Yuccas Dying Because of Moles or Voles

Question

Can my Yuccas be dying because moles or voles are eating their roots? My yuccas are easily pulled out of the ground after growing nicely for more than 5 yrs. I see mole or vole holes around the berm they are on. Could the pests be eating their root system? The ends of the stalks look like they have a blue mold in them.

Answer 1

While they do not usually feed on the roots of these plants, it is highly possible that their burrowing throughout the berm could be uprooting them. If moles or voles are a problem, then these articles may help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/mole-control-home-remedies-for-removing-moles-from-your-yard.htm, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/animals/vole-control.htm It could also be caused by air pockets that may have developed over the years, causing sink holes in the berm, rather than holes made from pests. The only way to remedy this would be to flood the area and tamp down around the berm to collapse these air pockets. Mold on the plant indicates a fungal issue and could also be associated with the easily pulled up plants. How do the roots looks? Are they healthy or mushy and brown? How is the drainage around the yucca? If it's too moist, then this can be a contributing factor, as yuccas do not like wet feet. Allowing the area to dry out some by fixing any drainage issues and treating the plant with neem oil of other suitable fungicide may help.