Gopher Control
By Dale Norrington, Master Gardener
Furry and fascinating, with very unusual lips, the pocket gopher plays an
integral part in the garden ecosystem. It
can also play the part of a most pernicious pest - a gardener's bane.
Natural predators, including snakes, owls, coyotes, dogs, and cats, may
decrease gopher populations, but they rarely eliminate them completely, and as
many gardeners know, one gopher can wreak havoc.
Fumigation, commercial repellents, and devices designed to frighten gophers
have proven ineffective. Evidence that
certain plants including garlic, castor bean, and gopher purge repel gophers
has not been substantiated by research.
Elimination of weedy areas immediately adjacent to the garden may create a buffer
strip of undesirable habitat and decrease gopher migration into the garden.
Gophers can sometimes be fenced out of the garden with 1/2 - 3/4 gauge poultry
wire or mesh hardware cloth buried at least two feet deep, and extended one
foot above the ground. Complete
underground screening may be practical in small beds, or during construction of
raised beds. Wire baskets for individual
plants are available commercially, or can be fashioned at home. Light-gauge wire is recommended for plants
which will need protection only while young.
Traps can provide a safe (when handled carefully) and effective method of
control. Commonly used traps are the
two-pronged pincher trap and the choker style box trap. The trick to trapping is placement of the
traps in the gopher's main tunnel, rather than in lateral tunnels. Main tunnels can be located with a gopher
probe, which are available commercially, or can be constructed at home. Locate the plugged opening on one side of a
mound of fresh soil which has been pushed up by a gopher. Probe carefully about a foot away from the
opening side of the mound. A sudden
noticeable drop will be felt when the probe enters the main tunnel. Open the main tunnel with a shovel or trowel,
and place two traps facing in opposite directions to insure trapping a gopher
approaching from either direction. Secure
the traps with wire and stakes, and cover to exclude light. Baiting the traps with lettuce, carrots,
apples, or alfalfa greens may bring better results, but is not unnecessary.
Flooding with a hose will sometimes force gophers from their burrows, allowing
the strong-of-heart to dispatch them with a shovel.
If these methods fail, and gopher damage remains intolerable, use of toxic
baits may be necessary. Placement of the
bait in the main tunnel is again key to success. Toxic gopher baits are poisonous. Read and follow all label precautions, safety
recommendations, and directions carefully.
More information is available on the UC Pest Management Guidelines web page at:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES