How Do You Get Rid of Voles in the Garden? 5 Proven Solutions!

How do you get rid of voles in the garden? These small rodents can wreak havoc on your garden, chewing through plant roots, bulbs, and even tree bark. If you’re tired of seeing your hard work destroyed, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll explore effective methods to eliminate voles and keep them from coming back, ensuring your garden remains a haven for plants, not pests.

If you’re curious about the differences between voles and other similar small mammals like shrews, understanding their behaviors and characteristics can help you refine your garden protection strategies. Check out our detailed comparison of shrews vs. voles to learn how to identify each species and address their unique challenges effectively.

What Are Voles and Why Are They a Problem?

Voles are small rodents often mistaken for mice or moles, but they have distinct characteristics and behaviors. Typically measuring 4-8 inches, these critters are known for their voracious appetite for plant roots, bulbs, and grasses.

Why Voles Damage Your Garden

1. Feeding Habits: Voles eat plant roots, which can kill flowers, vegetables, and even small trees.
2. Tunneling: Their underground tunnels disturb soil structure and harm landscaping.
3. Population Growth: A vole population can explode quickly, worsening the damage.

If left unchecked, voles can turn a lush garden into a barren wasteland. That’s why learning how to get rid of voles in the garden is essential for any gardener.

How Do You Get Rid of Voles in the Garden? 5 Proven Methods

1. Use Traps to Catch Voles

Traps are one of the most reliable and humane methods to deal with a vole infestation. They work by targeting individual voles, helping to gradually reduce their population in a controlled manner. With the right traps and techniques, you can see a noticeable difference in your garden.

Types of Traps for Voles

Two main types of traps are commonly used to catch voles:

1. Snap Traps: These are spring-loaded traps designed to kill voles instantly. They are effective and can be baited with seeds, peanut butter, or small pieces of fruit to attract voles.
2. Live Traps: For those seeking a humane option, live traps capture voles without harming them. These traps allow you to relocate the voles far away from your garden.

Each type has its advantages, and the choice depends on your preferences and local regulations regarding wildlife management.

Tips for Effective Trap Placement

Correct placement is crucial for successful vole trapping. Here’s how to ensure your traps are effective:

• Locate Active Tunnels: Voles create visible surface runways and burrow entrances. Place traps directly along these paths for the best results.
• Use Cover: Voles are shy and avoid open spaces. To make traps less intimidating, cover them with a small box, leaves, or grass. This also helps prevent non-target animals from triggering the trap.
• Set Multiple Traps: For larger infestations, deploy several traps across different areas of the garden to increase your chances of catching multiple voles.

Maximize Results by Combining Methods

While traps are effective, they work best when integrated with other control methods such as natural repellents and physical barriers. This holistic approach ensures you address the root of the problem while preventing future infestations.

Using traps is a straightforward and targeted way to handle voles, but consistency and patience are key. By regularly checking and resetting traps, you can keep your garden safe and vole-free over time.

2. Plant Vole-Resistant Plants

One of the simplest and most eco-friendly ways to protect your garden from voles is by incorporating vole-resistant plants. These plants are either unappealing to voles because of their strong scent, tough texture, or taste that voles find unpleasant.

By strategically including them in your landscape, you can naturally deter voles without relying on harsh chemicals or intensive measures.

Examples of Vole-Resistant Plants

Certain plants have proven effective in keeping voles at bay:

1. Daffodils: These cheerful flowers contain lycorine, a natural compound that repels voles and other pests.
2. Alliums: Members of the onion family, like garlic and ornamental alliums, emit a strong odor that voles avoid.
3. Marigolds: Known for their pest-deterring qualities, marigolds not only repel voles but also add vibrant color to your garden.

Other options include crown imperials, fritillaries, and lavender, which also possess vole-repellent properties.

Designing Your Garden with Vole-Resistant Plants

Using these plants effectively requires a bit of planning. Here’s how you can design a garden that naturally discourages voles:

• Perimeter Defense: Plant vole-resistant varieties around the edges of your garden or flower beds. This creates a natural barrier that voles are reluctant to cross.
• Interplanting: Mix vole-resistant plants with other vulnerable species. For example, surrounding a vegetable patch with daffodils or garlic can protect it from vole damage.
• Layered Planting: Combine multiple vole-resistant plants for added protection and aesthetic appeal. For example, pair alliums with marigolds for both functionality and beauty.

Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Pest Control

The beauty of planting vole-resistant species lies in its dual benefits:

• It’s completely natural and chemical-free, making it safe for pets, children, and beneficial insects like bees and butterflies.
• It adds diversity to your garden, enhancing its overall health and resilience.

By incorporating these plants into your landscape, you not only protect your garden but also create a space that’s both functional and visually appealing. Plus, with fewer voles around, your plants will have a better chance to thrive.

3. Eliminate Food Sources

Voles thrive in environments where food is abundant and easily accessible. By cutting off their food supply, you make your garden far less attractive to these pests, encouraging them to move elsewhere. This simple but effective strategy can significantly reduce vole activity and prevent future infestations.

Steps to Remove Food Sources

1. Clear Garden Debris

• Fallen fruits, seeds, and plant debris provide a steady source of nutrition for voles. Regularly rake up and dispose of any organic matter lying on the ground.
• Prune dead plants and stems that might offer voles shelter and food in one place.

2. Manage Bird Feeders

• While bird feeders are great for attracting feathered friends, spilled birdseed is a vole magnet. Place feeders on tall poles with catch trays to minimize waste on the ground.
• Clean the area around feeders regularly to eliminate any food residue.

3. Avoid Loose Mulch

• Loose organic mulches like straw, hay, or wood chips not only provide food but also create a cozy habitat for voles. Instead, opt for gravel, rubber mulch, or compacted soil, which are less inviting.
• If you prefer organic mulch, keep it thin and away from plant bases to reduce vole shelter opportunities.

Benefits of Food Source Elimination

By addressing the food supply, you achieve two important goals:

• Discouraging Newcomers: A garden with limited food options is less likely to attract new voles searching for sustenance.
• Managing Existing Populations: Without abundant food, voles already in your garden are more likely to relocate or face natural population control from predators.

Additional Tips

• Regularly inspect compost bins to ensure they’re sealed and not accessible to voles.
• Store gardening supplies like seeds and bulbs in vole-proof containers made of metal or heavy plastic.

Reducing food sources is a sustainable and low-cost way to keep voles out of your garden. With consistent maintenance and mindful practices, you can protect your plants while maintaining a neat and tidy outdoor space.

4. Install Physical Barriers

Physical barriers are one of the most reliable ways to protect your garden from voles. These barriers act as a shield, preventing voles from accessing plants, tree roots, and garden beds. While they require some initial effort to set up, they offer long-term protection, making them especially effective for high-value plants and small gardens.

Using Hardware Cloth

Hardware cloth is a versatile and durable material that creates an effective barrier against voles. Here’s how to use it:

1. Tree Protection: Wrap hardware cloth around the base of trees to prevent voles from gnawing on the bark. Ensure the cloth is tall enough to account for snow cover in winter.
2. Garden Bed Shielding: Line the bottom and sides of raised garden beds with hardware cloth to stop voles from burrowing into the soil. Use mesh with small openings (¼ inch or less) to block even the smallest voles.

This simple solution protects your plants from being uprooted or damaged by vole activity.

Installing Underground Fencing

For areas with frequent vole activity, underground fencing is an excellent option to stop voles from tunneling:

1. Fence Depth: Dig a trench at least 12 inches deep and bury wire mesh or hardware cloth vertically. This prevents voles from burrowing under the barrier.
2. Above-Ground Height: Let the barrier extend 6–12 inches above ground to stop voles from climbing over.
3. Surround Vulnerable Areas: Use this fencing around vegetable patches, flower beds, and other areas where voles are most likely to cause damage.

Why Barriers Work

Physical barriers are particularly effective because they don’t rely on chemicals or traps, making them safe for children, pets, and beneficial wildlife. Additionally, they offer consistent protection regardless of weather conditions or vole population levels.

Additional Tips for Success

• Check barriers periodically for damage or gaps, especially after heavy rains or frost.
• Combine barriers with other vole control methods, like planting vole-resistant plants, to maximize effectiveness.

By installing physical barriers, you create a permanent and humane solution to keep voles out of your garden. This strategy ensures that your plants and trees remain healthy and free from vole damage year-round.

5. Use Natural Repellents

Using natural repellents is a humane and eco-friendly way to deter voles from your garden. These methods are safe for pets, children, and beneficial wildlife while effectively keeping voles at bay. Repellents target voles’ sense of smell and taste, making the environment unappealing for them to settle or forage.

Homemade Repellents

Creating your own vole repellents is simple, cost-effective, and utilizes common household ingredients:

1. Castor Oil Spray: Mix one part castor oil with two parts water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. Shake well and spray generously near vole tunnels, burrow entrances, and areas where voles are active.
2. Garlic or Pepper Solutions: Boil garlic or hot peppers in water, strain the mixture, and spray it around your garden. The strong smell and taste discourage voles from nibbling on plants.

These solutions are natural, biodegradable, and can be applied as needed.

Commercial Repellents

For convenience and long-lasting results, commercial vole repellents are readily available:

• Look for products specifically labeled for vole control, which often contain castor oil or other natural ingredients.
• Granular repellents are ideal for large areas, as they can be scattered easily around gardens, lawns, and flower beds.
• Liquid repellents provide quick coverage for tunnels, tree bases, and smaller spaces.

When purchasing, ensure the product is environmentally friendly and safe for non-target species.

Tips for Effective Application

To maximize the effectiveness of natural repellents:

1. Reapply After Rain: Rain washes away repellents, so it’s essential to reapply them after wet weather to maintain their potency.
2. Target High-Traffic Areas: Focus on vole tunnels, burrows, and feeding zones to disrupt their activities directly.
3. Combine Methods: Use repellents alongside other vole control strategies, such as traps and barriers, for a comprehensive approach.

Benefits of Natural Repellents

Natural repellents are a sustainable solution that respects the ecosystem. They don’t harm voles or other animals but make your garden less appealing, encouraging voles to relocate naturally. Additionally, the DIY options allow for customization, giving you control over the ingredients used.

By incorporating natural repellents into your vole control plan, you can protect your plants and enjoy a pest-free garden without the need for harsh chemicals or inhumane measures.