Your lawn is looking beautiful after all of the hard work you have put into it, and then suddenly mole hills appear.
There is nothing worse than seeing your beautiful lawn ruined by the sight of these heaps of soil.
Soil is pushed to the surface so the moles can make runs to travel under the surface of your lawn.
These runs are also unsightly as they create sunken areas and raised edges on your lawn.
Any type of lawns that contains the moles food source (worms) is vulnerable to moles.
Because of the damage that these creatures cause, prevention is better than cure.
Moles only invade gardens to feed on worms; therefore reduce the worm population by changing the conditions that are causing the worms.
This could mean reducing the organic matter content or lowing the soil pH.
If your lawn does have a mole problem, steps will need to be taken to remove them, or encourage them to move on.
There are many methods and techniques on discouraging moles.
These include moth balls, disinfectant, burning paper, and used cooking oil amongst many others.
Feel free to try any of these methods but unless the mole has been completely removed or killed it is likely to return at some point in the future.
The most effective method is to trap the mole and move it to a safe area away from your lawn.
Trapping is quite a skillful operation, but if you follow the correct procedure you should be successful.
The trap needs placing in a run created by the mole.
If the runs are raised they will be easy to find.
If not, you will need to use a thin stick or bamboo cane to locate the mole run.
The run will be between mole hills, so push the cane into the ground and when you feel an area with no resistance you will have located the mole run.
Once you have located the run, dig a small hole with a trowel down to the run.
It needs to be just large enough in which to place the trap.
Before placing the trap in the run, rub your hands in the soil from a mole hill to disguise your scent as moles have a very keen sense of smell.
Once the trap has been correctly set in the run, cover it with some turf and soil or a bucket that has been turned upside down.
This is to prevent any light entering the hole.
Check the mole trap 2 to 3 times a day.
If the mole has pushed any soil into the trap clean out the soil and repeat the above steps.
Once the mole has been trapped it can be relocated to a suitable area, away from your lawn, if it is still living.
If you're unsuccessful using traps you can enlist the services of a professional contractor.
Professional contractors can also gas the moles using phosphine pellets, something amateur gardeners cannot legally carry out.