Free Lawn Care

Gardening season is in full swing. I am terrible at keeping plants alive, but I have an incredible talent for the tedious drudgery of pulling weeds. I also enjoy mowing the lawn, as strange as that may sound. In my opinion, it’s the only necessary part of lawn maintenance. Watering and fertilizing are a waste of time, money, and energy. It’s just grass. Did you know there’s a little critter that can help you with your lawn care, and it won’t cost you a dime?

Mole hill

Moles have a bad reputation among lawn enthusiasts. Those unsightly mole hills make your beautiful lawn less attractive. But the mole works hard to keep your lawn healthy. Subterranean mole tunnels aerate the soil, which is good for plants, and turf grass just happens to be a plant. Moles also eat the grubs and insects that feed on plant roots.

Mole (from Mole Pro)

Moles are fossorial, meaning they are burrowing critters. They are rarely seen. I've seen two in the last year, both dead, but their hills are everywhere. Last week's Nature Minute mentioned the endangered Mazama pocket gopher. Gophers are also fossorial and rarely surface, but the difference between the two is diet. Moles are carnivorous (if worms, grubs, and insects are considered meat) and gophers are vegetarians. 

Lawn care services charge money to aerate your lawn and can apply chemicals to rid your lawn of pests. But why risk letting chemicals soak into the groundwater when nature has a free alternative?

Mole picture from Mole Pro (ironically, they get rid of your moles) https://molepro.com/pages/mole-facts