Effective Ways to Get Rid of Gophers in Your Yard & Garden

Effective Ways to Get Rid of Gophers in Your Yard & Garden
6 min read
13 December 2022

Lawns and backyards having beautiful landscapes are said to be the best part of a house these days. A backyard is said to be your sanctuary whether you are having an evening dinner, having regular friend get-togethers, or relaxing after a hectic day. However, the presence of unwanted guests like gophers can be a nightmare. By digging tunnels around your garden to eat your plants' roots, gophers can turn the shape of your backyard within minutes. The sooner you can identify this problem, the quicker the action will be, and you can prevent the growth of gophers. If you want to protect your lawn from getting destroyed, here are a few ways you can try for gopher removal.

1- Fencing the Yard

The majority of the people might prefer either trapping or the removal of the gophers from their property. But fencing the yard completely will block their infestation. As gophers prefer the roots of plants to be the main source of their food, installing a barrier fence will block them from entering your yard and damaging your plants. A barrier fence, particularly made up of metal mesh, can be placed around your garden by digging a ditch and lining it up. However. If you want to avoid digging your lawn turf afterward, you can place the fence before installation. To successfully eliminate ground squirrels, the size of the mesh should be less than 1 inch. Gopher fences are highly affordable and humane to block their entry.

Furthermore, they provide a long-term solution to prevent gopher infestation. However, they aren't easy to install, especially on an existing landscape. For that, you will need the help of an expert.

2- Gopher Traps

Live traps are also considered a good way to prevent gopher infestation and keep them away from your property. But gophers can lay eggs in moderate climates, so you will have to set traps all year long. Since it can be daunting, hiring a gopher removal service is perfect for you, as they know how to set traps well and deal with captive gophers. The critical part of trapping gophers is the selection of placement areas for the traps. If you wish to attempt trap placement yourself, the best location is to place a trap near the gopher tunnel or inside it. Once you locate the exit hole, that will lead you to the main tunnel. Still, if it is tough to locate this tunnel, you can use a long rod to dig the soil. You can place two traps, one at the tunnel's starting point and one at the exit point you located before. You can place food inside the traps as bait to attract gophers. After trapping gophers, you can call the wildlife department for their safe removal.

3- Flooding and Fumigation

Flooding a gopher's hole can force the gopher out of the burrow, exposing it to predators such as hounds. Fumigation is another technique that is generally effective. But this method is intolerable to solutions like traps and baits.

4- Use of Scented Repellents

The use of scented repellents is another method of gopher removal as these repellents target not only the gopher's sense of touch but also their sense of smell. Commonly available in spray bottles, castor oil repellents target the sense of smell. After applying them to the gopher tunnels, soak the entire area using a sprinkler to allow the repellent to penetrate the tunnels. Although these repellents keep gophers away, the only drawback is that you will have to apply them again. Otherwise, they will not be effective.

5- Use of Sonic Repellents

If you are tired of applying scented repellents, again and again, you can use sonic repellents as a one-time solution. Such repellents spread ultrasonic vibrations, which might sound like a warning to gophers. By that, gophers will eventually decide to go somewhere else. To place such repellents, you will have to dig a small hole near the main tunnel. However, since it is not easy to get rid of gophers in the first place. Once you turn off these sonic agents, gophers will try to come back again.

6- Predators

Having predators on sight is another natural way of gopher removal. Though it isn't considered a humane way, it is still very effective. Common predatory animals are

  • Barn Owls

The gopher's greatest enemy is the barn owl, which considers gophers its prime food option. Place an owl nest box to encourage barn owls to establish their homes near your yard. However, remember that you need a fairly constant number of gophers to keep an owl. 

  • Pets

Common pets like cats and dogs can also make the life of gophers miserable as they will hunt them down. However, this is not always a good idea, as gophers can carry diseases. Ultimately, the pets will carry such diseases inside the house.

Gophers love invading a house by digging tunnels in lawns or backyards in moderate climates. Once gophers enter, it gets very hard to get rid of them. However, you will still have to get rid of them because the situation worsens with time. The six best techniques to avoid the infestation of gophers have been discussed. Although, you can look for a professional gopher removal service near you and leave the situation in the hands of experts.

In case you have found a mistake in the text, please send a message to the author by selecting the mistake and pressing Ctrl-Enter.
John Carter 2
Joined: 1 year ago
Comments (0)

    No comments yet

You must be logged in to comment.

Sign In / Sign Up