The Unexpected Ingredient That'll Keep Pesky Moles Out Of Your Garden
If you want to get rid of the moles that have made themselves at home in your garden, then there's a good chance that you've come across various suggestions when it comes to how to deal with them. That includes everything from setting up a noisy alarm clock to using chewing gum as a deterrent. While some of these tricks may work and others are merely myths, there's one tactic that should definitely be successful. All you need is red peppers and a little know-how.
Whether you opt for the full vegetable or a powdered red pepper, they will both keep moles away from your garden. Although you may love the taste of these veggies, moles do not. They also don't like the smell and simply can't stand capsaicin, which is found in peppers. In fact, capsaicin is what gives peppers their spicy kick, according to a 2016 study published in Molecules. While some humans may enjoy that tongue-tingling factor, moles happen to hate it due to the fact that heat caused by capsaicin can lead to serious irritation and burning pain.
Of course, you surely don't want to hurt any little creature in your yard. However, by using red peppers in one or more particular ways, you can annoy moles just enough to make them eager to move out of your garden and find a more appropriate place to live.
Sprinkle or spray red pepper on the garden to deter moles
Not only does this handy hack take advantage of something that you may already have in your kitchen or growing in your garden, but it's also super easy to do. You simply need to decide which method you'd like to use to get rid of the moles around your home.
For the first option, grab a red pepper, chop it up, and sprinkle the bits in the soil. This should prevent the moles from digging in the area and creating tunnels beneath your plants. The second technique involves doing the same thing but with powdered red pepper. If the critters have already made a few tunnels, you can put the powder in and around the holes that lead in and out of the underground passageways. If these methods aren't as effective as you were hoping, you can add both chopped and powdered red pepper to some water and castor oil before spraying it on your garden. This will make your mixture stronger.
Whatever kind of red pepper power you choose to use in your garden, you just need to remember to use it in areas where you see or suspect there to be a fair share of mole activity happening. You also need to re-sprinkle or re-spritz regularly, especially after it rains, to make sure the peppers remain effective and that the moles will stay away from your precious garden and everything in it.