Varmint Moment

Did you have problems with voles last summer, as we did at our house? We had hundreds of holes all over the yard, and we lost a number of newly planted shrubs which had been beautiful during the spring months. So we decided to do a little research about methods of extermination, and of course, we didn't want to use any products harmful to the environment.

With the help of the internet we came up with an idea which we will try after the rains, and before the new crop of young ones emerges. All you need is a 20 gallon sprayer, 1 cup of castor oil and 1 cup of liquid dish soap. Mix the liquid and spray over the infected area.

A serendipitous event happened soon after finding the above recipe. I was cleaning out one of my files when I discovered an article I had clipped from a Jon Carroll column in a 1987 Chronicle. The subject was gophers and what to do about them ruining a vegetable garden. Now this recipe called for blending 2 ounces of castor oil with 1 ounce of liquid detergent until thick as shaving cream. Add an equal amount of water and blend again. Add 2 tablespoons of this mixture to a gallon of warm water. Spray over the rows of planted vegetables.

This is something we will have to try, especially since it has now come from two sources.