You spend a lot of money and time on your yard. It stands to reason that you would do all you can to keep it safe and beautiful. All of that can be compromised when you spot gopher tunnels messing up your landscaping. This can be a frustrating situation, but don’t fret. There are many ways to get rid of gophers, the best of which is to hire a professional gopher control company in Donnelly. Check out these tips on how to get rid of these pesky critters.
Gophers: Defined
Gophers are borrowing, plant-eating rodents. They're larger than mice but smaller than rats, with four large incisor teeth. Many people mistake them for moles; however, they don’t have the spade-like front paws of moles. They leave behind crescent-shaped mounds from digging. Gophers eat and destroy all types of trees and plants when they feed on roots as well as vegetables such as carrots and potatoes. They also damage pipelines and irrigation lines when tunneling.
Eliminating Gophers
There are a few ways to get rid of gophers from your Donnelly yard.
1. Barriers
- Mesh barrier: This is like an inside surface fence that stretches the perimeter of your lawn. It spreads up to two feet under and above the ground.
- Under-lawn barrier: Galvanized mesh can be spread at a one-foot depth beneath the soil, ideally installed when planting a new garden or laying fresh lawn.
- Gopher baskets: These can be fixed near the specific plants that gophers like to eat.
2. Odors
Gophers react to various odors. They don’t stay for long when exposed to unpleasant smells. The odors they hate the most include:
- Castor oil: Mix castor oil with water and then spray it into the entries and exits of their tunnels.
- Fish: Place scraped fish-fins near the tunnels or drop them inside.
- Dryer sheets: Place dryer sheets into tunnel holes.
- Coffee grounds: Scatter these into the tunnels and top with soil.
- Mothballs: Place some mothballs in the tunnels and close them with plastic.
- Tabasco sauce: Add some Tabasco sauce, a few drops of peppermint essential oil, and a few drops of castor oil with water. Dip cotton balls in this mixture and place them around tunnel openings.
3. Noise
Gophers don’t like loud noises. Blast music or play loud instruments to drive them away. You could also place a battery-powered radio in a resealable plastic bag at the end of the tunnel. Gophers also don’t like the sound of wind chimes.
If none of these measures work, it’s time to call the experts at Eco Pest Control. We use sophisticated treatments and traps to ensure gophers don’t overstay their welcome in your yard.
Contact Eco Pest Control
Got gophers making a mess of your yard? Our Boise exterminators can get rid of them once and for all. Contact us at 208-600-8734 for a free quote and inspection on gopher control in Cascade, ID, and surrounding areas.
