Think Twice Before Using Baking Soda To Get Rid Of Garden Moles

Moles can cause serious damage to your yard and garden because of the tunnels they dig, but using baking soda to get rid of them might not be the best method. While some websites claim that sodium bicarbonate can be used to poison moles when combined with peanut butter or other foods, it typically isn't effective. If a mole or rodent were to become sick from eating baking soda, the animal's death could take a long time, making this an inhumane extermination method. Other animals besides moles could also be attracted by the food and make themselves ill.

Besides either not working or being harmful to animals, baking soda contains sodium, which can kill plants. This is why it's not always a great idea to spread sodium bicarbonate around your garden. Surprisingly, this common natural household cleaner can also be dangerous for dogs and cats if they consume a sizable amount, according to the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists. If you're looking for a more reliable and safer pest control method than baking soda, consider castor oil; castor oil repels moles without killing them.

As noted, baking soda isn't always effective in ridding your yard of moles, and, in fact, can cause them harm, but other natural pest control methods like castor oil can help in a pinch. While castor oil doesn't poison garden moles, it'll give them an upset stomach if they eat it. By using castor oil instead of a baking soda solution inside their tunnels, the bugs in the ground that moles feed on will become unappetizing to them. This will encourage the moles to move on to a new location.

To use castor oil as pest control, combine 1 part dish soap with 3 parts of the carrier oil, and then add 4 tablespoons of this mixture into 1 gallon of water. The solution can then be poured or sprayed into the moles' tunnels, driving them out. While large amounts of dish soap can kill plants, diluted mixtures like this shouldn't hurt them unless dumped directly over your garden. Note that if moles are still overtaking your property and nothing seems to get rid of them, you may need to call a professional.