New Mexico gardeners know how tricky moles can be, tunneling through your yard like tiny underground architects. Luckily, nature has a clever way to keep them at bay with certain plants that don’t just look good but also send moles packing.
I’ve tried a few of these myself and was amazed at how they helped protect my garden without any harsh chemicals. If you’re tired of unexpected mole highways ruining your hard work, these plants might be just what you need.
Let’s bring some peace back to your New Mexico garden and say goodbye to those pesky tunnels!
1. Daffodils
Garden experts across New Mexico swear by these bright spring bloomers for their mole-repelling properties. The bulbs contain lycorine, a toxic alkaloid that moles instinctively avoid when tunneling.
Plant daffodils as a border around your garden’s perimeter or intersperse them throughout vulnerable areas. In the Land of Enchantment’s varied climate zones, they’ll not only protect your soil but add cheerful color when they bloom.
2. Marigolds
Vibrant and easy to grow, marigolds release a scent from their roots that drives moles crazy – and not in a good way! Their strong fragrance masks the smell of earthworms, a mole’s favorite meal.
Many New Mexico gardeners plant these golden beauties throughout their yards as natural pest control. Their ability to thrive in the state’s hot, dry conditions makes them perfect for creating mole-free zones while adding splashes of sunshine-colored blooms.
3. Alliums
With their dramatic purple blooms atop tall stalks, alliums aren’t just showstoppers – they’re mole evictors too! The entire onion family contains sulfur compounds that repel these tunneling pests when released into the soil.
Scatter alliums throughout vulnerable areas of your New Mexico landscape. These drought-tolerant beauties perform wonderfully in the state’s arid conditions, creating both a visual spectacle and an underground defense system against unwanted mole activity.
4. Castor Bean
Known for its tropical-looking foliage, castor bean plants contain ricin – highly toxic to moles and other garden pests. The mere presence of these dramatic plants sends moles searching for safer territory to dig their tunnels.
New Mexico gardeners should handle with extreme caution, as all parts are poisonous to humans and pets too. Plant them strategically along property boundaries where children and animals won’t have access, creating a mole-free barrier that thrives in the state’s warm climate.
5. Crown Imperial
These stately spring bulbs sport dramatic clusters of bell-shaped blooms and emit a strong, skunk-like odor that moles absolutely detest. The scent comes from the bulb itself, creating an underground perimeter that moles won’t cross.
Strategically place crown imperials around the edges of your New Mexico garden beds. While they require some winter chill to bloom properly, many higher-elevation areas in the state provide perfect growing conditions for these beautiful yet functional mole deterrents.
6. Fritillaria
These unique spring-flowering bulbs contain the same compounds as their cousin, the crown imperial, but in a more compact form. Their distinct checkered pattern and subtle skunk-like scent make them both decorative and functional in mole prevention.
New Mexico gardeners find fritillarias particularly effective when planted in clusters around vulnerable garden areas. They perform well in the state’s well-draining soils and add a touch of exotic beauty while creating an underground barrier that moles instinctively avoid.
7. Euphorbia
With their architectural form and milky sap, euphorbias create a natural mole barrier in any garden. The caustic latex irritates moles’ sensitive noses and paws, making areas planted with euphorbias decidedly unwelcome territory for tunneling.
Many drought-tolerant varieties thrive in New Mexico’s arid climate, requiring minimal irrigation once established. The distinctive chartreuse blooms of varieties like ‘Mole Plant’ (Euphorbia lathyris) add visual interest while working underground to keep those pesky diggers at bay.
8. Garlic
Beyond its culinary uses, garlic works overtime as a powerful mole deterrent. The strong sulfur compounds that give garlic its distinctive aroma penetrate deep into the soil, creating an environment moles find unbearable.
New Mexico’s sunny climate provides ideal growing conditions for this pungent bulb. Plant cloves around the perimeter of vegetable gardens or intersperse throughout flower beds to create zones of protection while harvesting flavorful bulbs for the state’s beloved chile-based cuisine.
9. Lavender
This Mediterranean native thrives in New Mexico’s sunny, dry conditions while emitting a fragrance that humans love but moles can’t stand. The strong essential oils in lavender’s silvery foliage and purple blooms disrupt moles’ sensitive sense of smell.
Create beautiful, drought-tolerant borders that serve double-duty as mole barriers. New Mexico gardeners appreciate how lavender’s deep root system helps prevent soil erosion on slopes while simultaneously deterring underground pests from establishing tunnel networks in the fragrant soil.
10. Shallots
Part of the allium family, shallots pack a powerful punch against mole invasions. Their concentrated flavor and aroma come from sulfur compounds that leach into surrounding soil, creating an invisible barrier that moles avoid when digging.
New Mexico gardeners can double their garden benefits by planting shallots throughout vulnerable areas. They perform beautifully in the state’s warm growing season and contribute both pest protection and flavorful harvests to complement the famous New Mexico chile peppers in local cuisine.
11. Leeks
Tall and stately, leeks offer the same mole-repelling benefits as their allium cousins while taking up minimal garden space. Their deep roots release sulfur compounds throughout the soil profile, creating an extensive protection zone against tunneling pests.
New Mexico’s long growing season allows leeks to develop slowly into flavorful stalks. Plant them strategically between vulnerable plants or as a protective border around areas where mole damage has occurred in the past, creating a tasty barrier that thrives in the state’s climate.
12. Rosemary
This aromatic Mediterranean herb creates a natural barrier against moles with its pungent oils and woody root system. The strong scent disrupts moles’ ability to detect prey, making rosemary-planted areas less attractive for tunneling.
New Mexico’s climate mirrors rosemary’s native habitat, allowing it to thrive with minimal care. The woody shrub’s drought tolerance makes it perfect for xeriscape gardens throughout the state, providing year-round protection against moles while supplying fragrant sprigs for the kitchen.
13. Wormwood
Despite its name, wormwood actually repels many garden pests, including the earthworm-loving mole. Its intensely bitter compounds and strong aroma make soil around these silvery plants decidedly unappealing to tunneling creatures.
The drought-tolerant nature of wormwood makes it well-suited for New Mexico’s arid climate. Plant it strategically in areas where mole activity has been problematic, creating beautiful silver accents in the garden while establishing zones where moles won’t want to dig their extensive tunnel systems.
14. Onions
Common garden onions deliver a powerful underground defense against mole invasions. Their sulfurous compounds penetrate deep into the soil, creating an environment that irritates moles’ sensitive noses and discourages tunneling activity.
New Mexico’s famous sweet onions not only deter pests but produce delicious harvests. Plant them throughout vegetable gardens or intersperse with ornamentals to create protective zones while contributing to the state’s rich culinary traditions with varieties particularly suited to the southwestern climate.
15. Calendula
These cheerful orange and yellow blooms aren’t just pretty faces – they contain compounds in their roots that deter moles from tunneling nearby. Also known as pot marigolds, they share similar pest-repelling properties with their marigold cousins.
Calendulas thrive in New Mexico’s sunny conditions and can be planted throughout gardens as colorful mole deterrents. Many gardeners in the state appreciate their ability to bloom during cooler seasons when other flowers have faded, providing extended protection against mole activity throughout the year.
16. Chives
These delicate alliums pack a powerful punch against moles with their concentrated sulfur compounds. Their shallow but dense root systems create an effective barrier that moles prefer to avoid when establishing tunnel networks.
New Mexico gardeners appreciate chives for their drought tolerance once established. Plant them as borders around vegetable gardens or intersperse throughout flower beds to create protected zones while enjoying their purple pom-pom blooms and flavorful leaves in the state’s cuisine.
17. Chocolate Cosmos
These unusual flowers emit a cocoa scent that humans find delightful but moles absolutely detest. Their deep burgundy blooms add drama to the garden while their roots release compounds that discourage mole tunneling in the surrounding soil.
The heat-loving nature of chocolate cosmos makes them perfect for New Mexico’s climate. Plant these Mexican natives throughout your garden for mole protection that pays homage to the state’s cultural connections with its southern neighbor while creating a pest-resistant landscape.
18. Sage
The intense aromatic oils in sage plants create a natural repellent that moles avoid when tunneling. Both ornamental and culinary varieties contain these powerful compounds that disrupt moles’ sensitive sense of smell.
New Mexico’s climate provides ideal growing conditions for many sage varieties. The state’s gardeners can create beautiful, drought-tolerant plantings that serve double-duty as mole barriers while honoring the plant’s importance in both Hispanic and Native American traditions throughout the region.
19. Thyme
This low-growing herb creates a carpet of protection against moles with its intensely aromatic oils. The strong scent penetrates the soil, making thyme-planted areas less attractive to tunneling pests looking for earthworm-rich territory.
The drought tolerance of thyme makes it perfectly adapted to New Mexico’s climate. Plant it between stepping stones, as a lawn alternative, or in rock gardens throughout the state to create beautiful, fragrant groundcover that doubles as an effective natural mole deterrent.
20. Mint
The intense fragrance of mint plants creates an aromatic barrier that moles find overwhelming. Their aggressive spreading habit through underground runners also physically disrupts mole tunnels, making mint doubly effective as a deterrent.
New Mexico gardeners should plant mint in containers sunk into the ground to control its spread. This approach allows the plant’s strong oils to penetrate the soil and repel moles while preventing it from taking over the garden – a win-win solution in the state’s favorable growing conditions.