Gophers are rather a nuisance to gardeners and handling them can be quite a difficult task. It is a small burrowing animal that feeds on plant roots while at the same time making a mess by forming small heaps of soil. They are known to be destructive and can transform a clean garden into a mess in a short span of time.
But you don’t have to let gophers take over your lovely garden. In this piece, we will discuss several techniques that might be useful in keeping gophers away from your garden. They range from basic physical barriers to the use of natural repellents to keep these pests at bay; information that any gardener needs to have.
Understand Your Enemy
Gophers are independent animals which means that one gopher would have its burrow. This is an indication that normally, it is just one gopher that causes the destruction within your garden region. They mostly consume the roots and succulent parts of the plants which they come across while burrowing. Being aware of this can help you better focus your actions.
Create Physical Barriers
Before you search “gopher control near me,” you may want to know that an effective DIY method of discouraging gophers from getting to your plants is by putting barriers in place. This involves planting in gopher baskets which are wire baskets that prevent gophers from consuming the roots of the plants. Or you can use hardware cloth to line the bottom of your plant beds as well. Select a mesh that measures not more than ¾ of an inch to ensure that gophers cannot squeeze through the barrier.
Utilize Natural Repellents
Still on DIY, before searching “gopher control near me,” you may want to look at some natural repellants. There are some plants that gophers avoid, these include marigold, daffodil and garlic, and placing them at the fringes of the garden is advisable. These plants give out odors and chemicals that gophers do not like, hence discouraging them from visiting your garden.
Employ Sound and Vibrations
Gophers are known to respond to sounds and vibrations on the surface of the ground. Ultrasonic devices or vibrating stakes can be installed around the garden to make gophers uncomfortable and force them to leave the area. These devices are convenient and can be purchased in most home improvement stores.
Try Trapping Them
Trapping is one of the direct ways of eliminating gophers from your garden. Commonly used by “gopher control near me” experts, it is non-lethal and safe as it does not use chemicals that may affect other wildlife or domestic animals. Place traps in the main traveling tunnels, usually identified by signs of more recent and finer soil mounds. Sometimes it may take several attempts to trap a gopher because the placement of the trap plays a significant role.
Conclusion
Through the following tips, you can minimize the chances of gopher damage in your garden. Controlling gophers in your garden is a constant process, but with the right approaches, you should be able to have a healthy outdoors.
