Making Mountains Out Of Moles

So...your lawn is looking amazing.  The grass has just been manicured...it looks like an immaculate green carpet out there. You couldn't be more proud of the kingdom you survey. Suddenly, you start to notice little piles of earth being pushed up around your pristine lawn. The ground becomes soft and uneven in places. Where there was once perfection, little brown piles now punctuate your sea of green, taunting your obsessive compulsive side. This means war! How can I get rid of these damn moles!

But before you begin, its important that - in the words of Sun Tzu - you know your enemy.

The first thing you should know is that (if you live in South Africa) there are no moles in your garden.

"But wait!" I hear you say, "I'm definitely not imagining this mess in my garden." Thats true, but moles are not native to Africa. They are a resident of North America, Asia and Europe. What you are actually seeing in your garden is one of either two groups of mole-like creatures that are found in Southern Africa - Golden Moles, or Mole Rats.

Take a look at this cute little Golden Mole (picture credit)

Golden Moles are a distant relative of the hedgehog, and are mainly insectivores, with a predilection for termites. They range in size from 8-20cm, and are covered in a moisture and dirt repellant, black/grey/yellow fur. Their eyes are non-functional, and their ears are just tiny holes, so their sense of touch is highly developed to the point where they can feel termites and other insects nearby. Golden Moles are generally solitary creatures, and can travel great distances (up to as much as 6km in the case of the Grant's Golden Mole) in search of food.  Sadly, 11 of the 21 species of Golden Moles are now threatened with extinction.

Mole Rat caught pink handed (picture credit)

The name Mole Rat is a misleading title, as it is neither a mole, nor a rat.  It is possibly a closer relative to a porcupine. They're herbivores, and enjoy munching on bulbs and grass stolons. Very often eating but not destroying the bulbs that they feed on. They tend to live in family units of up to 14 individuals. Their tunnels are quite extensive, and can go down as much as a 80cm below the surface. Tunnels have been found to be as much as a kilometre in length. They can be quite grumpy little creatures if they are cornered, so take care when handling them.

The second thing you should know about these 2 groups of creatures that we have up till now been mis-calling moles, is that they also perform an important function of aerating the soil, improving drainage, and essentially tilling the soil from underneath.

Thirdly, and most importantly, based on my experience, it is very difficult to get rid of mole rats in particular. I have employed most of them - sonic devices, spinning plastic coke bottles, garlic solutions, urination (not me personally), Jack Russells, and I'm sad to say that when I was younger I even used pesticides. None of these solutions have worked for more than a couple of months, and most didn't work at all. Pesticides seemed to work the best, but you have to weigh up the long term damage that you are doing to the environment. The chemicals are highly toxic, heavier than air and will poison the groundwater, all the surrounding soil, and in the process killing off all the life in the soil. In the long term your grass and plants will end up suffering, as the symbiotic relationship they have with the myriad organisms in the soil will be destroyed.

There are 2 solutions that I have as yet not tried. The first is the use of wire mesh. This involves, essentially spreading galvanised wire mesh over the entire area about 15cm below the surface. The problems with this option are that the wire mesh would have to have a tiny aperture to prevent the moles from squeezing through, it would be quite an expensive option especially for larger areas, and there would be nothing stopping the mole from walking along the surface, and burrowing into the newly fenced off area. But it still may be a good option worth exploring. I would imagine the key would be finding the right depth for the layer of wire to be spread out at.

The second solution is in my opinion the best. At one point I heard about someone who traps moles/mole rats/golden moles alive, and then releases the animals back into the wild far away.  I was never able to get hold of his details. I would have been happy to send him lots of work.

At the moment, the advice that I most often give my clients is more of a remedial one. Prior to regular mowing, any mole hills, and and any surface tunnelling, should be stamped down.
Then during your annual top-dressing, the loose soil can be stamped back down, rolled and then top-dressed to deal with any minor unevenness.
This essentially gives the lawn a fresh start, but the moles will still be there and will eventually work your lawn back to its previous bumpy self.

As with most garden problems that come about from our attempts to control our environment, I believe the best mindset is to work with nature and not against it. The Japanese have a way of thinking called Wabi-sabi, which essentially means embracing imperfection. Something we obsessive compulsive westerners would do well to learn.

Embracing the unevenness, the weeds, the creatures, the yellowing leaves, the non-linear and the imperfect is so hard for us to do, but says so much about our need for control of the world around us. I wonder if it is an outward sign of an impossibility that we expect of ourselves and others around us.

The Problem is the Solution

Gardening is for old people.

That sounds like an absurd over-simplification, and besides, why should you care? What difference does it make if young people aren't interested in gardens and nature? We live in a hi-tech world, where all the worlds problems will be solved by computers, and where science will be our saviour.

A group of young people preparing a food garden at Summerhill Children's Home in Salt Rock

That's an attractive thought for today's youth, that live in an instant world with its resulting short-term thinking.

So how does digging in the dirt, or mixing manure compete in this internet age, and why should it?

In South Africa, the latest statistics show that 1 in every 4 people are unemployed.

Education stats are even scarier. Out of 100 children that start school, only 28 will pass matric, 4 will enter university and only 1 out of those 4 will graduate.
Of the staff that I have employed over the last 2 decades, I have noticed an alarming trend over the last 5 years, that school leavers seem to have completely unrealistic expectations. The common perception seems to be that it will be fairly easy to find a job, that job will be well paying, with very little effort or commitment involved. The difference between dreams and reality in South Africa are quite stark.

In the words of the wise Gogo "Qho" Mthethwa - young people don't want work they want jobs. As a country, we seem to be content to foster an attitude of dependence rather than an entrepreneurial mindset.

Realistically speaking, looking to technology to solve our problems, may well be fine in the long term, but we need solutions now. We need to feed people now. Science and technology alone can't give us that. So what can?

If you plant a food garden from seed, you can begin eating the food from your garden within a matter of weeks.
Growing food or plants doesn't need a huge injection of cash. Seeds can very often be harvested from existing crops, providing the next seasons crops for free.
Gardeners are almost to a fault, overly generous in offering their time, information or even seed/plants when they see enthusiasm and willingness to learn.
There are several amazing initiatives around the country with the sole aim of passing on the skills to grow food gardens in our particular climate.

I agree with guerilla gardener Ron Finley that as with many problems in life, the solution is inside the challenge.

With our ridiculously high unemployment rates, we have 1 out of every 4 people who have the capacity to tend a garden, which could if properly managed, feed themselves and even provide an income as they feed their community. As solutions go, its not sexy, and it may not have the mirage-like appeal that science and technology offers, but it is immediately attainable and realistic.

So how can YOU go about doing this? Here's some inspiration:

Ifu Lobuntu is an inspiring South African idea that is looking at ways to harness technology to connect small scale food growers directly with customers. By using simple cloud-based apps and economies of scale, they hope to make it possible for subsistence farmers to sell directly to the public. The idea is still in its formation stage, but hopefully it will grow into its full potential.

Ron Finley plants vegetable gardens in South Central LA — in abandoned lots, traffic medians, along the curbs. Why? For fun, for defiance, for beauty and to offer some alternative to fast food in a community where "the drive-thrus are killing more people than the drive-bys." Check out his Ted-Talk.

COP17 - Things Fall Apart

Its funny how we tend to leave the tidying of the house to the last minute before our visitors arrive - I tend to do a quick superficial clean-up about half an hour before hand. Durban municipality it seems is no different - I always look forward to the big events (COP17 being the most recent) that get hosted here in Durban from time to time because things get cleaned and planted up properly. Its really just window dressing, but I'm torn between embracing the effort that gets put in because at least things are being done, and feeling frustrated that things are being done in such a slap-dash, hurried way.

What's left after the last major Durban landscaping effort. Photo via Dying in Paradise

During the 2010 Soccer World Cup, thousands of palm trees were planted throughout Durban in an effort to spruce up the tourist areas, and lend a tropical aesthetic to Durban's sup-tropical climate. They looked beautiful for a couple of months before a large portion of them began dying off, leaving their cut-off stumps exposed above ground. The reason for the wholesale 'biting of the dust', was that the trees were obviously not correctly prepared before being dug out, they were often transported huge distances and then re-planted days later. All in a superficial effort to get things done at the last minute.

COP17 has now entered its second week here in Durban, and it seems a similar mindset pervades. At this stage, the talks appear to be nothing more than empty rhetoric - talks about talks, backtracking, greed and lack of commitment. The US, China and India together make up more than half of the world's carbon emissions - essentially the 3 biggest polluters of our world.
You have to wonder, what is the point of flying half way across the globe and making such a half hearted attempt at addressing the concerns of us ordinary citizens. Why did delegates from these and some of the other stiff-necked self-serving countries even bother showing up?

At the same time, I have noticed an increase in the general awareness on the issues of climate change and the environment. Its effect may well be further reaching than the fat cat politicians with their bloated expense accounts, with school children and the general public becoming for the most part, better educated. Hopefully some of the momentum that has been created by the hype around COP17 will be sustained in the long term.

Or maybe it'll be too late by then, and our children will be digging up the dead root balls of the fragile ecosystems that hold our beautiful planet together?

How To Grow The Best Lawn Grass 4

Once you've prepared your earth, the next question to consider is - how do I begin growing/laying my grass? There are several methods to beginning a new lawn:

1. Grass Sods (Instant Lawn)
2. Plugs
3. Seed

1. Instant Lawn

Laying instant turf is the quickest and easiest method to getting a brand new lawn.

Give the area to be planted a good soaking the day before. This will make sure that the sods don't get dried out by the soil that they are being planted on, but will still be dry enough to work on.

If there is going to be any delay between the grass being supplied to you and being planted, then its best to leave it in a cool place for the maximum of a day. Don't water the rolled up sods, as the absence of light/air and presence of water will begin the decomposition process.

Once you are ready for planting, lay a border of grass around the edges. This gives a neater overall look to your new lawn.
Then begin laying your grass in a direction parallel to where it will mainly be viewed from. This will look better in the short term until the grass knits together and the lines between the sods are less evident.
When you are finished, give the lawn a light roll, and a light sprinkling of water to help ensure that the turf has bonded with surface of your soil.

For the next 2 weeks, water the grass every day, giving it just a light sprinkling - it doesn't have deep roots yet, so too much water and it will drop below the roots and be wasted. Thereafter, water every 2-3 days depending on the weather.

Once the grass has established you can give it a light topdressing to even out any unevenness.

2. Plugs

Plugs are a good option when cost is an issue. The plugs can be planted as far apart as necessary. The ideal spacing is 15-20cm.

As for instant grass above, give the area a good soaking the day before. Start from the furthest point and work backwards. Stand on a plank to distribute your weight evenly and keep from compacting the soil. Use a dibber, or small pointy stick to make the holes in the ground.
Place the plug into the hole, making sure that there is no air pocket below the roots. Carefully press the soil down and towards the newly positioned plug to make sure that it is firmly in place.

When you are finished, you can give the surface a light roll, and a light sprinkling of water.

As for instant turf above, for the next 2 weeks, water the grass every day. Thereafter, water every 2-3 days depending on the weather.

Once the grass has established you can give it a light topdressing to even out any unevenness.

3. Seeds

Planting grass by seed can be the trickiest method, but the satisfaction of watching thousands of little seedlings germinating is sometimes worth it.

The main thing to keep in mind is the fragility of these baby plants in their first few days of life.
Seed suppliers will often give specific directions for planting. Their instructions should be followed as much as is possible.

For best results, spread the seeds evenly by hand for small areas or with a fertiliser spreader for larger areas.
Spread a very thin, fine layer of soil over the top, or give a careful light raking to allow the seeds to be covered by about 5-8mm of soil.

Water once a day, giving the seeds/grass a very fine sprinkling, until the grass reaches about 50mm in height.

How To Grow The Best Lawn Grass 3

After looking at whether you should be using grass, and what types of groundcover are best suited to your garden. The next step to consider, is how is your earth?

Soil is probably the biggest factor (that we can control), that has the most effect on the health of a lawn. Strangely enough its usually the part that most people give the least consideration to.

The ideal earth for most lawn grasses is a sandy loam soil with a pH of between 6 and 7. Too much sand and the water and nutrients leach away from the roots too quickly. Too much clay, and the roots sit in water for too long and don't get enough oxygen. The earth should go to a minimum depth of 150-200mm.

If you are looking to improve your soil - whether you have too much clay or sand, then you can't go wrong by adding copious amounts of compost. The compost adds nutrients to sandy earth, and has the effect of breaking down the hardness of clay soil. The costs may be higher to begin with, but over time the amount of work - weeding, fertilising or repairing will be reduced considerably.

Preparation of the area should involve the following:

1. Remove any rubble or debris in the soil.
2. Remove all weeds. If time is not an issue then allow the site to stand empty for a few weeks to allow any weeds to germinate, and then remove them by hand. Post-emergence herbicides can be used instead - but these should only be used if weeds are a serious problem.
   
3. Level the area to be grassed, paying close attention to the slope of the soil. Make sure that water can drain away easily, and will drain away from buildings and pools.
4. Add compost (weed free and completely decomposed is essential), and superphosphates (±30g per m2).
   
5. Dig the compost and superphosphates into the top 100-200mm of earth.
6. Adjust and even out final levels.
7. Roll the soil to ensure an even surface. However, if the soil has even a medium clay content, never roll the soil when wet. This will compact the soil, and squeeze out any oxygen in the soil.

There are several methods of planting grass - each with their own advantages and disadvantages. These will be dealt with in a following post.