I was bothered by voles in my community garden plot, so I pulled up the carpeting I was using to cover the paths. Sure enough, all kinds of vole trails underneath. I have eliminated the carpeting & am just dealing with weeding those paths. I also am not using a mulch....it provides excellent vole habitat. Unfortunately this year, with the drought we are having, my plants could sorely use a mulch.
The other suggestion I have is to dig a vole trench: 12" wide, 12" deep around your garden. The voles don't like to cross it for fear of predators. My garden is only 22X22 feet, so it is possible for me to dig this trench. So far, my trnch is only 6" deep, but it seems to be working. Voles seem to have relocated to the next gardener's plot!
Others in the Community Garden swear by stuffing sticks of gum down the vole holes. They say the fvoles eat them & then die.
