Mole Pesticide Update

For a long time, moles have been one of those problems with no good answer. But times have changed. During my five years in Onslow County, I have been informing clients that moles were not considered a pest by law and that one species, the star-nosed mole, is actually a species of concern in North Carolina. This meant that your options for control were limited. The primary recommendation was to control the mole’s food source (focusing primarily on white grubs) in the hopes that the moles would move to another location.

In 2014, the North Carolina Pesticide Board declared eastern moles (Scolopus aquaticus) and hairy-tailed moles (Parascalops breweri) as pests, and made it legal to use pesticides to control them. Manufacturers have been submitting their products for registration. Some products have already been approved for use and other products are still awaiting approval.

This means that you can use pesticides registered to control the eastern mole and the hairy-tailed mole in turf in the following areas: residential; commercial; government property, excluding federal and state parks; golf courses, driving ranges, and golf instructional facilities; sod farms; athletic fields; and/or visitor centers and cemeteries. Mole pesticides can not be used in pastures and should not be applied within 100 feet of natural or man-made bodies of water, including but not limited to, streams, rivers, ponds, swamps, lakes, and wetlands or at elevations of 4000 feet or greater.

Some of the products that are registered include Motomco Mole Killer, Talpirid, Tomcat Mole Killer, and Victor Moleworms. Information from the University of Missouri indicates that the efficacy of toxic baits is questionable. One issue is that many toxic baits rely on a grain, seed or nut bases to deliver the chemical. However, since moles do not prefer grains as a meal, instead focusing on prey such as white grubs and earthworms, the effectiveness of these baits may be limited. Products that mimic a grub or worm may be a better choice.

If you choose to use pesticides to control moles in your yard, read and carefully follow all label directions. Be sure to use these products in a way that prevents children and pets from coming in to contact with them.

Even with the use of pesticides, moles are not likely to be a problem with an easy answer. Due to the nature of these creatures, even if you succeed in killing one, another may quickly take up residence in your yard. Consider white grub control as appropriate and walking down tunnels as they appear. When all else fails, appreciate moles for their value as predators feeding on the white grubs and other pests in your turf.

Spring’s First Crops – Peas and Potatoes

Winter isn’t gone yet but I can’t resist the urge to get out in the garden and plant.  Peas and potatoes are two of my favorite spring vegetables – for one reason because they are tasty but I think even more so because they are one of the first vegetables that I can plant as winter starts to fade in to spring.  

Garden peas, and their edible-podded relatives, snow peas and sugar snaps are easy and productive crops to grow.  In coastal areas, peas can be planted outside as early as mid-January.  As you move further inland, delay planting by a week or two but make sure to get in the ground by mid-February at the latest.  These cool season vegetables need to mature before hot weather sets in. 

Peas should be grown from seed in the garden.  Soaking your pea seeds before planting will speed germination.  Place them in a jar of water and soak them for 6-8 hours just before planting.  I often set mine to soak the night before and plant them the next morning.  If you have not grown peas in your garden before, treat them with inoculum (available online or at garden centers).  Inoculum provides the beneficial bacteria that allow the pea plants to fix their own nitrogen. 

Sow seeds an inch deep and one to two inches apart. Water well after sowing and keep moist until seedlings begin to emerge, usually within seven to ten days. Peas are a vining crop and benefit from a low trellis or even just a row of branches to climb on.  I recommend making several small plantings 2-3 weeks apart as some plantings will perform better than others, depending on the season. 

Fresh peas will be ready to harvest 65 to 80 days after planting. Tasty raw or cooked, many of my sugar snap and snow peas never make it as far as the house.

Potatoes are great fun to grow and a neat way to get kids interested in the garden.  Potatoes can be planted in early February.  Purchase seed potatoes from a garden center.  These small potatoes have been grown under special conditions to ensure that they are free of diseases.  Seed potatoes usually give better results than potatoes purchased from the grocery store or those held over from the previous season. 

Kennebec and Red Pontiac are classic varieties that do well in coastal North Carolina but I have great results with Yukon Gold.  I love the moist texture and buttery taste of this gold-fleshed variety. 

Cut seed potatoes into pieces that are each about the size of an egg and container at least one eye.  You can plant your seed pieces right away or sprout them indoors for a few weeks by placing them in a warm, sunny location. 

Plant seed pieces six inches deep and ten inches apart in the row with three feet between rows. Keep in mind twelve pounds of seed potatoes can plant around one hundred feet of row and yield over two hundred pounds of spuds.  Potatoes can also be grown successfully in large containers – I grow mine in 25 gallon pots but people have also been successful with trashcans, large baskets and similar containers. 

As the shoots grow, “hill up” around the base of the plants with soil or mulch.  New tubers are set between the seed potato and the surface of the soil.  Depending on the variety, potatoes will take 85-110 days to grow to maturity.  When the tops of the plants start to die back, it is time to dig the potatoes.  Harvesting potatoes is a bit of a treasure hunt and fun for children of all ages!

Other cool season vegetables that you can plant in February include lettuce, spinach, radish, mustard, turnip greens, beets, turnips, kohlrabi, carrots, cabbage and broccoli.