Deterring Those Darn Gophers

The article talks about the various ways to get rid of gophers and moles in a garden.


Item # 99834 		'Chase' Mole and Gopher Repellent

Each $34.95
  • Topic: Pests
  • Author: Cindy Bellinger
  • Keywords: gophers, moles, pests, Pests
  • Date: August 2002

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It’s so disheartening strolling out to the garden on a lovely morning and seeing a fresh mound of dirt that wasn’t there the day before. Probably a few plants are decimated as well. Gophers. One of the worst pests a garden can have.

They are determined animals and getting rid of them is not easy. Even if you’re not a cat lover, having one around may be worth the hassle. Or placing used cat litter at the entrance to gopher holes and around the garden may be enough of a discouragement.

A foolproof method, though a lot of work, is lining garden beds with chicken wire or even smaller mesh. The usual advice is burying mesh 3 feet underground then extending the edges one foot above the soil level. Lining raised beds with mesh is also recommended.

Trapping gophers is another way to manage them. Safe and effective, the most common type of trap is triggered when the gopher pushes against a flat metal pan. To set traps locate and open the main tunnel wide enough to set traps in pairs facing opposite directions. This way a gopher coming from either end of the burrow can be intercepted. It is not necessary to bait a gopher trap, although lettuce, carrots, apples, or alfalfa greens might help. But they are clever creatures. If a gopher is not caught within 3 days, reset the traps in a different location.

Though digging can occur at any time during the year, spring and fall seem to be the more active times. In the spring when snows are melting and after(hopefully!) autumn rains the soil is softer and gophers dig madly about. Gophers commonly feed on roots and fleshy portions of plants they encounter while digging. However, sometimes they feed above ground, venturing only a body length or so from their tunnel opening.

Depending on the species, gophers range in length from 6 to 10 inches and live in burrow systems that cover 200 to 2,000 square feet. Burrows are usually 6 to 12 inches below ground, but nest and food storage chambers can be as deep as 6 feet. And several mounds a day can be created by one gopher.

Typically it’s the pocket gopher that frequents gardens, getting its name from the fur-lined external cheek pouches, or pockets, used for carrying food and nesting materials. Well equipped for tunneling they have powerful large-clawed front paws and highly sensitive facial whiskers to assist movement in the dark. One adaptation is the gopher’s lips, which can be closed behind the four large incisor teeth to keep dirt out of its mouth while using its teeth for digging.

Some natural control plants include gopher purge (Euphorbia lathyrus), castor bean (Ricinus communis), and garlic, though these repellents have not been substantiated by research. Because nowadays gophers are used to vibrations from sprinklers, lawnmowers, vehicles and people moving about, they are rarely frightened by vibrating stakes, ultrasonic devices and wind-powered pinwheels. Then again, some people swear by them.

Adaptive and clever, gophers have to be admired for their determination and dexterity. Still, it’s much easier to admire these subterranean creatures once they’re gone.