I have been doing the same thing too used 4 containers of spray with ammonia and water ,cleaned up the fallen leaves and have a real fobia now at eliminating slugs too . So far the voles have not been a problem and the leaves are still not all fallen but are filling up my new waterfall. I wonder what I did when I wasn't into these hosta gardens. Now we just put in two raised beds for vegetable. I am sure age makes us kind of crazy lol. I wouldn't doubt that Myrle will think the raised beds would be just perfect for more hosta. Glad to see the night frosts now anyway.. tired and I hurt too. Husband asks if I am having fun yet! OH YAH!

I don't know if stomping vole runs flat deters them or just makes me feel better but I figure it at least makes them work harder. I flattened a bunch last night at dusk and later the cat brought in some really large rodent. DH disposed of it before I got a good look at it.

Good kitty.

Don B.

Hi, Old Dirt...

Here is a link, if you care, to a video by Richard Merritt. He owns New Hampshire Hostas, and has some tips on vole control in the garden using castor oil.

For what it's worth,
Don B.

Here is a link that might be useful: NH Hostas Video (Richard Merritt)

I do not cut leaves, but pull them off after they have withered enough. After that is done I will mulch all the tree leaves now around them, probably will rake them out and run a lawn mower over them and replace the then mulch. I used several bags of sharp gravel along a fence and around vole-affected hostas 8 inches deep. Any mouse or vole hole gets poison pellets. We noticed the first rabbit droppings, so I will soon place a Havahart trap for them.
I always prune bushes and trees whenever I can, Fall without the leaves on the branches is a good time.

Yesterday I moved a heavy small redbud so it can shade hostas in a too sunny location. That one had a lot of roots, so probably was a bad choice. I got a 'Pendula Bruns' spruce from Home Depot at half price and planted it in the place the redbud was in, have now 3 of those spruces, like them a lot.
Bernd

if you can focus.. you ought to be seeing little roe-like eggs .....

if mulched... spray or drench the mulch and the crown with 10% vinegar or ammonia ... think hardware store ... or canning aisle for big containers ...

and kill momma and the eggs in fall ...

everyone that over winters.. is 1000 by next fall ..

and did you know.. they dont need a daddy ... momma is BOTH ... frankly.. disgusting ... worse than a bad hosta name ... lol ... if you think about it for to long .... redefines telling someone to go **** themselves ... lol.. sorry couldnt help myself ....

but i digress ...

ken