What should I do to get rid of VOLES!?

I have tried virtually everything except digging up the garden and putting chicken wire 3 feet down! They eat everything - vegetables, flowers, bulbs...... I've tried stinky granules, castor "beads," human urine even! Is there anything that works? Or are there plants they don't actually like? My flower beds now SUCK, mainly because they are mostly empty!

sugarbean--

We had quite a LONG discussion going on the Mid Atlantic Gardening Forum about this.
"Stormy" had huge issues with this.
The Thread is called--"Too many ravenous rabbits and other pests".
You will find it on page #3---I will try to get the link here for you.

Gita

This is part #2. of this Thread. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/893935/

It is linked to part #1 (at the top) and also to Part #3 (at the bottom).
Just click on the links at the beginning and end to read it all..


edited to add links.


This message was edited Aug 13, 2009 9:49 PM

Sugarbean. You may also want to contact your local county agent. Sometimes they have a few tricks up their sleeves. If all else fails, get a cat and a Beagle...my guys give the moles the dickens....the dogs dig them up and the cats dispose of them....mostly.

As of yet the voles haven't touched my Datura or Zinnias. I noticed the Gloriosa Daisy is fine too. Maybe rough fuzzy plants aren't their favorites? This is my first year dealing with voles and they've nearly wiped out my lilies.

Thanks, Gita. For the last 2 days I have read and read and read from the link you gave me. It seems, since I have used the castor beads (gotten from a local garden shop) all over the yard - back and front - with little success - I will try putting down the Milky Spore to reduce the number of grubs. I know there are TONS of those. We pulled up a LOT of the existing grass last year and put in beds and - - ok - - GROSS! We had the lawn folks spray - but it was expensive and has to be repeated 3 times a year! EVERY year!

SW - A very good point. I have one bed FULL of zinnias and they haven't been touched. I guess I will try some Datura and the Daisy's in my other beds and fill the rest with the Zinnias!

Moonhowl - I would LOVE to get a beagle, unfortunately when my husband was a small boy his "privates" were nipped by an exuberant pup and now he refuses to entertain the thought of getting one. My mini-Schnauzer does try - he rips down the deck stairs barking like mad. The critters seem to wait until he hits the bottom step before they run away laughing! I can't keep an outdoor cat either as we live at the crossroads of 2 large main streets and I would be VERY afraid of him/her getting in the street. Although I have thought about an electric fence and just putting that collar thing around it's neck so it stays in the yard. I think there are enough ground critter entertainment that the cat wouldn't hurt the birds.