Voles! Is there a worst scourge for the garden? I think not. Each year during the winter the voles are very busy. That's not to say they aren't busy other days of the year but the winter time is when I really find a lot of damage in my gardens. I'll be happily walking along inspecting the plants when I will stoop down and try to right an askew plant and lo and behold-the plant will fall into my hands. Such was the case with the above rose. I started this rose from a cutting in the fall and planted it out in the garden once it had roots. Well, as you can see it no longer has roots thanks to the voles. There is really no way to prevent this damage so I try to catch it when it is happening and will either pull the plants (as was the case with this rose) and put it in a pot so it can recover, or I stomp down the ground to ensure there is good root to soil contact and hope the voles will move along. For more information about these pesky rodents see my other post....
in the garden....
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden
The Moles are back and soon shall be the Voles running in their tunnels.... i just hope a big snake gets into the tunnels as well.... Grrrrrrr....
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about your rose. :( I guess my cats are good for something after all!
ReplyDeleteOh man --- so sorry. I found a few mole tunnels last night after dinner. Stomped those bad boys down. Planted a bunch of caster bean plants around the usual tunnel ways.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about your rose Tina. I had them in my garden especially bad last winter but haven't seen much evidence so far this spring. Feeling lucky about that.
ReplyDeleteI see the ground moving sometimes when the moles are moving. I remember having to ask you what a vole was.
ReplyDeleteI've had luck using pieces of bird netting. I wrap the roots of plants and while I'm sure they lunch on some of the roots I haven't lost any plant that I've treated this way. And it's easier than hardware cloth which isn't cloth at all and kills my hands. d
ReplyDeleteSorry about your rose Tina, sigh. You may be able to root what is left and then try the bird netting. Sounds like it could not hurt to try. I would think maybe the roots would at some point burst thru the netting but maybe it would still save some of the roots.
ReplyDeleteI despise them! We have vole holes everywhere. Fortunately a snake is making a home near the vegetable garden, must be something there he likes!
ReplyDeleteI hear about these things all the time. I, thank goodness have yet to be bothered by them. Do cats help with the problem?
ReplyDeleteMy cat does help Randy. She is a great catcher of all sorts of voles but their population is just too much for her to handle.
DeleteGrrr. I'm not sure if I have moles or voles, but I have so many grubs (that turn into Japanese beetles) that they haven't gone after the plants, yet.
ReplyDeleteOh, those things are more destructive than deer and rabbits combined! Since we started using gravel paths and metal edging, we've not had anymore damage...knock on wood! A groundhog dropped by the other day and Richard chased it away. I had no idea that groundhogs could run so fast. His hind end was last seen charging down the road away from us!
ReplyDeleteHa! That's pretty funny!
DeleteI'm so sorry for the loss of your rose. I have one that brother brought me now he wants me to root one for him. It is in bloom & smells heavenly. It's pink & is a climber so it's on the chain link fence for a better place.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your good tips!
ReplyDeleteI guess the dogs don't scare off voles, huh? Sorry about the damage.
ReplyDeleteThe dogs help as does the cat but they just can't get them all. Actually, the dogs do more harm than good when they dig to China to get the voles and pesky chipmunks.
DeleteThose darn voles! I have given Sophie credit for keeping the voles at bay here, but I think in reality it's the cats who help to control them.
ReplyDeleteJust saw your last reply--yes, an eager dog on vole patrol can do more harm than good:)
I suspect thats what happened to my beautiful peony last year
ReplyDeleteI have a problem with rodents as well. But the smaller species. They dig the soil and causes my young seedlings to be uprooted. Before I realised it was too late to plant them again since the roots are dry and damage. Sigh.
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