A client brought in a Euphorbia lathyris (Caper Spurge or Paper Spurge) aka Gopher Spurge, Gopher Plant or Mole Plant, for identification. We did. One person swore she had rid her garden and others of moles by cramming this plant down the mole holes. Has anyone else ever heard of this working? Why? Could it be the Euphorbia sap making life miserable so they move on? Another lady brought me a small plant and I am drying the seeds to plant. I hope to try this one out. I would love to give our gardeners a real way to get rid of these pesky critters....barb
Can't say as I've ever heard of this technique, but it seems likely to work. Moles probably dislike the aftereffects of the sap as much as we do---and I can understand their vamoosing from the vicinity after getting a dose of it up their sensitive schnozzes! Sounds definitely worth a try.
Thanks for the vote of confidence Amy. I feel it sure can't hurt to try. Down with moles!!!!!!!!!! barb
A different way of looking at moles from The Humane Society of the United States: Solving Problems with Moles And, in the middle of this small essay, the benefits and problems of moles: Mole Problems Surface Early from Iowa State University Extension
