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So many chipmunks this year! In an ill-advised attempt to get rid of them, I put moth balls sown their holes. I thought they didn’t like the smell, no idea it was poison (naïve, yes). Now I am noticing that the hedge of schrubs under my window is turning brown and dying. Yes, many chipmunk holes under this hedge, so, yes, many moth balls. I am now assuming I killed my hedge. I am thinking of putting in a shade garden when I remove the shrubs. I am wondering if I ruined the soil and what I can do to correct my mistake. Thanks!

That is very bad….yes, between the chipmunks burrowin and dump mothballs down the holes, you have probably killed the hedge and, hopefully it doesn’t get into the ground water and hopefully you aren’t using well water in your home.  How long it will persist in the soil?  no strong data that I can find but I’d suspect that it will be late in the summer before that area will be safe for plants.  Here’s some links you might find useful.  BTW…MoleMax repels chipmunks.

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/naphgen.html

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100706055049AAntov1

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/mothballs-landscaping-51104.html

 

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