If you’ve ever had a problem with gophers in your yard, you know what a pest they can be. Not only can they destroy your precious plants, but they create unsightly holes and dirt mounts throughout your landscape. Although they are small, even a single gopher in your yard can make a big impact. Gophers are vegetarian, and they typically feed on roots, veggies, and other vegetation they can find. In their search for food, they can dig up dozens of holes in your yard each month.

Not only are gopher holes unsightly, but they can also be dangerous. Gophers can unintendedly chew through grounded utilities, which could serve to be a costly fix for you. What’s more, as more and more gopher tunnels are made, you might find yourself with a sinkhole on your hands, which can be a hazard for anyone walking around your yard. Gophers, like many other animals, are also known for carrying harmful pests such as lice, ticks, and fleas, putting you and your pets in danger of picking up an unwanted pest.

How to Get Rid of Gophers

Gophers are not without their natural predators. Larger animals like skunks and snakes will commonly prey on gophers. However, this in itself can serve as a problem for homeowners. The last thing you want is an influx of skunks coming into your yard looking for a meal. It’s clear that gophers simply aren’t something that you want anywhere near your property. But how do you get rid of them and how do you make sure they stay gone once irradiated? When it comes to getting rid of gophers, you have three choices, you can try to make your home less appealing to them, you can trap and release them, or you can poison them. Of course, killing any animals should only be used as a last resort.

Live Traps

Live trapping is one of the fastest and easiest ways to get rid of a gopher problem. Gopher traps are readily available at many local hardware stores and online. They are typically not terribly expensive and can be used many times over. To trap a gopher, first, you need to determine which spots they might be traveling through. This should be fairly simple. Simply place a trap near a fresh gopher hole, and chances are they will be in that area throughout the day. Gopher traps can be baited with a small piece of food like lettuce.

Once the gopher steps into the trap, they will not be able to back out. Be sure to check your traps often so you can release the gopher quickly. Take the gopher in the trap to a nearby area that is away from homes. Open the trap and step away, allowing the gopher to go on their way. Once you’ve gotten rid of the gopher, you’ll want to make sure to fill in all of their existing burrows. This will discourage any other critters from taking residence there.

Natural Repellants

Another way to chase off gophers is to fill your yard with natural repellants. Using a repellent is considered one of the most humane ways to get rid of a gopher. That’s because you are not harming or causing any stress to the animal. You’re simply making it so that your yard is less appealing to them. There are many things you can use to repel gophers that you may have at home right now.

Common items like peppermint oil and ever fabric softer sheets are known deterrents for gophers. Starting at the corner of your yard closet to your house, you will want to place your chosen deterrent right into the nearest gopher hole. Every couple of days, place the deterrent into a new set of gopher holes until you reach the far corner of your yard. By that time, they should be long gone. Just like after trapping, once you’re certain that the gophers are gone, you will want to go through and fill all of their burrows.

Poison

Finally, the last resort to get rid of a large gopher problem is to use rodent poison. There are several different varieties of poison that you can find at your local hardware store. Whichever you choose, be sure to read the labels carefully and follow the instructions from the manufacturer. Keep in mind that these types of poisons can be harmful to pets and people, so make sure to keep them far away from dogs, cats, and children.

Keeping Gophers Away

Once you’ve gone through the process of eradicating gophers from your yard, you’ll want to take some extra measures to ensure they stay gone. First and foremost, remember to fill in any gopher holes right away. Not only will this get rid of a safety hazard in your yard, but you will be able to tell right away if the gophers return.

There are a few things you can do to make your yard less gopher friendly. Consider planting items that naturally repel gophers such as lavender bushes, oleanders, rosemary, and strawberries. In addition to naturally repelling plants, you can also purchase an ultrasonic emitter at your local hardware store. These small devices emit a sound that is undetectable to humans but unbearable to rodents.

If you’re interested in planting some gopher repelling plants in your garden, stop by Cal Blend Soils. Our helpful associates can show you the best topsoils and other landscaping supplies to help your rosemary and other plants thrive.