Lawn Moles and Proper Lawn Care
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Article by: Hans Dekker Are your making mountains out of your molehills? Although lawn , A Bit About Bare Root Roses... moles are underground creatures, the benefits they add to your garden , How to Choose Your Furniture and Make It Last are clearly visible and far outweigh the disadvantages. Of the six species of mole found in North America, the Eastern mole (or gray mole) is the most common. Moles are about the size of chipmunks and weigh from three to six ounces. A tiny creature, its total length is just six to eight inches. Many gardeners and groundskeepers are under the mistaken impression that lawn , Succulent Crassula Tetragona: Drought Tolerant Plants for Dry Garden Landscapes or Easy Houseplants moles eat the roots , Outdoor Lighting Fixtures of their plants , Outdoor Lighting Fixtures and turf grasses. , 5 Things To Consider Before Purchasing a Push Reel Mower However, moles are insectivores. Their primary diet is earthworms and grubs and a single mole can eat more than 140 grubs and cutworms daily. They also feast on destructive garden , Shrub Roses and Climbing Roses pests like snails, beetles, and millipedes. In fact, at just over a quarter-pound, a mole can consume 45 to 50 pounds of worms and insects each year. The greatest harm that mole tunneling does to turf grass , Sculpture Can Bring Life to Your Garden is by separating soil , Best Perennial Plants for Summer Color from roots. , Bedding Plants and Plugs (small plants) Still, the mole's digging actually improves soil , How to Choose Your Garden Furniture and Make It Last quality by turning and aerating the soil , Best Perennial Plants for Summer Color and mixing accumulated nutrients throughout the excavation. Moles don't continually dig each time they forage for food. , Tuberous Begonias Once a tunnel system is established, it is infrequently extended. In fact, the only signs of mole activity you might see are those when the mole must repair , Super Foods from Home Vegetable Gardens its construction. When disturbed, moles may temporarily vacate the area, but generally return within a week or two. In addition, when a tunnel is abandoned, a new mole inhabitant will "recolonize" using the handiwork of its predecessor. For these reasons, even the most effective method of mole removal, trapping, is not a permanent solution to a "mole problem". Besides which, the three types of mole traps that work with any success sound like relics from the Spanish inquisition"” harpoons, scissor-jaws, and choker loops. In fact, numerous remedies have been used to try to control moles Pickle juice, red pepper, , Succulent Crassula Tetragona: Drought Tolerant Plants for Dry Garden Landscapes or Easy Houseplants razor blades, bleach, moth balls, brambles, human hair braids and hair balls, vibrators, ultra sonic devices, and poisons offer inconsistent and generally ineffective results; many including environmentally , Flowering Trees - How to Make Your Garden Shady and Beautiful at the Same Time unfriendly side effects. As in all elements of lawn , Abatement and Congregation of Material care, the best solution to a lawn , The Great History of Roses mole problem is applying practical gardening , Permanently Remove Green Pool Algae principles. Mole tunnels (except for the hilled entrances) are typically deep enough to be almost invisible. Over-watering your yard , The Guide to Cloudy Pool Water brings earthworms and other invertebrates close to the surface, making it necessary for the moles to "move up" in search of them. Reducing the amount or frequency of watering may help both moles and their prey stay underground where they are most beneficial to your lawn. , A Bit About Bare Root Roses... Another solution to a lawn , A Touch of Feng Shui in the Garden mole problem is to reduce the size of your lawn, , Landscape Fabric - Is Landscape Fabric Even Necessary In Landscaping? converting it to gardens, , Accentuate Your Home with an Address Plaque paths, , Creative Ideas For Beautiful Garden Art and hedgerows. First, moles prefer straight tunnel runs. However, more importantly, converting some lawn , A Quick Guide To Yard Bridges to gardens, , Fall Planning - Garden Plans for Next Spring and Ordering by Mail paths, , Say Your Feelings with Flowers - Flower Meaning hedgerows and patio , Skip The Pesticide And Use Natural Alternatives areas adds eye-appeal, reduces signs of damage, and in addition attract birds , The Protea Family (Proteaceae) and butterflies to your property. , A Quick Guide To Yard Bridges Hans is author of The Lawn Care section of http://www.lawnmower-guide.com |
  
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