The Hidden Damage: What Moles Can Do to Your Backyard
If you have ever seen volcano shaped mounds popping up across your backyard, yes, you just saw molehills. In Canada, especially across British Columbia, Townsend’s moles and Coast moles are common unwanted guests in residential lawns. While these small mammals don’t actually eat your grass roots, they are insectivores searching for earthworms, grubs, and soil insects, the secondary damage they cause is significant.
As moles excavate their intricate underground networks, they loosen the soil beneath the surface. This severs the root system’s contact with the earth, leaving your grass unable to absorb vital water and nutrients. The result? Large patches of yellow, drying, or dead grass scattered across your yard. Furthermore, their abandoned tunnels create soft spots, causing uneven terrain and unsightly structural depressions that are frustrating to repair.
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Does Artificial Grass Actually Prevent Moles?
The short answer is yes! installing artificial grass is one of the most effective long term deterrents against moles. Synthetic turf removes their primary food source by creating a barrier over the native soil, making the area beneath completely unappealing for insects and earthworms. Without a reliable food supply, moles simply move on to search elsewhere.
However, there is a crucial factor to keep in mind: pre-existing mole tunnels. If a yard already has an active network of underground tunnels before installation, moles may attempt to navigate their established paths. If left unaddressed, these hollow cavities beneath the surface can collapse over time under heavy foot traffic, leading to dips and uneven spots on your new lawn. This is why proper excavation, ground compaction, and thorough base preparation are critical steps before laying down synthetic turf.
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How Does Mole Netting Work as Extra Protection?
For homeowners facing persistent mole activity in surrounding areas, adding a specialized mole netting option during installation offers absolute peace of mind.
Standard artificial grass installation involves removing the top layer of natural soil, laying a geotextile fabric, and building a solid foundation using compacted crushed rock or aggregate. Mole netting is installed directly on top of the excavated native soil, right before the crushed aggregate base is placed.
This high tensile, heavy duty mesh acts as a physical barrier. Even if a mole attempts to dig upward from deeper soil layers, it hits the impenetrable netting, preventing it from reaching the aggregate foundation or disturbing the turf above. The foundation remains perfectly smooth, and your synthetic grass stays level and undamaged for years to come.
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Ready to Protect Your Lawn Once and for All?
Tired of waking up to new molehills in your yard? At NWSG, we provide end to end artificial grass solutions tailored to your property, complete with professional ground preparation and optional mole netting installation.
[Contact NWSG Today for a Free On Site Quote & Consultation]