole or gopher prone areas with this plant, as the little rodents seem to dislike them, although it's unclear why. In any case, oleander is certainly a pretty flower, likely to compliment any lawn or garden.

2. 

   Install electric rodent-control devices. These tools use either sound or vibration to drive away moles and gophers. All you need to do is push them into the ground and turn them on. They run on batteries, so once or twice a year you'll need to change batteries, but that's about it for maintenance. Just be sure to check the range of the model you choose so that you have adequate coverage for your whole yard. Also, some people find these tools work better on moles than gophers. If you need help determining which you have, see the article in the Resources below.

3. 

   Use castor oil granules to drive moles and gophers away. This is by far the most effective solution. Not only do the granules drive the little rodents away, but it's also beneficial for your lawn and garden. Using a spreader on the lowest setting, evenly cover your yard with the granules at a rate of one pound of granules per 1000 square feet of yard. You can do it all at once, or use the granules to drive the moles or gophers out a specific exit. To herd your moles or gophers, just start at the farthest point from your desired exit and apply a third of the granules. A few days later, cover the next third, then the final third a few days after that. Water will activate the scent that annoys moles and gophers, so either water well after applying the granules or let the rain soak your yard.

4. 

   There's always the option of driving them out of their holes with water or smoke, but then you have to guess which hole they're going to come out of and yes, you guessed it, whack them with a shovel when they emerge. This is highly ineffective, frustrating, and hard on all parties involved. You'll hear it recommended often by people who have never tried it, but just refer to the first 3 steps of this article and enjoy your own, mole and gopher free yard.

Tips & Warnings

• Many poisons are illegal in some states, and none of them are safe around kids or pets.

• Concentrating the carbon monoxide from your car is just plain stupid, and can be summed up with the word "suicide". Don't even think about trying it or it'll be Moles and Gophers, 1, humans, 0.

Resources

• Moles vs. Gophers
• eHow Spring Guide