Q&A – How do we prevent vole damage and mulch with leaves?
Question:
Voles are causing considerable damage to our garden. They have eaten on our potatoes and they destroyed our new planting of blueberry bushes last winter. My flowers near our vegetable garden have suffered also. We mulch with leaves and love the benefits of weed suppression and moisture retention that leaves supply, but the voles love the mulch too. What can we do the prevent vole damage and still have the benefits of the mulch?
Answer:
Make sure your mulch is not over 3 inches deep. Voles like cover and the mulch supplies that. Pull the mulch back from the trunk of any plant. Voles do not like to be out in the open. Poisoning the voles will temporarily reduce the population and may provide some relief. A cat will help as will snakes.
Related Resources:
Reducing Vole Damage to Plants in Landscapes, Orchards, and Nurseries
Dealing With Nuisance Wildlife
Voles are causing considerable damage to our garden. They have eaten on our potatoes and they destroyed our new planting of blueberry bushes last winter. My flowers near our vegetable garden have suffered also. We mulch with leaves and love the benefits of weed suppression and moisture retention that leaves supply, but the voles love the mulch too. What can we do the prevent vole damage and still have the benefits of the mulch?
Answer:
Make sure your mulch is not over 3 inches deep. Voles like cover and the mulch supplies that. Pull the mulch back from the trunk of any plant. Voles do not like to be out in the open. Poisoning the voles will temporarily reduce the population and may provide some relief. A cat will help as will snakes.
Related Resources:
Reducing Vole Damage to Plants in Landscapes, Orchards, and Nurseries
Dealing With Nuisance Wildlife