Moles and gophers can cause plenty of damage to your yard and garden, digging a seemingly unending path of tunnels and holes with little concern for what might be above. The rodents chew through the plants’ root systems, and their tunnel system often causes plants to sink. What action can gardeners take instead of helplessly watching as the rodents destroy hundreds of dollars worth of foliage and shrubbery?
There are several solutions to rid your garden and yard of pesky rodents. Here are just a few you can try to keep gophers and moles out of the garden:
DIG A TRENCH
Dig a trench around either your entire garden or individual plants that seem to be in the pathway of the gopher and moles. In the trench, bury mesh wire fencing (often called chicken wire), and fill the trench in again. When the gophers and moles are digging, they won’t be able to get to your plants or the surrounding area because they will run into the fencing and not be able to chew or dig through.
GUM
Gum is useful for warding off tunneling rodents. Place an unwrapped stick of gum down the hole the gopher has made, and you will find the gopher quickly vacating the area.
CATS
Cats are natural predators of gophers and moles. If you have a cat, you can make use of their predatory nature and allow them to hunt the rodents while they are outside.
CASTOR BEAN PLANTS
Castor bean plants are poisonous to gophers and moles. If you plant these in your yard or garden, you will generally find that rodents are no longer a problem. Take care, however, if you have other animals or small children, as castor bean plants can be unsafe in their presence. You can also try putting castor oil down a hole or tunnel.
TRAPPING
Trapping is another often-used remedy. Traps are placed into a hole or tunnel and attract rodents. When the gopher or moles comes to them, they are killed and then removed from the hole. Traps are one of the more successful options, but their success completely depends on if you can get the animal to the trap.
POISONS/BOMBS
Poisons are another successful option for ridding your area of rodent pests. Like traps, these are also put in the hole or tunnel, and poison is then released. This will either drive the rodents away or kill them. Care should be used if you have outdoor pets or small children.
HIGH FREQUENCY EMITTING
High-frequency emitting contraptions have recently been put on the market, making use of the theory that moles and gophers do not like annoying high-pitched screeching noises. When one of these devices is placed in your yard or garden, its annoying noises will drive away the pests. The rodents will take up residence in another area far away from your garden. The noises are undetectable to the human ear and also do not seem to bother household pets.
GUN
A .22 riffle is what some gardeners and homeowners resort to if they do not find success with other remedies. Safety must be used, and area laws concerning the discharge of firearms must be checked.
The key to ridding your garden of gophers and moles is to find a solution that works for you. Different rodents will respond to different methods; homeowners will have different successes with various solutions. By testing many different suggestions, you are bound to find one that will restore peace and gophers and moles out of your yard and garden.