Vole runs

Voles are destructive little creatures. This spring after all the snow melted off I discovered all these little runs going throughout my yard. As I was jogging around the neighborhood enjoying spring I actually noticed there were a lot of people having the same problem. Initially I didn’t know what the heck they were so I searched online for a few key words like “tracks in yard” or “burrowing under grass in yard.” What I found is that voles are often known as field mice also, at least that’s the brief understanding I got. The point is, voles can wreak havoc on your lawn and burrow little trails all over under the stay pack in the winter and eat all the immature grass. When spring arrives, you all these tunnels and roadways in the grass with dead grass everywhere.

So I went out on a search on how to get rid of voles in your yard and found several different approaches. One is using poison, so I got the Just One Bite poison (suggested by our local Home Depot) and was prepared to use it. Although I’m not a real fan of putting poison out anywhere so I kept on searching. What I found was this video posted by Grass Pad which is a well known local nursery and yard specialized store in my local area.

The video pretty much shows you everyone on how to kill voles, but I thought I’d share my photos here as well and show you that I got my first vole the same night I set the traps. Oh, and if you have moles, check out how to get rid of moles.

Basically you only need 3 things:

• 2 Traditional style Victor Mouse traps (different types may work, but these seem to work the best from what I’ve found) – You can pick up 2 for under a buck at any store.
• Cardboard box

Fold the cardboard box so that it will create a tunnel over a nice straight stretch of the vole run. I like to get them as close to their hole as possible. You can tell if a run is active because it will be padded down or smooth and indicative of high traffic. Place two traps next to each other facing outward; so that the trigger mechanism is facing away from each other to trigger if the vole enters from either side. No need to use any bait, just set them and cover the run with the cardboard box like in the pictures. The cardboard cover basically makes it so the vole feels safe and will run through the tunnel and hit the traps.

In my case, the vole actually got one of his legs caught and have moved my trap about 3 feet under a shrub. I actually didn’t have the heart to kill the vole as he still seemed pretty feisty. I had a leather glove and just grabbed him and he really started biting at me. I took him across the road to a big open field we have and let him loose. Hopefully he doesn’t come back. I have a feeling that a Red Tailed hawk will probably get him for lunch though. Just the day before my wife and I sit and watched a hawk standing on our front lawn watching the vole runs. We were hoping mother nature would take care of them but decided to set the traps anyway.

That’s pretty much all there is for how to get rid of voles… all for under a buck! You can’t beat that. Best of luck!

UPDATE: 04-25-2011. As of yesterday I've caught 6  voles using this method. Yesterday after I mowed I noticed some trails that looked fairly active so I setup my traps again when I finished mowing. I went back out 30 minutes later and had two voles, caught one on both ends of this trap setup. After resetting I had another one in a few hours. I considered showing pictures of them but figured it would be a little too morbid. Rest assured though, this trapping method works.

UPDATE: 06-14-2011. As of last weekend, I've trapped and killed over 20 voles. Yes, 20. Actually, I stopped counting after 15 but they keep coming. Although I can say that I've made a dent. They're out of my front and back yard but are now (I saw one yesterday) in one side yard so time to start trapping again. As far as I know, the neighbors I've talked to don't have a big of a problem with them as me so I'm thinking there must have been a big family living in my yard over the winter. Although I'm putting a dent in them I'm hoping they're family tree is getting shorter!

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1. How To Get Rid of Moles In Your Yard

If you're a homeowner, and like me, love to have a nice green lawn, then you've probably asked yourself or wondered how to kill moles. A few years ago I noticed some soft patches in my side yard while mowing. I didn't really think that much about it as there's a big open field next to our house and just figured a mole had wondered into our yard. A few days later I found one dead floating in our pool. I thought... cool, no more mole problem. Wrong.

This just happened to be the same year that I started trying Miracle-Gro on my lawn as an experiment and was on a quest of having the smoothest and greenest lawn in the neighborhood. This meant I watered regularly (which moles love the soft soil) and continued to find mole tunnels and a few mounds in my side yard. From the one I found floating the last fall (which I thought must have just gotten lost) to what seemed like a small army invading my side yard. I remembered as a kid my grandfather having those victor plunger type mole traps set up all over the yard; which was my first idea or exposure and experience of how to get rid of moles.

Amazing mole fact: Did you know that a single mole can eat up to 50 pounds of worms annually? That includes grubs which we all know can wreak havoc on a lawn.

Be sure to continue to read my "killing moles by attrition story" below but I also encourage you to check out "Ultimate Mole Control" by Jon Ochs. This is a killer deal I actually bought but didn't end up using because the moles never moved into my front yard. (used it this spring, worked great!) It's a killer product (pun intended) and at only $17 would have saved me on the poison and dirt tamper from the beginning. Even though I wasn't keen on the trapping idea, with Jon's methods I'm armed and ready if they return.  If you're interested to hear more about Ultimate Mole Control, see bottom of this post.

Vole runs

UPDATE: Spring 2011. This spring I found several mole holes and a ton of vole trails. So, great, I have moles and voles. If you're not sure what the difference is, voles eat veggies and moles eat meat. Or more precisely what they do to your lawn; voles burrow just under the grass and not in the ground. However they do burrow holes (usually under sidewalks or bushes) but don't push dirt out like moles. They eat the immature grass that they find all winter just under the snow. You won't know you have them until spring and you start noticing all these little tunneling systems all over your yard. The crappy part is that these runs kill the grass so I've had to rake up all the dead grass in these runs and am in the process of filling them with a calcined clay chip. The good news is voles are pretty easy to kill with just a few simple mouse traps - ready my post on How To Get Rid of Voles. So I've already gotten them taken care of. I also discovered a few mole holes this spring and was armed and ready with Jon's Ultimate Mole Control. I set the trap one Saturday afternoon and by Monday morning I had my first mole! I'm hoping that's the only one I have as again it was on the side yard. My main vole problem is in the front yard. Whatever the rodent is however, I've got it covered with a few simple techniques here. Jon's mole control technique for moles and this simple trapping technique for voles.

Now back to my story...

OK, so I went out in search of the best way to get rid of moles much like you've probably done if you searched for "get rid of moles" like I did. Now remember, this was before I learned of Jons Ultimate Mole Control! What I found was a lot of conflicting information. Not to mention the shelves filling up Home Depot or my local hardware store with all the products touting to "get rid of moles in yard!" Looking back it's actually funny as I always saw all those products on the shelf and wondered how there could be so many different products for such a small and seemingly harmless mammal. I mean, how hard could it be to kill a mole? What I found was many different types of devices (besides the old spring loaded traps I remember my grandfather had).

Basically you have baits, traps, deterrents and a bunch of other "shiny objects" that claim to get rid of moles or for those wondering how to kill moles. I say shiny objects because there's always something new coming out that either takes batteries and you bury in the ground, vibration wind-mills, or some type of fumigation or home-remedy that's "guaranteed to kill moles." I initially tried the bait that comes in a cone (poison peanuts) simply because that was the first thing I saw and honestly didn't want to deal with trapping and throwing out a dead mole.

Reality is, moles eat worms, and they like mushy things and don't even have bottom incisors! So why the heck would they want some small little hard peanut or poison? I know, makes no sense. The consensus from every resource I found was that trapping worked the best and was the most effective long-term.

Now I'll tell you what my solution eventually was... it's called attrition and something I learned about from a lady at a local nursery. The important part of my mole problem was they were in my side yard; which is between this field and our pool which has mostly cement around it. Between our side yard and front yard is our driveway; so I had a little time to experiment with different methods, but if they had moved into my front yard... WAR ON!! Which is what I was prepared for and figured would happen when I found and purchased the ultimate mole control. UPDATE: Spring 2011. As stated above, I used Jon's technique and got my mole! woohoo! I ordered his recommended Victor Out O'Sight Mole trap, worked great along with his awesome tips.

So what's the attrition method or how to get rid of moles in your yard by attrition?

at·tri·tion: a wearing down or weakening of resistance, esp. as a result of continuous pressure or harassment: The enemy surrounded the town and conducted a war of attrition.

What I did was, every morning I'd go outside and stomp down the mole tunnels and sometimes use a heavy hand dirt tamper. On weekdays I did it after work and weekends at least twice a day and sometimes three times. Often I would even use a garden rake and rake out the tunnels sort of breaking them up and stomping them down. The idea is that each time you flatten a tunnel, the mole will just come back and raise it up again, but the mole will dig a little deeper this time. Eventually they'll be deep enough you won't really notice them. The idea is that you can live with them this way. Granted this takes a ton of patience and at this point I didn't feel like I really had an infestation; yet. But I was prepared.

Now I'm not sure if the moles went away or if they're still there just deeper but I haven't had too much trouble with them since; at least not this last year. I did have one tunnel against a privacy fence near the back of our property but I raked it out ASAP and haven't seen one since. I'm hoping they don't come back but I'm pretty sure they will. At least now I'm ready with Jons Ultimate Mole Control backing me up in case “operation patience” fails to perform as well as it did.

Why I think Jon's product (Ultimate Mole Control) is top-rated.

Jon, from Portland Oregon, had new mole holes coming up every day. Now, I don't have as much lawn as Jon does, but he had 2 acres of landscaped lawn full of moles. Every day he had to go out and fill wheel barrels with dirt! Honestly, it's a pretty impressive story. Jon even provides a members area with 7 videos (besides his ebook) of step-by-step instructions demonstrating his methods and how he's found success in getting rid of moles and gophers in his yard . And in his words and guarantee "getting a mole every time!" and ridding his entire property of moles in 3 weeks time after he perfected his process. Jon claims that every-time you have a new mole, his method allows you to get that mole! To give you an idea of how comprehensive his program is, his first video is simply what simple tools you'll need which you probably already have (like a 2.5 bucket, gloves, spade, etc.) Jon does a great job of showing some real tricks like how to keep human scent off items to help your success.

Jon also has included a couple supplemental videos based on comments and questions members have submitted so you know he's serious. So if you're serious about killing moles or really want to know how to get rid of moles, check out Ultimate Mole Control for only $17 and avoid wasting money on all the other gimmicks like I did.

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1. What to Look for in a Yard Sweeper
2. Yard Sweeper Deals and Some Good Choices
3. How To Get Rid of Voles

There are several uses for lawn rollers. Knowing how and where to purchase or rent them is also essential when it comes time to use one. There are different types and uses for lawn rollers so we’ll look at a couple here.

So why exactly would you use a lawn roller?

There are several main, or popular, reasons for using lawn rollers. One is if you’re getting ready to seed or overseed your lawn and the other is if you’re laying sod. Another purpose, which really goes along with what we’ve suggested in all our lawn sweeper articles, is for smoothing out a lawn and making it more level for easier and more precise mowing. As we’ve stated many times before, lawn sweepers work the best on ground or yards that are level and void of any big mounds, bumps, roots, or ruts. So utilizing a lawn roller is a good way of improving the efficiency of your lawn sweepers. If you have a big mound in your yard, you can remove dirt from around the edges of the mound and then roll it with the lawn roller. Think of it sort of as a huge divot left by a golf ball and the process that goes into refilling your divot. And if you golf anything like I do, you have a lot of them!

Rolling For Seeding

Before overseeding you can roll the lawn several times to pad down the grass, and then rake away all the dead grass and seed. However, if you’re seeding for the first time, there’s a lot more steps to take before you use your roller. First is testing the Ph level of your soil which should be around 6. To 7.5. Next you’ll want to make sure you get all large rocks, sticks, and any other debris clear so it’s nice and clean. If you have big dirt clogs or mounds of soil that is compacted, us a tiller or hand tiller to break them up into more “dirt” than clump. While tilling is the best time to spread out any starter fertilizer or soil additives you plan on using. Next I like to use a regular garden rake or light screen to level the soil as much as possible before using the lawn roller. Now it’s time to use your lawn roller. Roll as many times as necessary to get the most even ground which helps with proper water drainage.

Lawn Roller and Laying Sod

The laying and planting of sod is when you most often see and use a roller or sometimes called a garden lawn roller. Most rollers use water as their main source of weight since they can be stored relatively light compared to their operating weight. Unless you’re installing a lot of sod and may even do some each year, there’s no need to really purchase a lawn roller. However, if you live on a farm or have a lot of land and do a lot of work, you may benefit from purchasing one; although they can be quite expensive. In most cases, renting one from your local lawn and garden store is probably your best bet.

Once your sod is rolled out, making sure your edges are all tightly together and staggered, (this article is about lawn rollers not laying sod) you’re ready to roll your new sod! Simply speaking, the lawn roller’s purpose is to remove any large air pockets and make sure the sod is firm contact with the soil beneath it giving the roots of the sod a good chance for healthy growth. If you don’t roll, you may end up with some roots not touching the soil underneath and dead spots in your lawn.

Types of Lawn Rollers - Water Filled Lawn Roller - Steel Lawn Roller - Push Lawn Roller - Poly Lawn Roller

Like most garden equipment, rollers come in many different shapes and sizes. The most common are the rollers that are filled with water for weight. This makes them easier to transport when not in use. There are rollers that are filled with sand or concrete, but those are best used for sod farms or places where they won’t need to be transported far or often. You'll typically find the steel lawn roller in these types of uses as well; obviously they tend to be quite heavy so are used specifically where they won't require being moved much. Basically there are two ways of pushing or pulling the roller; by hand or by tractor. The push lawn roller is used for smaller jobs and moved around by pushing by hand. These are mostly water filled or sand filled types. When looking for rollers you'll see the term "poly lawn roller" used a lot. That basically means the way its made and most all lawn rollers are made of polymer.   Regardless if you're looking for push or pull types, both work well and it obviously depends on your need or equipment. Most can be rented for anywhere from $13 to $30 depending on the type.

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When looking for a yard sweeper, the main thing is to really think about your expectations. What do you want to accomplish? Most yard sweepers, obviously are used for simply sweeping leaves. Which they work great for by the way.

As do most people, I dislike raking leaves. I guess “dislike” would be a kind word. Don’t get me wrong, I love working in the yard, but I also like being as productive as I can, and spending hours raking leaves doesn’t seem too productive to me when there’s better tools and equipment out there for the job.

Enter the Yard Sweeper! These things are great, you can either get a manual or push model, such as one of our favorites, the Precision Products 26-Inch Push Lawn Sweeper, or one of the bigger boys to tow behind a garden tractor. For a tow behind, one we see getting the best reviews is the Agri-Fab 38-Inch Tow Lawn Sweeper which lists for around $270. Now, with that said, the Agri-Fab is only our favorite here because that’s the most popular model and one where we found the most reviews. We also have a full page review on the Parker Suburbanite – 36in. Wide Tow Behind Lawn Sweeper. This guy is really nice but lists up around $900. Which is a lot for even the serious lawn enthusiast?

The more expensive models such as the Parker Suburbanite is touted to be more for turf professionals and those who take care of turf surfaces for a living. And yes, like anything else, you do get what you pay for. But lets look at a couple important factors when looking to purchase a yard sweeper or lawn sweeper.

First, what do you expect it to do? Meaning, do you expect it to pick up only leaves? If that is the case, then most of the push models (and most certainly the more expensive ones) will do just that. However, it is good to note that they do best when sweeping up dry leaves. That is pretty generally across the board on all lawn sweepers.

If you’re looking for something a little more industrial, and you have a lawn tractor or ATV to pull the sweeper, then some of the more expensive ones may be your better choice. Most sweepers in both categories will pick up small sticks and even some smaller pine cones and maybe pine needles. Check out our reviews and those around shopping sites to see which may work best for you.

And always consider storage space available also and keep in mind that most yard sweepers work best on mostly even lawns.

Whatever model you choose, make sure you know what to expect. Many lawn and yard equipment like sweepers are made for certain jobs. Having the right expectations will making your shopping experience more enjoyable. Oh, and also remember, that unless you purchase a used one, most lawn sweepers come with “some assembly required.”

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1. Yard Sweeper Deals and Some Good Choices
2. Push Lawn Sweeper – Choosing the Best
3. Yardwise 25″ Sweep It Push Yard Sweeper

Looking for a yard sweeper? There so many different choices out there when it comes to lawn and yard sweepers. How do you know which one is the best for you? Try reading Choosing The Best Lawn Sweeper to get an idea of what factors to look for when searching for your yard sweeper or when looking for lawn sweepers for sale.

I don’t know about you, but I hate raking leaves. As a child I had to clear out the fence between our yard and the neighbors every fall. I hated doing that. If only I would have had a yard sweeper then, and used it a few times as the leaves fell, it would have saved me a bunch of time.

The first thing you will want to think about is whether or not you have a riding lawn mower or something to pull the sweeper with. This will obviously depend on the size of your yard. Storage is another thing to keep in mind; some of these sweepers are quite wide and can take up a lot of space in your garage or storage shed in the off months.

Let’s look at a few different ones.

Sweepit! Multi-Function Yard Sweeper

This sweeper sells for around $90 and, from our research; you will find it listed as the Yardwise 25" Sweep It Yard Sweeper. Sears show’s this item to sale for $94.99.

Some reviews on this item say it does take some time to assemble, so be ready for that. The reviews vary from 20 minutes to 1 ½ hours. Although that seems like quite a difference to me… hmmm, maybe someone forgot some parts. Most like this yard sweeper also for it is lightweight and easy to maneuver.

Precision Products 25’ Push Yard Sweeper

The Precision Products 25’ Push Lawn Sweeper is another one of our favorites. It runs a little more than the Yardwise, averaging around $112. Some pro’s and cons of this sweeper is the low hamper capacity, which is common on the lower end push sweepers, and not the greatest customer support from the manufacturer. Something to think about is there are some moving parts on these things obviously, and things can go wrong. But for the most part, if assembled properly and used correctly, these things can and do work as expected.

Again, as we pointed out in Choosing the Best Lawn Sweeper, it is important that you have reasonable expectations for the equipment you choose. Most of these lower priced yard sweepers are designed for lightweight work. Many will not pick up wet leaves, big sticks or pinecones, or work well on lawns that are uneven. We always stress to know what to expect so you are not disappointed with your purchase.

If you do have a garden tractor or SUV, you may want to look at purchasing a pull-behind or tow-behind variety. These yard sweepers are more expensive obviously, but can handle some of the more tough jobs better than the less expensive pull models.

Parker Suburbanite – 36in. Wide Tow Behind Yard Sweeper

The Parker Suburbanite – 36in. Wide Tow Behind Lawn Sweeper is sort of difficult to find reviews on and we haven't used this product ourselves. However, it seems to be constructed really well, which would be expected at around $900. It is constructed from a frame made from tubular steel and has cast iron wheels. Not much plastic on this bad boy. With a width of 36 inches, this yard sweeper can cover a yard in now time. The best part, it can hold 17 cubic feet of material and comes with a stronger vinyl hopper material than seen on the less expensive sweepers.

We can't stress enough the importance of having the right expectations when purchasing yard sweepers. Just keep that in mind when shopping.

Related posts:

1. What to Look for in a Yard Sweeper
2. How To Get Rid of Moles In Your Yard

If you hate raking leaves as much as I do, then a lawn sweeper is for you. Basically, one to sweep your lawn. Yes it really is that simple.  Some lawn sweepers are pulled behind riding lawn mowers. Which definitely makes them easier to use. However you do have to own a riding mower to use one. Other types are self-propelled and human powered. As with the different types, price ranges vary greatly also. The self-propelled and tractor pull-behind are going to be more expensive but require less manual labor. Which isn’t this the reason we’re looking at them in the first place?

One complaint of lawn sweepers is the assembly. Much like gas grills sometimes they can be difficult to assemble. So when looking to purchase one it always helps to find a saler who may assemble the product for you at no extra cost. When deciding to purchase a sweeper, there are many different options, sizes, and price ranges to take into consideration.

The different specifications can include: description, working width, hamper capacity, brushes (width and count), wheels & tires, bearings, reverse capability, storage, and warranty.

When deciding on a model or type, it’s best to determine your specific needs and most importantly lawn surface area and whether or not you have a riding mower.  And of course price is a big factor, which can range anywhere from $150 to more than $600. The less expensive models are obviously powered by you, the human, whereas the most expensive being attached to lawn mowers or garden tractors.

The sweeper works by using a set of brushes or combs which spin on a cylinder (usually the wheel axle) while the sweeper is moved across the lawn. As the brushes spin or rotate, they “sweep” leaves or other debris into a hopper or hamper. It really is like using a vacuum sweeper on your lawn. Additionally, it helps if your lawn is cut fairly short and is somewhat even.

It’s also important to point out that push lawn sweepers are a great alternative to leaf blowers. They’re a lot more ecologically friendly and not to mention you don’t have to purchase gas or worry amount which gas can has the gas/oil mixture in it!

So if you really hate raking leaves and have some extra cash to spend, why not try out a lawn sweeper? And make sure to stick around BestLawnSweeper.com as we’ll be comparing lawn sweepers, lawn care tips, and discussing the differences in products.

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1. What to Look for in a Yard Sweeper