Humane ways to combat voles in your garden using peppermint oil

The vole is a small mammal from the hamster family. It can reach 5 to 10 inches. It looks cute and innocent, but don't be fooled by appearances—it's one of the most voracious garden pests. It feeds on roots, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs, and fruits, destroying plants.

Although the mammal is considered a pest, it is under partial species protection. You can't harm or kill it. How can we humanely get rid of a vole from the garden? You only need one thing, which you can buy at any pharmacy.

The vole looks like something between a hamster, an otter, and a guinea pig. It measures 5 to 10 inches and weighs 1 ounce to 1.3 lbs. It lives from one to two years and is nocturnal. It lives in tunnels, which it digs itself. It comes out of them after dusk in search of food.

How do we recognize that a vole has settled in the garden? Pay attention to two things. The first one is the soil. If small, flat mounds appear on it, it's a sign that the pest has dug tunnels. The second thing is the plants. The vole feeds on shoots, tubers, and roots, causing them to wither visibly.

The vole is one of the mammals that does not hibernate. It is active all year round. Once it settles in the garden, it can stay there for up to two years, causing enormous damage. How to get rid of a vole from the garden? Traps or chemical means are not an option because the pest is under species protection.

The only solution is a natural rodent repellent. Voles hate the smell of mint. Plant it in the garden, and the pest will quickly leave. If this method does not bring the expected results, use the power of peppermint oil. You can buy it at any pharmacy and spend no more than 2 Canadian dollars.

How to do it? Prepare a litre bottle with an atomizer and fill it with water. Add two tablespoons of peppermint oil and mix it thoroughly. The spray is ready to use. Spray it in the garden, and the vole will flee in panic.