Juicy-Fruit Gum kills Voles ?

I've had voles eat up more of last years garden than we did. I was so disappointed and discouraged by the small amount we got from our garden last year because of them, I almost decided not to plant this spring. They got all of my melons, cucumbers, squash, anything that grew close to the ground. So frustrating !

I might add that my chicken pen is at the edge of the garden. So the spilled chicken feed that the chickens scatter out of the feeders dosen't help any, but probably has helped fatten the population of voles up and attract more.. With such a healthy and plentiful diet, they have had a population explosion........in my garden. Furrows are everywhere ! So I'm pretty sure this year would be worse for the garden. They are very fond of mulch also. Gives them a nice place to hide and chow down right there in the garden, a real haven. Nothing like being able to sack out right down at the grocery store, huh.

I'm really afraid of snakes, and with so many rodents, I'm sure they will come also.

Two oldtimers have told me recently that if you put Juicy-Fruit gum in their holes, they will eat it and they can't pass it and they die.

Have any of you experienced gardeners ever heard of that ? If you have, does it really work ? I'm willing to try most anything. Can't use poison because it will leach into soil, and no cats in our area, too many dogs. Thanks.




This message was edited Mar 6, 2007 9:59 PM

Well, it's supposed to work with moles too...and I personally haven't seen any decline in the mole population at my mom's. (I have a mole/vole catching dog that works better than anything)

We tried the Juicy Fruit several different ways...as per the instructions of folks who swore by it. They said it didn't work if human hands touched it...you had to unwrap it and stick it in the ground without touching it....nope...nada...still moles...then someone else said that you has to pre-chew it before sticking it in the holes...nope...they still didn't like it.

don't know about voles, but moles seemed to ignore it....alot of time and trouble and gum for no results in my opinion.

Thanks for your reply. I kinda figured as much. Seems like everything I've read says the same thing. I sure was hoping it would be that simple. but, nope.

Peggie, I would still give a try. I have heard that it works better in some areas than others and actually some of areas of the country sell more Juicyfruit for Mole/vole consumption than human. If the oldtimers you are speaking of are in your area and not cyberfriends etc. I would give it a shot, hey juicyfruit is cheap you wouldn't be losing much. I used to have a vole, mice, mole problem too but when I got my first cat the vole and mice problems magicly disappeared, ever thought of getting a cat? I still have some problems with the moles because the cats cant get to them underground but the cats do keep their numbers in check. By the way, only one of my cats still has his claws, (I have 6 now) but the others catch mice just as well if not better as the guy with the claws tends to be fat and lazy. LOL I live in the country in the middle of a farm fields and used to battle mice in my house, rats, voles, moles etc. in the yard, no more. The cat, natures mouse trap that cannot be improved upon by man! LOL

I tried the juicy fruit gum trick on a persistent gopher and it worked for me! The instructions I got were to take off the paper wrap and leave on the foil wrap, then you cut a slit into the gum through the foil [why,I don't know!] But it seemed to work, gopher was gone the next day!

That's true, it might work and it certainly is affordable enough. I may give it a try. Need to do something.