Gophers are attacking my garden!
Is there anything I can do? So far they've only taken out one tomato and one watermelon, as well as a bunch of flowers. I've heard you can trap them or flood them out, does anyone have any experience doing so? I need help!
I had a problem with groundhogs and went down to my local HomeDepot and bough a have-a-heart trap. There are multiple sizes, the squirrel/skunk size would work for gophers.
Bait it with some apple slices/strawberries glued to the trigger plate with some jelly or preserve and you'll catch them. Word to the wise, you can enhance the traps sensitivity by bending the metal latch that engages the plate.
Relocate them either far far away (so they can infest someone elses garden), or permanently, your choice.
-Cheers
Bait it with some apple slices/strawberries glued to the trigger plate with some jelly or preserve and you'll catch them. Word to the wise, you can enhance the traps sensitivity by bending the metal latch that engages the plate.
Relocate them either far far away (so they can infest someone elses garden), or permanently, your choice.
-Cheers
I have pastures surrounding my garden and the fields produce a continual supply of gophers that come into my garden. I use Gopher flares and they really do work. And the Sulfur actually helps the plants by inhibiting the growth of harmful mildews and fungus in the soil. Purchase the Gopher Flares at your local garden center
Locate where Gophers are active, then carefully dig down until you find their tunnel. Insert the flare in the tunnel and light the flare, then cover with dirt. The flare will fill the tunnels used by the Gophers with Sulfur Smoke. The Gophers will abandon the area for some place that doesn't smell like Sulfur.
You may have to set flares in a couple of different tunnels on the opposite ends of the garden to fill all the tunnels with sulfur smoke, but it does work.
Locate where Gophers are active, then carefully dig down until you find their tunnel. Insert the flare in the tunnel and light the flare, then cover with dirt. The flare will fill the tunnels used by the Gophers with Sulfur Smoke. The Gophers will abandon the area for some place that doesn't smell like Sulfur.
You may have to set flares in a couple of different tunnels on the opposite ends of the garden to fill all the tunnels with sulfur smoke, but it does work.
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Gary350
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
- Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.
When I was in High School 50 years ago my Grandfather had me digging holes everywhere to set off sulfur smoke bombs.. Animals ran out of the hole, run off and made new holes in a different place. It was a never ending battle to smoke them out. If you don't get rid of the animals some way they will always be there. Rat traps will kill gophers and squirrels but not larger animals, skunks, possums, ground hogs. Get 1 male cat and 2 female cat, in about 1 year you will have 60 more cats. Cats do not eat vegetables.Farmerboy wrote:I have pastures surrounding my garden and the fields produce a continual supply of gophers that come into my garden. I use Gopher flares and they really do work. And the Sulfur actually helps the plants by inhibiting the growth of harmful mildews and fungus in the soil. Purchase the Gopher Flares at your local garden center
Locate where Gophers are active, then carefully dig down until you find their tunnel. Insert the flare in the tunnel and light the flare, then cover with dirt. The flare will fill the tunnels used by the Gophers with Sulfur Smoke. The Gophers will abandon the area for some place that doesn't smell like Sulfur.
You may have to set flares in a couple of different tunnels on the opposite ends of the garden to fill all the tunnels with sulfur smoke, but it does work.
IMHO a cat is the best answer. preferably the kitten of a feral cat from a shelter or rescue center. they are more aggressive mousers than domesticated lines. I have one and she is hell on the rodents, up to and including opossums. they can be a little stand offish, but you are not getting it for cuddeling and lap warming.
second best would be a rat terrier dog. I have one of these too, and before she got too old, she would run the cat competition in the mousing department. she would also dig up moles, something cats just won't do. and small dogs are better lap warmers than cats.
second best would be a rat terrier dog. I have one of these too, and before she got too old, she would run the cat competition in the mousing department. she would also dig up moles, something cats just won't do. and small dogs are better lap warmers than cats.
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ElizabethB
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- Location: Lafayette, LA
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Gary350
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 7419
- Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
- Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.
I have a friend with a Jack Russel's and Rat Terriers. Those dogs are extremely hyper full of endless energy like someone that just drank 15 cups of strong black coffee. He wanted me take care of his 2 dogs while he was on vacation. Those dogs never stopped moving from the time the sun came up until dark every day. They would run, run, run, run, run, then dig, dig, dig, dig, dig then bark, bark, bark. Run, dig & bark is all they did. Birds never had time to land in the yard the dogs were right there in 2 seconds. Good thing it was not garden season the back yard looked like a World War 2 bombed out place hardly a blade of grass left and holes everywhere. LOL. I wish I have a time laps video of that it was amazing. If you get a dog get 1 that is not so hyper.
I had a cat for 14 years she kept the garden free all animals. She would catch birds sometimes and eat them. She could hear molds in the ground and dig them up in just a few seconds. I lived in town for years and we had lots of birds. We moved out to the country we have fewer birds in the country and different birds. Cat still digs up moles it makes me mad I like moles, birds and squirrels. Cat had a stroke and died. Moles have multiplied, 2 squirrel families had 7 babies they use to be in the yard all the time but I have not seen the squirrels in 2 months.
I do not want a dog they all seem to love to dig holes especially young dogs. I did not want another cat but wife decided we need a cat. Now we have the cutest little cat you ever saw all she wants to do it play. In about a year cat will be a good garden cat. Lots of crime these days houses and cars all broken into at night in our area we might have to get a dog. Police say, best way to keep thieves away is a barking dog and motion detector lights. At the moment we have both but the dog is not ours that may be the reason thieves have not broken into to our vehicles and house. Something was stolen from our yard 3 days ago neighbor returned it today someone threw it in his yard.
I had a cat for 14 years she kept the garden free all animals. She would catch birds sometimes and eat them. She could hear molds in the ground and dig them up in just a few seconds. I lived in town for years and we had lots of birds. We moved out to the country we have fewer birds in the country and different birds. Cat still digs up moles it makes me mad I like moles, birds and squirrels. Cat had a stroke and died. Moles have multiplied, 2 squirrel families had 7 babies they use to be in the yard all the time but I have not seen the squirrels in 2 months.
I do not want a dog they all seem to love to dig holes especially young dogs. I did not want another cat but wife decided we need a cat. Now we have the cutest little cat you ever saw all she wants to do it play. In about a year cat will be a good garden cat. Lots of crime these days houses and cars all broken into at night in our area we might have to get a dog. Police say, best way to keep thieves away is a barking dog and motion detector lights. At the moment we have both but the dog is not ours that may be the reason thieves have not broken into to our vehicles and house. Something was stolen from our yard 3 days ago neighbor returned it today someone threw it in his yard.
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HandiestHandyman
- Newly Registered
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- Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2019 5:18 pm
Ultrasonic gopher repellent spikes worked for me. I tried smoke bombs and castor oil pellets and they just moved to other parts of my lawn. I got a set of 4 solar powered ultrasonic gopher and mole repellent spikes off Amazon and they did the trick. When I first set them up, I was discouraged because a couple mounds popped up right next to the spikes, but after a couple weeks, no new mounds appeared. I left them on a couple more weeks before turning them off, but a week later a new mound appeared so I turned them back on and leave them on unless we are entertaining in the back yard. They make noise about every 60 seconds, but it's not that bad. The Zebedee brand I bought actually has an on/off switch so you can silence them if you want some peace and quiet, just remember to turn them back on when you go inside (or at the first sign of new mounds).