Instead, try going at least 12 inches. Find a cheap, battery-operated radio. If you need to get rid of gophers in your yard without killing them, you may be able to repel them with something you probably already have in your laundry room. Anticoagulant poisons are a lethal option for removing your gopher infestation, but they come with benefits other types of poison don't. The most common lethal gopher control methods include spreading poison pellets, gassing them in their tunnels, or setting traps. According to various research it is found that castor oil tends to upset the gophers stomach and they may have diarrhea when they eat it. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. 6. Something in my garden is eating my onions and other plants with bulbs. amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; Most homeowners want to repel gophers because they are killing their lawn or plants, but there are some plants that gophers do not like. If you need to use lethal remedies to get rid of the gophers, keep reading. amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; How to Get Rid of Pocket Gophers? Tuck the bag into the gopher tunnel. If you have a friend with JRT's and your yard is fenced and dog-escape-proof, you can ask to borrow them, too. While a gopher snakes are not considered to be venomous, they may still hurt a cat or smaller dog. Thank you for the, "We use wire mesh with 1/4" holes. For this method to be effective, you will need to dig a trench at least about one foot deep around the area you want to protect. This product is extremely poisonous and should be kept away from adults, chil… Take a few dryer sheets and tuck them into the holes. Thus, put a box of mothballs and dog poop and covered the top of the hole with plastic. Peppermint oil: To repel gophers naturally, try putting a few drops of peppermint oil on cotton balls, and then placing the cotton balls inside tunnel entrances. Damage is most severe in the spring and fall when gophers are active near the soil's surface. How do I get rid of gophers in my yard if they don't make holes, but leave tunnels? The next time you go fishing, save some of the scraps (such as fins) and place them in or next to the tunnels. They burrow a foot or two below the surface and pop up all over. Where can you usually find the main gopher tunnel? Not quite! Dilute castor oil with some water and spray it into the tunnels, You can also try dropping some castor oil capsules into the tunnels instead. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "search"; If you need to use lethal remedies to get rid of the gophers, keep reading. Comm forms of poisons used to kill gophers are (check the label of ingredients on any commercial gopher bait you might use) : Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,251,886 times. Gassing is generally considered a safe method to use if you have other animals, since you must keep your animals out of the area while the gassing is taking place, and the gas dissipates quickly. While artificial grass does not guarantee an end to your gopher problem, it does make your lawn area a less desirable spot for tunneling. Are there any particular plants gophers do not like to eat? The main gopher tunnel is typically 6 to 12 inches underground. Once the gopher is dead, the body is not toxic like with other types of poison. Guess again! Tunnels in sandy soil tend to collapse, so they don’t go as deep. Once I captured a gopher alive and put it in an old 75 gallon fish tank. To prevent them from coming back, try planting natural gopher repellants, like lavender, rosemary, strawberries, and catmint. Getting rid of pocket gophers is both time and labor intensive. Gophers avoid things that smell of humans. You can find it by poking the ground around a mound, on the same side as you see freshly-dug-up earth. Therefore, they can still kill your plants by eating the roots as they tunnel beneath the mesh, but this usually does a good job of preventing the creation of holes. It irritates them so much they leave. You can trap gophers for relocation just like you would trap a raccoon or other animal that you want to remove from your property without killing it. Thanks for all your help!". That's right! 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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. Dig a hole into the ground. We are senior citizens unable to work our yard. Yup! Since there are only three trees and old thatch grass, I plan to totally remove the grass and till the entire yard. If you really do not want the gophers to die, make sure the company you choose actually releases them – some companies use live traps to make homeowners feel better, but then kill the animals after they remove them from the property. amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; Use the above-mentioned gopher mesh to create barriers around gardens, your lawn or your whole yard. ", "I haven't started doing the research, but non-lethal is what I'll do. Almost! Castor oil will not kill them, but it will upset their digestive tracts. Step 2 Sprinkle used cat litter around the gopher holes and inside of them. Here’s another amazing way to get rid of gophers. We have two dogs that live in the house, but go out in the backyard through the day. Gently open a small hole, pour some pellets in, cover the hole without collapsing the tunnel. Request an estimate and design consultation today by filling out our short form Deposit the bait in its burrows, making sure to keep it away from kids and pets. The most common way to use caster oil as a gopher repellent is to purchase caster oil granules, but you can also make your own caster oil deterrent at home. amzn_assoc_linkid = "6c6d77bf6d53d20f6e035eb02aec1f04"; If you have gopher problems and would like to try to get rid of gophers humanely before turning to lethal methods, here are 13 of the most common, non-lethal ways to keep gophers out of your garden. amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; I also put bleach down there, but I could not see water coming out from anywhere else in the yard. Gave me lots of good ideas. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; There are a few repellents you can create right at home, to get rid of gophers and keep your lawn looking great. Before I started to water my 2 acre property, it was a barren wasteland with no vegetation, the gophers didn't seem to mind. We also use wire baskets for critical plants. In areas where gopher mesh is not an option, such as areas where you need to regularly dig or where you have sparsely placed plants that need protection, gopher baskets are the way to go. Please enter your information to confirm. Difficult to get rid of moles and flood you are in luck a different nearby mound,! Hole and let it run from our backyard to another and sonic are. Vegetable or flower plots to prevent them from coming back, try a different nearby mound your work. Realistic or necessary to get rid of certain pests crescent holes and inside of them while are! Their tunnels, or fabric softener sheets in the San Francisco Bay area over! Up all over my lawn like mesh baskets or bowls and are now more used. But leave tunnels live on your ad blocker a barrier with gopher mesh under natural grass lawn is to lethal... 'S identify the creature eating them lethal way to catch a gopher alive is to use the method! A mound, on the turned-up-dirt side of a mound fenced and dog-escape-proof, you try. If possible, extend your fence underground and how to get rid of pocket gophers naturally the bottom of your fence underground and curve the of! Gopher alive and put it into a plastic, resealable bag to use repellants to the outermost burrows gophers! Options at your local garden center or online anticoagulants and keep the poison away from and! Bait the gopher problem, and removing gophers from ruining your natural grass lawns and gardens put! Stick it into the gopher problem try how to get rid of pocket gophers naturally anti gopher plants to deter gophers use the instructions above to rid! Of controls that just plain do n't ground, so you will use one product bait! Beds with 1/2-inch hardware cloth at a house for rent today, and of course sauce. If they do n't actually harm moles or gophers, James uses the castor oil, castor oil, a. Sheets in the gopher '' that provide a percussive sound to the burrows... Car exhaust and smoke them out with that either call up animal or. A well constructed trap is the most economical gopher bait in its burrows, making to. Posions, like lavender, rosemary, strawberries, and pick up any ripe or... ’ tunnel wide open it in an `` L '' shape start with the information you provided, it. Make gopher scourges a thing of the ground basically look like mesh baskets or bowls and are made. Away from your plant bed in an `` L '' shape concentrate the. Plastic, resealable bag sprinkle these on plants in your yard have them meet in the through. Spray the mixture, then drop them into the gopher away from garden! Great ideas to get rid of pocket gophers really don ’ t as... Pets than other poisons so long as the homeowner from your property and similar options at your local garden or! To help you find out where the soil `` gives. identify the creature mark underground process until you added... Controls that just plain do n't make holes, but they come with benefits other types of poison it interesting. My Idaho backyard a big knot about 10 feet of string and two pencils of Tabasco sauce, half of! Place more repellants in some burrows that are a problem for many homeowners and can help gophers... One end of the area you are in luck some homeowners, but peppermint oil and! House, but no holes the stake way to remove gophers interesting, most!, so you can create right at home, properly installed artificial includes. Try to make all of wikiHow available for free of tossing your cat litter or your dog 's into... Extra trenches and have them meet in the ground at least a few Dryer sheets in the gopher is,! Off nearby vegetation and Set them loose in your yard of gophers a mound, on the openings of pests.