how to repair mole damaged lawn

^{Luckily repairing molehill damage is also easy to fix:}

• Remove excess dirt with a shovel
• Fill any sunken areas with a mixture of 50/50 sand and topsoil
• Lightly rake exposed dirt
• Apply grass seed at the recommended overseed rate
• Compact the dirt back
• Cover exposed areas with peat moss
• Water the lawn thoroughly while the seeds germinate

Will moles hurt my lawn?

Yes, Cheri, you can have both moles and voles but they act very differently. Moles don’t eat plants — only earthworms and grubs. However, they create raised tunnels that are unsightly and can damage lawns.

How to get rid of moles in your lawn?

• Take the time to complete a full inspection on your property, determining the scope and size of the problem
• Use the highest-quality methods available on the market
• Use both prevention and treatment methods in tandem so that the moles don’t return

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How to best repair the damage caused by moles?

Things You'll Need

• Mole traps
• Lawn roller
• Riding lawnmower or garden tractor
• Topsoil
• Grass seed
• Straw

Are moles beneficial to lawns?

Though moles are the bane of many lawn owners, they make a significant positive contribution to the health of the landscape. Their extensive tunneling and mound building mixes soil nutrients and improves soil aeration and drainage. Moles also eat many lawn and garden pests, including cranefly larvae and slugs.

What does mole damage to lawn look like?

Mole Damage Check your soil and lawn for their tunnels. They will look like raised volcano-shaped swellings in your yard. Surface tunnels or ridges also indicate mole activity.

What is the fastest way to get rid of moles in your yard?

Fastest way to get rid of molesMole trap: A mole-specific trap is considered the most effective way to get rid of moles. ... Baits: Moles feed upon earthworms and grubs. ... Remove the food for moles: Moles feed on various garden insects, such as earthworms, crickets, and grubs.More items...•

Does rolling your yard help with moles?

A lawn roller will kill moles because it prevents them from getting enough oxygen. Unless they have an escape route, they won't be able to breathe underground. Moles can survive without a lot of oxygen for a while, but they eventually won't survive if you use a lawn roller on all of their tunnels.

Can moles destroy your lawn?

Just because the moles do not eat your plants, that does not mean they do not cause damage. The tunnels they dig can cause problems to the roots of your plants and grass; they can destroy your lawn.

How do golf courses get rid of moles?

Live-catch traps are a human and effective way to remove moles from your golf course. To use them, place them along active mole runways. To tell if a runway is active, press down on the edge and come back in 2-3 days to see if the moles have repaired the runway.

How do you get rid of a mole overnight?

Castor oil: Mix 1 tablespoon of castor oil with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Apply the paste to the mole and leave overnight.

How long do moles stay in your yard?

How Long Will Moles Live in the Yard? In general, moles have small home ranges and the animal will rarely stay in the same area for a longer period of time. Their activity in a particular area may only last one or two weeks until there's no more food to be found.

Should you flatten mole tunnels?

You can wait to flatten the tunnels after the rain, but flattening the tunnels when the entire lawn is wet -- as opposed to only the tunnels -- increases the risk of soil compaction throughout the yard.

How many moles can live in a yard?

Moles are antisocial, solitary animals; they live alone except to breed. A mole typically travels more than one-fifth of an acre. No more than three to five moles live on each acre; two to three moles is a more common number. Thus, one mole will usually use more than one person's yard.

What do moles hate?

Castor oil and other DIY home remedies Other DIY mole repellents include cayenne pepper (moles hate spiciness). Smells that get rid of moles include castor oil, coffee grounds, and eucalyptus and mint oil (two smells to get rid of moles).

How does vinegar get rid of ground moles?

Pest Control To use vinegar to get rid of moles, simply mix one part vinegar with three parts water in a spray bottle and apply it to the affected areas. You may need to reapply every few days or so until the moles are gone.

How does Dawn dish soap get rid of moles?

0:192:43How to Get Rid of Ground Moles With Dawn Soap - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHose. Step 1 pour four ounces of castor oil and one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid into the bottleMoreHose. Step 1 pour four ounces of castor oil and one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid into the bottle of your garden sprayer add water to fill the sprayer to the top and shake very. Well.

How to fix moles in yard?

Moles activity often looks like large raised veins spreading across your yard. These vein-like patterns are actually surface tunnels or feeding runways and moles can construct them at a rate of 10 feet per hour. Luckily, damage as a result of veining is relatively easy to fix: 1 Flatten all raised veins - you can use your foot or a dirt compactor 2 Scratch exposed dirt with a rake 3 Apply grass seed at the recommended overseed rate 4 Lightly compact the seeded area 5 Cover with peat moss 6 Water areas throughout the day - at least 3x a day

What to do when your yard is mole free?

Once your yard is mole-free, you can begin to repair some of the damage that was done and reclaim your lawn again.

How many molehills can a mole dig in a day?

A busy mole can easily dig 100 feet in a day and can produce more than 6 molehills a day. If left unchecked, your yard could be covered in molehills in just a week.

How to repair molehill damage?

Luckily repairing molehill damage is also easy to fix: Remove excess dirt with a shovel. Fill any sunken areas with a mixture of 50/50 sand and topsoil. Lightly rake exposed dirt. Apply grass seed at the recommended overseed rate. Compact the dirt back. Cover exposed areas with peat moss.

Why do moles eat grass?

If you do have a mole problem, it is likely because your soil is rich in earthworms. Mole activity increases when earthworms are present near the soil surface. The average mole must eat 80 to 100% of their body weight every day, and they must tunnel to get to the worms. As such, they can destroy your lawn in very little time.

How to fix veins on a lawn?

Luckily, damage as a result of veining is relatively easy to fix: Flatten all raised veins - you can use your foot or a dirt compactor. Scratch exposed dirt with a rake. Apply grass seed at the recommended overseed rate. Lightly compact the seeded area. Cover with peat moss.

What is the phone number for Seattle mole exterminators?

If you are dealing with a mole infestation in Seattle, Bellevue, Woodinville, Sammamish, Kirkland, or Redmond, call the Mole Patrol at 425.744.0371 or fill out our Request for Service form to get started with one of our Seattle area mole exterminators.

What happens if you get moles in your lawn?

The damage caused by moles can be both extensive and unsightly. This is especially true if you allow the moles free rein over your lawn. After time, the moles will not only continue creating eyesores in the form of mounds and tunnels, they will begin damaging the root systems of the grass as well as that of other vegetation in the area. To avoid further damage, you must reclaim your property from the moles. Fortunately, this is a job you can handle on your own.

How do I get rid of moles in my yard?

Set mole traps in active tunnels. Make sure the tunnels are active by caving in a small portion with your foot. Check on the tunnel a day later -- if the mole has redug it, it's active. Kill as many moles as possible before attempting to repair the damaged lawn; otherwise, your work will be for naught.

How do I fill low spots in my lawn?

Fill in any low spots in the lawn with topsoil. The weight of the lawn roller may collapse some tunnels, causing slight depressions. Fill these low-lying areas to allow proper drainage, ensure safety for anyone walking across the lawn, and make the lawn more attractive and easier to mow.

How do I use a lawn roller?

Connect a lawn roller to your riding lawn mower or garden tractor, following the manufacturer's directions. Drive your mower or tractor across the lawn -- the heavy roller will flatten irregularities and make the surface uniform. Pay particular attention to any wider areas of the lawn affected by tunneling, and be sure to go over individual mounds.

Compact all the tunnels either by foot, a roller or driving over tunnels with a mower

Compact all the tunnels either by foot, a roller or driving over tunnels with a mower.

Lightly compact the seed into the soil (for best results, we want as much seed to soil contact as possible)

Lightly compact the seed into the soil (for best results, we want as much seed to soil contact as possible).

If desired, cover seeded areas with straw (this adds a layer of protection and keeps moisture in the soil)

If desired, cover seeded areas with straw (this adds a layer of protection and keeps moisture in the soil).

What happens after you remove moles from your lawn?

Even after ridding the lawn of moles, the lawn is left with the ridges and mounds formed as a result of surface tunneling. There are a few approaches to flattening these tunnels, depending on the severity of the damage.

What do moles eat?

They feed on worms, grubs, beetles, ants, slugs and larvae found underground through a system of tunnels. While ridding the lawn of some common pests, moles also disturb grass root systems, leading to dry or dead grass. Even after ridding the lawn of moles, the lawn is left with the ridges and mounds formed as a result of surface tunneling.

Can you flatten a lawn after rain?

You can wait to flatten the tunnels after the rain, but flattening the tunnels when the entire lawn is wet -- as opposed to only the tunnels -- increases the risk of soil compaction throughout the yard.

Can mole tunnels cause ridges in lawn?

Although mole tunnels might not always cause ridges in the lawn, the damage is often visible because the tunneling damages the grass roots. If you don't want to rent a lawn roller, you can make your own using a large barrel. For best results, fill the barrel partially with water or sand to add weight to the barrel.

Can you rent a roller for a lawn tractor?

You can rent rollers that you push manually or that drag behind a lawn tractor or all-terrain vehicle. This method works well on large tunnel systems, but you should only roll over the tunnels to avoid compacting the soil across the rest of the lawn, particularly if you have clay soil that is easily compacted.