These small rodents can be challenging and can destroy a garden! Voles (Field Mice) are usually first spotted by their ~3-inch holes they make in raised beds. Once you see these, it’s time to get into action before they get out of hand. Voles multiply quickly and will wreak havoc on not only your garden, but also your garden supplies like tarps, sheeting, and other materials. They can be pesky, so trial and error is important to see what works best for your visitors.
Treatment Options:
- We’ve found a great treatment for mice and voles is to have a house full of dogs and cats. They do a great job in helping to keep them under control. In case you do not have a cat or dog that enjoys to hunt down mice, there are a few options for taking care of this problem yourself.
- Out of everything, we’ve found the tried and true mouse trap to be the most effective solution. We really like the plastic and metal traps found on Amazon. Simply put a little peanut butter or dog food on the trap and set it out near active spots. There are also electric ones that make it things much easier!
- There are ultrasonic pest repellers that you can place in the ground that send vibrations out to scare the mice away and out of your garden.
- Stationing a fake owl around the garden can also be helpful to scare away field mice. Be sure to move the owl around, or they might figure out your trick!
Plants to Watch:
- Voles will attack anything in your garden, but common plants of problems include:
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2 thoughts on “Garden Pests: How to Manage Voles (Field Mice) in Your Garden”
I would normally laugh at this, but voles just recently arrived in one of the new landscapes. They are rare here, but when they show up, they are numerous. They typically leave on their own within the same year. I mean, they show up, proliferate, do their damage, and then leave as quickly as they arrived! This time, I must put a bit of effort into encouraging them to leave because they are in a landscape where the damage is visible. We have not tried the fake owls yet, or the traps. We just applied repellent, but I am concerned that they will just move into another landscape.