How To Get Rid Of Mole Plants

Euphorbial lathyris, also called the mole plant, got its name because of its ability to repel moles. The mole plant secretes a toxic sap that is poisonous to moles, and its gasoline-like smell keeps them out of gardens. However, mole plants repel more than just moles. The plant's toxins can harm humans as well and gardeners with children or pets may want to get rid of it to protect them. Luckily, the mole plant is non-invasive and quite simple to remove.

Step 1

Put on a pair of gardening gloves. The mole plant's sticky sap can irritate your skin.

Step 2

Use your trowel to dig 7 to 8 inches into the soil, around the mole plant in a 2-foot radius from its base.

Step 3

Pull up the mole plant. Grip it at its base. Then pull it up and move it from side to side to loosen the plant's roots. If it does not come up easily, use your trowel to dig out the roots at the base of the plant.

Step 4

Use your trowel to dig up any remaining roots.

Step 5

Fill in the hole you created with topsoil.

Step 6

Toss the mole plant(s) onto the compost pile.

The upright-growing Holy Mole pepper plant features spreading branches with dropping, ovular green leaves. Plants of this cultivar reach mature heights of about 24 to 42 inches, with widths up to about 24 inches. Peppers grow to about 7 to 9 inches long. Small, five-petaled flowers with off-white petals typically appear about 120 days after planting. This type of pepper thrives in neutral or acidic loamy, well-drained soils. Holy Mole pepper plants require consistently moist, but not waterlogged, soil. Phosphorus fertilizer encourages healthy growth in Holy Mole pepper fruits, while nitrogen fertilizer encourages vegetative growth — too much of the latter, however, may cause a lower fruit yield. Early flower buds should be pinched off to encourage branching while ripe fruit must be harvested daily to encourage new growth. This particular pepper cultivar resists viruses and disease, including strains 0, 1 and 2 of the tobacco mosaic virus, which commonly affects other types of pepper plants. However, vascular wilt and fungal disease may afflict plants that have not been properly cared for.