No outdoor critter wreaks as much backyard havoc as the gopher. These underground creatures rose to their zenith of fame in the hit movie, Caddyshack, earning them a reputation for stealth and elusiveness that could put a covert CIA agent to shame.
Gophers are small, destructive animals that live in burrows below the surface of the earth. Their days are spent creating extensive networks of subterranean tunnels, referred to as gopher towns, in a never-ending search of food. The end result of this constant digging? Destroyed landscapes and stunned homeowners staring at their once immaculate lawns in disbelief.
Gopher prevention methods are not always practical and can never fully protect your lawn. It is difficult to exclude gophers since their tunnels can be up to six feet deep. However, barriers may help to prevent gophers from entering smaller areas, such as gardens.
Aluminum sheeting or mesh hardware cloth buried 2.5 feet into the ground with 6 inches exposed above the soil can help protect shrubs and gardens.
Protect seedlings with plastic netting.
Grow gardens in raised plant boxes to prevent gophers from digging.
