Euphorbia
By linmar
10 comments
I found a plant which had grown quite large and thought it a weed so binned it. Fortunately, decided to keep a small piece of root which is growing away in a pot in greenhouse. Then found one growing along a hedge nearby so two days ago I took a leaf to show a gardening friend. She knew it as a Mole plant as it keeps moles away. I googled that and its Euphorbia Lathyris whose common name is mole plant as moles don’t like the scent exuded from the roots or the taste it gives to worms.
There was a letter from somone living in Monmouthshire asking Monty Don (last week’s Weekend supplement to D.Mail) how to deter them and he replied set traps or do nothing. I sent a print out of this plant to his website!!
Much kinder than the awful things they do to poor moles.
Linmar
22 Feb, 2014
3 likes
More blog posts by linmar
Previous post: Garden today
Next post: Ivy
Comments
hate to tell you it doesn't deter the moles here in Yorkshire, not according to 3 of my gardening friends anyway.
22 Feb, 2014
Fierce cat Stera! Unlike your current one I would imagine!
Sbng what a pity - It would have been such a good solution. I've never had a mole in the garden.
I only kept a piece of that Euphorbia because a place we visit for coffee/teas etc had a large one growing in a large black pot and I thought it looked good.
23 Feb, 2014
It was the current one Linmar - she is not just a pretty face!
23 Feb, 2014
Stera,
I'm lost for words!!!
24 Feb, 2014
So were we when we found them on the dining room carpet! She's also brought in two young rats - she can have as many of those as she can find!
24 Feb, 2014
Stera, what lovely gifts! Our fox is now keeping any vermin at bay. He enjoys the dog biscuits I put out for him/her and sometimes I see him during the afternoon but normally he's about at night.
The rats that I had to deal with last year ate everything - all the fish; I saw them diving down into the top pond and walking across the middle pond into the reeds. They also ate all the frogs and newts. Fortunately, all clear now and so I'm pleased to see another fox around.
25 Feb, 2014
Wow, so even foxes have their uses! I've rarely seen ours but they have a little track along by the hedge. Should I leave them a note about any rats around?
25 Feb, 2014
With Ro around hardly necessary!! :)
26 Feb, 2014
Lol!
26 Feb, 2014
Recent posts by linmar
- Photos
27 May, 2014
- Pied Wagtail
21 May, 2014
- Carex
21 May, 2014
- Butterflies
9 Mar, 2014
- Asclepias
7 Mar, 2014
- Swiss Chard!!!
6 Mar, 2014
Members who like this blog
-
Gardening with friends since
17 Jan, 2012 -
Gardening with friends since
20 Jan, 2014 -
Gardening with friends since
1 Feb, 2011
Our cat caught all ours! I remember an ancient uncle finding this euphorbia on his allotment and asking Mum if she knew what it was. We all thought it was something pretty exotic back then!
22 Feb, 2014