Mole mountain soil

[wizzbang]

Hi everybody.
I recently read that It might be a good plan to use turfed up soil from mole hills to sow seeds in in.
Is it a worthwhile collecting it, enriching it and using it or just use it as it comes, or isn't it beneficial in any way? Perhaps it was suggested because it is fine soil.
Any suggestions.
Lynne x

[Newton]

You might not be popular with the land owners if you nick the soil........saying that it's perfect for my parsnips round here.......

[wizzbang]

Nooooo, the hills are on my gardens. I wont pinch any, promise lol.
Lynne x

[Newton]

Oops.....guilty your honour!

[wizzbang]

Ha Ha. Will it be good for my seeds? Last week I had to sow some seeds in ordinary all purpose compost and then I read about the mole hill soil and thought... Blinkin' 'eck, that would have cost me nothing and would have been so much finer for my little seedlings to push up through.
Lynne x

[Nicos]

We use it for our seeds with good results.
It does tend to dry out quickly so needs some bulk and nutrients adding to it.
Having said that- I suppose it depends on the soil type originally!

[wizzbang]

Thank you. I'll go and collect it all tomorrow and have a look at it. Ive got loads of seeds to start so I suppose I will soon know if I did the right thing or not.
Thank you for the help.
Lynne x

[VirginVegGrower]

You might not be popular with the land owners if you nick the soil........saying that it's perfect for my parsnips round here.......

I have been known to traverse the verges with a shovel and bucket

[roitelet]

I use it, seived, 50/50 with leaf mould and a bit of sand for potting on. For seed sowing I do buy compost as it has been sterilized, I hope.

[rustylady]

Ha Ha. Will it be good for my seeds? Last week I had to sow some seeds in ordinary all purpose compost and then I read about the mole hill soil and thought... Blinkin' 'eck, that would have cost me nothing and would have been so much finer for my little seedlings to push up through.
Lynne x

Are you sowing seeds in Lancashire or Shropshire Lynne?

[Two_Sheds]

Is it a worthwhile ... enriching it

Never, ever enrich seed compost. All the seed's needs are within it.

You only need to feed when the seedling grows & needs potting on

[marchogaeth]

My layer of soil is so thin that most of what the moles chuck up is "subsoil" - clay- and also seems to be full of weed seeds. I get the odd good hill but have to pick and choose and there is still the issue of weed seeds.

[Nicos]

Never, ever enrich seed compost. All the seed's needs are within it.

Agreed- but I thinkwizzbang is talking about enriching the mole hill soil not seed compost- as that indeed is specifically 'formulate' for seeds whereas mole hills aren't!

it also seems to be full of weed seeds.

Yes- that is an issue- you do need to know what the seedling will look like so you know what to pull out! ( yeh- I'm one of the plonkers who has in my time pulled up seedlings and left one variety of weed! )

[bearded bloke]

you do need to know what the seedling will look like so you know what to pull out! ( yeh- I'm one of the plonkers who has in my time pulled up seedlings and left one variety of weed! )

Ah,then you need to use the old gardeners dodge that I was shown in my yoof,rub a groove in the soil,set your seeds in it & then cover with builders sand.....Anything NOT growing through the sand stripes is deffo not what you planted & can be pulled up with impunity (or your fingers )

[Glutton4...]

I have two customers with Mole 'issues' in their gardens. Both collect the soil mounds, and use the soil, but both say it compacts down like rock, so needs something added to it.

The other 'downside' is that, if you keep collecting, eventually your garden will become uneven, due to the soil loss, and the Mole tunnels. Personally, I would just use it to refill in the low areas, to save spoiling the look of the lawn. If you have no lawn, or aren't bothered by it, then collect as much as you like!