above ground bed, voles anticipated, need advice

ladybug · Post by **ladybug** » Mar 20, 2008 5:19 pm

i am going to be putting in some above ground beds at my new townhouse. i have already seen one vole earlier last year. what is it that i need to put on the ground before i put my good soil in the bed in preparation of my hostas arrival? chicken wire seems too big hole wise, but i seem to remember there was something recommended i just don't remember what it was.
ladybug

woodthrush · Post by **woodthrush** » Mar 20, 2008 9:24 pm

I don't think putting any time of screening down before the soil is necessary. Voles are going to be able to dig from the top of the soil down for the roots and crown. You can't use any screen fine enough to keep them out and still allow the hosta crowns to grow up through it.
Pam

thy · Post by **thy** » Mar 21, 2008 6:36 am

Voles are tod to avoid afrea where fritillarias are around here...in US ??? maybe an idea

Minnow · Post by **Minnow** » Mar 21, 2008 6:41 am

Vole Block from Permatill

New Plantings
Step 1. Place two inches of VoleBloc on the surface and till into the soil to a depth of six to eight inches.
Step 2. Dig the hole for the plant eight inches wider and one inch deeper than the root ball.
Step 3. Place two inches of VoleBloc on the bottom of the planting hole.
Step 4. Remove the plant from its container and place into the planting hole so one inch of the root ball is above the existing grade.
Step 5. Fill around the plant to the top of the hole with a four inch wide band of VoleBloc. Pack the tilled soil lightly around the plant (do not bury the top of the root ball with soil).
Step 6. Place an inch or two of VoleBloc on the surface around the stem of the plant as a mulch to protect the root crown. Use organic mulch sparingly as voles tend to tunnel under it.

Protecting Existing Plants
Step 1. Dig a Moat one foot deep and four to six inches wide around the drip line of the plant.
Step 2. Fill the Moat to the top with VoleBloc.
Step 3. Replace any mulch around the base of the plant with one or two inches of VoleBloc.

This is what I have been using for the last 2 years. So far I have only lost one hosta to voles.

Marlys · Post by **Marlys** » Mar 21, 2008 8:54 am

4 Cats = dead voles, mice, & even moles

MM

thehostagourmet · Post by **thehostagourmet** » Mar 22, 2008 10:21 am

I'm with Marlys. If you can keep a young, indoor-outdoor cat in your townhouse, that's the ideal solution.

George

Post by **Chris_W** » Mar 22, 2008 11:10 am

Hi Laydbug,

Are you worried about them getting in through the bottom or the top? I didn't know they were any worse in raised beds, but I suppose they have a greater chance of getting in or nesting somewhere.

Cats and poison are my two lines of defense. If you are worried about them getting into the bottom of a raised bed maybe you could line it with some screen, but not sure how well it would do since they can chew through just about anything.

I hope your new beds work out great for you though

Good luck!

Chris

largosmom · Post by **largosmom** » Mar 25, 2008 7:30 pm

My plan is to add gravel to my raised beds where I will plant hostas, and I also use poison. I have a neighborhood cat that is welcome in my yard, but my cats are all indoors only. I'm thinking of adding an owl house, though.

Laura

NancyL · Post by **NancyL** » Mar 27, 2008 4:03 pm

I have been battling voles for years and have used pots planted in the ground with slashes to allow root growth. This does a good job preventing underground attack. I also have had luck planting the plants in crushed limestone gravel since the voles do not like to drill through it. I have never used VoleGuard so have had above ground attacks mainly defoliating and sometimes root damage.

I have been religiously using a liquid fertilizer called Algoflash to build strong roots so if they get eaten there is almost always enough root remaining to bring the plant back although much smaller. If we have any devoured plants I am careful to keep watering the scene of the crime to keep the roots going. Good luck - short of an outdoor cat, nothing will be failproof in IMHO.

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Apr 04, 2008 2:28 pm

I remember reading several years ago on Bob Solberg's website that he mixed in a good share of gravel or rocks [bagged ground cover type commonly available] with his soil before planting hostas. As I recall, he said that voles don't like to dig thru the rocks. And they help with soil aeration too.