Are there plants that repel moles? Yes. We will discuss some species that deter them from your yard.
Finding lasting solutions to the burrowing activities of moles can be a tiring activity if you have limited knowledge of what to do.
One of the most reliable strategies involves the adoption of natural remedies such as using plants.
Mole repelling plants go a long way in helping keep these mammals away.
What Plants Deter Moles?
There are several plants with mole repelling properties. This is great news because you have multiple options to choose from. You can either use one or more of such plants around your home.
They include Lenten Rose, Alliums, Daffodils, Marigolds, and Caper Spurge.
Other plants include Castor bean plant, Fritillarias, and Castor Bean. To provide you with a more detailed understanding of how these plants repel moles, we’ll be considering several factors.
These include a brief introduction, how they work, how to use, and associated side effects.
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Lenten Rose
Lenten rose is one plant you should consider when combating a mole problem.
Apart from being a natural solution, it’s also easy to grow. This evergreen plant serves to deter mole activity.
- How Lenten Rose Repels Moles
To have a better understanding of how Lenten rose repels moles, you’ll need to understand mole feeding behavior and activity. Moles by their nature are burrowers. They feed on insects as well as plant roots.
Now, for whatever reason, moles detest the Lenten rose plant and would rather avoid it.
- How to Use Lenten Rose to Repel Moles
Armed with information about moles dislike for Lenten rose plants, you can swing into action by having this planted around your yard and garden areas. Because moles love too much on roots, introducing the Lenten rose plant creates a problem.
Having multiple Lenten rose plants around your lawn, yard or garden creates an undesirable territory. In other words, it succeeds in repelling moles. More importantly, this plant is poisonous
- Side Effects
Lenten rose plants should never be ingested by humans due to its poisonous nature. When this happens, it’s best to seek urgent medical help.
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Alliums
This is a great plant to consider having in your garden. Now, there are several (over 400) species of alliums each having varying colors.
The most important fact is the plant’s mole repelling property. You have the option of choosing only this plant for your mole problem or including other plant similar plants.
- How it Works
Having alliums around your garden and yard will have a lasting impact on a mole activity. These plants are among those disliked by moles. Moles will generally avoid alliums because this plant doesn’t appeal to them.
- Repelling Moles with Alliums
Using alliums for repelling moles is quite popular. You only need to get these plants cultivated around areas you suspect mole activity or presence. These plants aren’t difficult to cultivate or grow.
Instead of killing moles, it makes your surroundings unappealing thus driving them away.
- Side Effects
Not much information is available about possible side effects caused by the use of alliums for mole control.
Nevertheless, problems might arise in the form of allergies. When this happens, it will be necessary to seek medical attention.
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Daffodils
Daffodil plants are included in our list of mole repelling plants due to the inherent benefits obtained. These soil-dwelling bugs cause a lot of damage through their burrowing and chewing activity.
However, when they encounter daffodil plants, they back off.
- How Daffodils Work
An understanding of this plant is crucial to its application as an effective mole deterrent.
Daffodil bulbs are poisonous or toxic, but such bulbs aren’t below the ground surface these mammals are. Daffodils aren’t only poisonous in the bulbs but also their root systems which go down.
When moles come across a maze of daffodil roots, they either have to chew their way through and get poisoned or retreat. The latter option is always preferred.
- How to Use Daffodils
The best way to use this plant to repel moles is by having as many planted around your yard.
This creates a problem for moles as they can hardly move freely without coming across a maze of daffodil roots. This helps solve the problem without causing damage to the environment or killing the moles.
- Side Effects
Daffodil plans shouldn’t be ingested by humans as doing so has no mole repelling advantages whatsoever. It is toxic and can lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea as well as severe mouth irritation.
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Marigolds
Marigolds are used for a wide variety of pest issues including mole problems. This plant gives you natural solutions by repelling these burrowing mammals.
To repel moles, marigolds will have to be unattractive or have certain properties perceived as harmful. This is exactly the case.
- How it Works
Marigolds fall within the category of aromatic plants.
What more? It contains natural pyrethrins. When this plant is introduced, it repels soil-dwelling insects and bugs. These are food for moles and getting rid of them creates a problem for moles as they’ll need to find a more suitable environment.
- How to Use Marigolds
The best way to repel moles using marigolds is by planting a vegetative barrier around the affected areas. You could also extend this to cover your home’s perimeter.
When these (vegetative barriers) are in place, moles have a hard time moving freely. Plus, their source of food is depleted due to the aforementioned reasons.
- Side Effects
Marigold plants rarely cause any adverse reactions. However, this isn’t to say they never do. Allergic reactions are likely to occur.
Common signs of allergic reactions to marigolds will include swelling, dizziness, rash, itchy skin, and difficulty in breathing. Medical help should be sought immediately.
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Caper Spurge
This plant goes by several names one of which is very relevant to our discussion; mole plant. The caper spurge plant is usually green but ripens to either grey or brown.
Now, all parts of this plant are poisonous or toxic which means having them around mole infested areas helps deter these mammals.
- How it Works
To obtain the best results from using this plant, you’ll need to know what to do. Thankfully, this isn’t a complex process. You only need to have them planted around mole infested areas. Not only will Caper spurge plants repel moles, but they also have medicinal value.
It is important to note that this plant is most effective in its second year of growth. However, this isn’t a fact as there are several arguments against this assertion.
- How to Use
Using this plant to repel moles is quite easy! All you need to do is have them planted around your home or affected areas. Moles dislike caper spurge plants and will keep a distance from areas having this plant.
- Side Effects
It is a fact that caper spurge plants are poisonous. As such, ingesting this plant is likely to lead to a result in poisoning. More so, ingesting won’t enhance its repelling properties.
You won’t achieve the aim of keeping your property free of moles.
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Castor Bean Plant
This plant is sometimes called the mole plant due to its repellent properties. The seeds from this plant have been widely used in mole control by placing them along burrows or paths dug by these mammals.
The hope is to have them chew on such seeds which in turn poison them.
- How the Castor Bean Plant Works
All parts of this plant contained ricin which is considered toxic and poisonous. The plant sap harbors a significant amount of this compound. Moles are unable to operate freely wherever these plants are found.
- How to Repel Moles with Castor Bean Plants
The presence of these plants within your home’s surroundings deters moles from causing further damage.
This should simply be planted around or within your home as well as affected areas. You’ll also need to be careful as it can lead to irritations for humans.
- Side Effects
Castor Bean plants are toxic. Coming in contact with its leaves or sap can lead to skin irritations. Having allergies to this plant is likely to be more serious. If you must use it, utmost care should be observed.
Otherwise, it’s best to use other plant alternatives. This saves you a lot of stress.
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Fritillarias
Fritillarias are effective mole repellents. However, the extent of the repelling effects depends on the size of your garden as well as the number of plants available.
This plant has a large and waxy bulb which emits a strong smell.
- How it Works
We made mention of the fact that fritillarias plants give off a strong smell.
Now, this smell is similar to those of predators (fox precisely). When the strong smell is perceived by moles, it scares them away, thus keeping their distance from areas having this smell.
- How to Use
Using this plant to effectively repel moles comes down to having them planted around infested areas. The number of plants needed depends on the size of your garden.
The larger the size, the more the number of plants required and vice versa.
- Side Effects
These plants are generally considered safe for use by humans against moles. However, the chances of having or developing allergies are likely.
Therefore, it’s important to discontinue its use immediately as a repellent when allergies are noticed. Also, seek medical attention.
There you go! These are some of the many plants with mole repellent properties. Such plants can be cultivated around your home with the assurance of providing preventive treatments to mole problems.