Anyone who has had to deal with moles on their property in the past will know that these animals can be a huge hassle. They will dig up your beautiful lawn or garden in search of food, leaving a mess behind. While most repellents on the market won't effectively prevent moles from entering your property, there are other ways to keep these pesky critters away.

Underground Fences
Simply building a normal fence around your property or garden will not be enough to keep moles away. Instead, you will have to put at least part of the fence underground since moles are excellent diggers. To create an underground mole-proof fence, by some mesh hardware cloth made of metal or a similar material. Place it so the fence extends about six inches above the ground and two feet into the ground and it should effectively keep moles away from your garden.

Other Barriers
While fencing is typically the first solution people think of to construct a mole-proof barrier, there are other options. Moles find it much harder to dig through soil that is dense, so you can swap out the normal soil in your garden or small areas for clay soil, which is denser. Do this in areas you don't want the moles to enter or in strategic areas to create borders. You can also arrange rocks within the soil, but always remember to extend any barrier you create at least two feet below the surface. Some people have even swapped their grass in certain areas out for rocks. This works to limit grubs and other mole food sources.

Don't Over-Water
Depending on where you live, you may frequently water your lawn or garden. What you don't realize, however, is that doing this will simply encourage moles to stay on your property. These animals prefer moist, soft soil since it is easier for them to dig through. This is also the ideal type of soil for moles because it attracts worms, grubs, and other sources of food. To prevent moles, simply make sure that you do not water your lawn too frequently. Many people find that doing so about once a week strikes the ideal balance as the soil will have enough water for your lawn and garden to stay healthy, but not enough to attract moles.

Consider Insecticides
Although it is a somewhat controversial option, some property owners have noticed positive results by using insecticides to reduce the number of insects in their yard. Since moles eat these insects, they will be less likely to choose to make a home on your property if there is not a food source. Keep in mind, however, that insecticides usually contain chemicals and using them may accidentally reduce the number of beneficial insects you have on your lawn as well. Another consideration is that insecticides will only remove some of the potential food sources of moles.

Eliminate Other Food Sources

Using insecticide is not the only way to keep potential food sources away from your property. Simply keeping your soil dry should help since grubs and worms prefer damp conditions. You can also take the time to break up roots underneath your lawn since this is a prime spot for grubs to live. A professional can help you with this task or you can rent or borrow a spike aerator. Use this to punch holes across your lawn at regular intervals as this breaks up the roots.

Repellents
It only takes a simple search online to see that there are numerous mole repellents for sale as well as dozens of natural remedies. The thing to remember, however, is that these will not typically help to keep the animals away. Most trappers and mole experts will only be able to tell you a handful of stories when this worked but dozens if not hundreds of times it did not have any effect. This is likely because most repellents will be sprayed above ground, but moles live below ground. In other words, simply applying a mole repellent to the surface won't keep away an animal that spends its entire life below ground.

If you really want to try a repellent, then consider a natural remedy. This will be more affordable and not have any negative impact on your property or the environment. Simply keep in mind that they may or may not work. One of the most commonly suggested natural remedies is to plant a barrier of plants that moles don't like, such as castor beans, mole plant, alliums, marigolds, or daffodils. Just remember not to use castor bean or mole plants around children or pets since they are poisonous. Castor oil, however, does make an affordable alternative to try although it may or may not work.

What To Do
The absolute best way to prevent moles is to consult a professional. They should be able to evaluate your property and let you know what items or soil conditions can potentially attract

Read the How to get rid of moles page for helpful information and to learn more about Mole Prevention Tips: How To Keep Moles Away