Homeowners get many hours of enjoyment from their gardens. They beautify our homes and serve as a relaxing sanctuary from the outside world. We must admit though, that the serenity of a garden can be easily disturbed by the intrusion of gophers.
Gophers are famous for constructing burrows in large numbers. They make burrows under the ground that disrupt the soil structure and affect root systems of plants. This can result in the wilting and death of the plants that you hold very dear and valuable. In addition, the mounds of dirt that gophers use to push to the surface of the ground will cause your grass and flowers to lose their beauty.
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Recognizing Gopher Activity
The first method in controlling gophers is to observe the signs of the existence of the creatures. Look around your garden or the lawn area for new heaps of soil. These are commonly crescent-formed or circular and come up whenever the gophers make burrows and heave the soil out. Another sign is you may notice plants shedding their leaves or plants falling over. This indicates that the gophers have been nibbling on the roots of the plants.
Easy Methods a Gopher Exterminator May Use to Keep Gophers at Bay
There are several ways to prevent gophers and one of them is using natural repellent. Some plants that can prevent gophers from invading your garden include daffodils, marigolds, and garlic. These plants produce odors that repel gophers as they do not want to be in close proximity to that smell.
Another technique is to employ barriers to shield your plants. Using wire mesh or hardware cloth at the base of the soil level around the garden beds also protects the plants from gophers. To be most effective, the gopher exterminator may extend the mesh below the root tips of the plants and a couple of inches above the ground.
Employing Humane Traps
If gophers remain a nuisance, then trapping might be required. Humane traps should be used and these traps need to be checked periodically. You can buy and bury these traps around the entrance or, ideally, inside the main tunnel of the gopher burrows. After trapping a gopher, it can be transferred to another natural environment, preferably away from residential areas. You may ask a gopher exterminator to help if you are worried about what to do next.
Maintaining Your Garden’s Defenses
It is important that you check for gopher activity in the garden at least once in a while. Failure to detect them in their early stages is disastrous. Also, cutting grass, removing clutter and preventing accumulation of water in the garden will help reduce the chances of gophers being attracted to your garden. They like places that are easy to dig, thus, compacting the soil around plants can also discourage digging.
Conclusion
If these techniques are followed properly, you are able to save your garden from gophers and also, your plants will remain healthy. Through constant and careful observation, you can keep a healthy and aesthetically appealing landscape without any disturbances from these burrowing animals.