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Good to know
The following pages give practical tips relevant for our area. Anything found here can be found via Google, but on the world-wide web one gets easily lost. One way to retrieve a tip is to use the search box; for instance, type "moles".
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Car/ Small Engines
From cheapest to more expensive.
Fuel in small engines
1) Ethanol absorbs water from the air, and the water in turn will do damage to engines and fuel systems. For most small engines with vented gas tanks, store them with the tank empty, then fill when it's time to use the engine.
2) For the same reason, keep gas cans tightly sealed and don't store gas longer than you have to. This was always a good idea anyhow because when the fraction that evaporates easily is gone, it no longer burns correctly. Besides, gas vapor is poisonous and flammable.
3) If you have older equipment whose parts were not designed for ethanol, there are additives that will help.
4) Get all the fuel out of the system when storing engines off season. This was always a good idea, and is even more important with ethanol blend. Barry King; May 2011
All gas has ethanol now. Buy an ethanol fighting additive for small engines (found it at Lowe's so it is readily available) Empty old gas from your small engine for winter storage. Grace Nelson; June 2011
Pests
Weasels/Ermines
Weasels tend to be very friendly. They are after mice, not people. We had one that moved in one winter and ran all over the house, taking little tidbits of chicken from us by the end of the winter. And....every single mouse in the house became a meal. Trust me, you've got A LOT of mice, or he wouldn't be in your house.
Weasel's have a bad rap, well, because they're weasels! In my experience, every one I've encountered has been a great little friendly mouse exterminator.
Kendall Chamberlin; December 2012
Preventing ticks
I have been giving my horses and dogs garlic powder for ticks. Over the years it has been very effective. Springtime.com is where I get mine. I have also bought it from bulkfoods.com. The only side effects that I have noticed is that they all have garlic breath. :):)
Carolyn Harris; March 2012
How to get rid of moles
- Moles are there because of grubs in the lawn, likely layed by Japanese Beetles or Rose Chafers etc.... The best way to get rid of the moles is to get rid of the grubs. You can go to Gardens Alive! on the internet and find the neomatode kit they sell (Grub Away! I think it is called) Wait for a warm day in late May and apply just before a rain. It will keep the grubs out of your lawn for several years. Beth Albright; November 2011
- Put gummy bears in and around the holes. The moles like the candy but can't digest it. Rachel Rose;November 2011
- Garden centers and catalogs sell a range of implements that generate vibrations underground that keep moles away. We had one for several years that was wind generated, but a storm blew off the wind blades. Now we have a solar powered one that works very well. You just stick them in the ground and they take care of a 10' or so radius. Leslie Nulte; November 2011
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