community
november22
2011
Diggin’ In The Dirt: Voles and Moles
By Chip Bubl
Oregon State University Extension
Service, Columbia County
Moles and voles
Voles (also known as meadow
mice) and moles often occupy the same
habitat. In fact, mole runways give voles
greater opportunity to move around
the garden without being eaten. Most
vegetation damage blamed on moles is
actually caused by meadow mice.
Voles can do a lot of damage to
woody plants. I have seen roses chewed
from the crowns down to the roots. The
first winds knock the roses over since
there is little left holding them in the
ground. It is not uncommon to have fruit
or landscape trees girdled at the soil line
by voles. Much of this damage occurs
during times when snow is on the ground
for several days.
The best defense against voles is
to trap moles, thus reducing the runways
the voles also use. If possible, collapse
some of the runways with a spading fork
or other tool.
Keep grass cut short around
your trees. Voles hate to be exposed.
Avoid the use of landscape fabric around
trees and other woody plants as the voles
like the cover it provides.
Voles can be easily trapped
using regular mouse traps and peanut
butter or apples slices for bait. There
are very few poison baits available for
homeowner use in garden areas. If you
find one with that use on the label, take
every precaution to make sure that cats
or dogs cannot get to the baits directly. If
they do, bait consumption can be fatal.
blooming blue flowers and evergreen
foliage. It will grow 10-12 feet tall and
just as wide if left un-pruned.
Her second choice is Vitex
agnus-castus or chastetree. The large
shrub has long gray-green leaves and
lilac to blue flowers from July through
September.
The choice is yours, but I
would think twice before planting a new
Buddlea. If you have one you intend to
keep, remove the blooms after they fade
to eliminate seed production.
Planning for new fruit trees
The best selection of new fruit
trees and berry bushes is available in
February. There are several things you
Alternatives to the butterfly bush
can do to help ensure a successful start
Butterfly bushes (Buddleas of for them.
various species) have been planted in
gardens for many years. Their lovely long
• Read catalogs to understand
flower spikes are known for attracting which varieties seem most suitable for
butterflies. Yet a glance along Highway our area.
30 between the St. John’s bridge and
• Get deer fencing up before
Yeon will give you perspective on the you plant.
butterfly bush’s dark side. This plant
• Remove existing sod by
does too well here.
digging it out, covering the area with
A butterfly bush reproduces a thick compost/cardboard mulch to
easily from seed. There are locations suppress the grass, or spray it out with
in western Oregon where thickets of something like Roundup before you
the plant have established. There is work the ground.
increasing concern that this plant could
• Dig a hole 3-4 feet wide and
become a significant a problem.
about a foot and one-half deep for each
Barbara Fick, an Extension new tree.
agent in Benton County, suggests several
alternatives to the Buddleas.
Master Gardener™ class signups
The first is a plant native to the being taken
west coast, though not to this area. It is
The OSU Extension office in
Ceanothus thrysiflorus , also known as Columbia County will be offering the
California lilac. It has early summer Master Gardener™ training again this
7
spring. This year the class will be in
St. Helens. The classes will be held on
Mondays from 9 am – 4 pm for about 10
weeks starting January 9th, 2012. Cost
of the program is $75.00 which includes
a large resource book. Master Gardeners
are responsible for providing volunteer
gardening education to the community
as partial payback for the training.
If interested in the program, call the
Extension office at 503 397-3462 for an
information packet.
The Extension Service offers its programs
and materials equally to all people.
Free newsletter
The Oregon State University
Extension office in Columbia County
publishes a monthly newsletter on
gardening and farming topics (called
County Living) written/edited by yours
truly. All you need to do is ask for it and
it will be mailed to you. Call 503 397-
3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively,
you can find it on the web at
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/
columbia/ and click on newsletters.
Contact information for the Extension
office:
Oregon State University Extension
Service – Columbia County
505 N. Columbia River Highway (across
from the Legacy clinic)
St. Helens, OR 97051
503 397-3462
Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu
Vernonia Cares Food Bank Receives Donations
Left: VRFPD
volunteers,
Lt. Jesse Harbour
and Amy Smith,
present Vernonia
Cares Director
Sandy Welch
with a check for
$1000.
Right: Vernonia
Lions Club
members George
Tice, Ken Pitts
and President
Grant Williams
present Welch
with a check for
$2000.
On November 17 Sandy Welch, director of the
Vernonia Cares Food Bank, was presented with a check
for $1,000 donated by the Vernonia Volunteer Fire
Association. Vernonia Rural Fire Protection District
volunteers Amy Smith and Lt. Jesse Harbour delivered
the check with the request that the money be designated
WELLER & SON’S
STEVE
HM: 503-429-3400
CELL: 503-313-9006
SELF LOADER
LONG LOGGER
CUSTOM LOGGING
DENNIS
HM: 503-429-2810
CELL: 503-313-9044
1264 G ST.
VERNONIA, OR 97064
O.P.L. CERTIFIED
O.P.L.H. CERTIFIED
ROAD BUILDNIG
LAND CLEARING
EXCAVATION
to buy food for this year’s Holiday
Food Boxes. The cost to fill each
box is about $30 and Sandy hopes
Vernonia Cares can provide boxes to at least 200
families in need this year. This check will be a big help
in assisting them to meet their goal.
On November 7 Welch received a check for
$2,000 from the Vernonia Lions Club, to be used to
purchase turkeys for the Holiday Food Boxes.
We saddle shoe. Do you?
Muffy’s
950 Bridge Street
Vernonia, O8 97064
503.429.5050 or 866.524.5050
www.muffys.com
World Headquarters Vernonia, Oregon
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