What a vole does to a hosta

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Last Wednesday was a beautiful day in the garden. I decided to dig up Thunder Boomer, which had a terrible year and protect it from voles. Here’s a pic of it in its prime, 2017. It had a thing going with that heuchera for several years.

2018, Hosta and heuchera were both smaller but I didn’t notice.

2019, TB at bottom left. I was blaming the damage on the lack of shade, due to the tree fall event..

I put a garden fork in the ground and it popped out like it had just been planted except some long roots pulled some rocks up..

Here’s the crown. You can see the roots that pulled up the rocks between 1 and 3 o’clock in the pic. There are no other long roots, the voles have eaten them all except for the ones growing in between the rocks.

I put Thunder Boomer in a stainless steel mesh covered spin out bag and rebuilt and raised the rock wall in front of the bed..

We’ll see what this year brings, but I’m realizing I have a lot of hostas to dig up and protect.

Featured Answer

nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis

6 years ago

Houzz is full of malfunctions..I get duplicate notifications hours apart..I'll like and make comments and STILL get a notification as if an old comment is new..

I'm so sorry you have voles in your garden..what a nightmare :-( it was interesting and sad to see your progression pics..it's not normal to get a large hosta out that easily..our big ones were a piece of work to dig out..I'm glad that you were able to save a portion of your Thunder Boomer..the new planting job looks great..I can't remember..have you ever been able to trap any voles?..

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Comments (10)

zkathy z7a NC
Original Author
6 years ago
I composed this post on Saturday and it disappeared. I searched Houzz Saturday night for the exact title of this thread and read multiple threads about voles but this one was not to be found. Now it’s back!
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sunnywood4bChazyNY
6 years ago
Use castor oil!
zkathy z7a NC thanked sunnywood4bChazyNY
zkathy z7a NC
Original Author
6 years ago
I do. I sprayed the liquid castor oil and dish soap mix at the end of November. This week I’ll get down three bags of Mole-Go which is granulated castor oil. I think in my garden it biodegrades in about two months so that’s how often I need to reapply. I didn’t meet those standards last year.
djacob Z6a SE WI
6 years ago
So sorry to hear you have this issue...... I only have to deal with slugs.Thank goodness!
zkathy z7a NC thanked djacob Z6a SE WI
old_dirt 6a
6 years ago
Sorry about your vole problem, I know the disappointment when a hosta only half comes back or doesn't come back at all. I have an ongoing problem with several pests as my garden is bordered by woods and wild brushy areas. I've tried trapping them but not much luck. I really dislike using poisons because of the possibility passing them on in the food chain. However i have resorted to homemade bait traps and Tomcat bait chunks, it seems to help.
zkathy z7a NC thanked old_dirt 6a
sandyslopes z6 n. UT
6 years ago
You do so much to protect your plants! Darn voles! What a setback for your beautiful hosta and heuchera. Where are all the vole predators in your area? ....looked it up, martens, owls, hawks, falcons, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, snakes, weasels, and lynxes. They're falling down on the job if they're around!

I hope you find something that works because same wiki article says "A mating pair can birth a hundred more voles in a year." Yikes! Good luck with the granulated castor oil.
zkathy z7a NC thanked sandyslopes z6 n. UT
Beth (5b - SE-Michigan)
6 years ago
Thank you for the lesson, great detailing.

So far no vole issues, just slugs. I would love to be digging in the dirt now. Digging time is still 2 months away here (I hope just 2 months away).
zkathy z7a NC thanked Beth (5b - SE-Michigan)
Timothy Hensley
6 years ago
I feel your pain. I lost a giant Blue Angel to those pesky varmits.
zkathy z7a NC thanked Timothy Hensley
newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
6 years ago
Well, that's disappointing! Sorry you have to go through all the work and preventative measures. I hope your other hosta will not be affected.
zkathy z7a NC thanked newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada