Oh NO!!!!! A Gopher

[muebe]

KNOCK on WOOD ... 2 days now without any sign of that rotten dirty flea bitten rodent!  Do I dare hope that the "Giant Destroyer" destroyed that beast?  Time will tell but right now ... it's looking hopeful 

Now you got to dig up the yard and find the remains to make sure he's dead!

[smoker pete]

KNOCK on WOOD ... 2 days now without any sign of that rotten dirty flea bitten rodent!  Do I dare hope that the "Giant Destroyer" destroyed that beast?  Time will tell but right now ... it's looking hopeful 

Now you got to dig up the yard and find the remains to make sure he's dead!

I'm hoping he died in my neighbor's yard ... from where he came from!!!   

[Pappymn]

Muebe is wise. Time to get out the backhoe. We have to make sure we finish the job

[cookiecdcmk]

As kids, the gophers did not stand a chance.  They were all over my grandmas property.  My Uncle and I, poured water down the hole, then held a glass quart jar over the hole.  The critters would rush out of the hole into the jar, and we quickly put a lid on it.  This was a humane way to catch them, and we always knew when we were successful.

[smoker pete]

I'm thinking it's not a gopher but a mole cause I have not seen any mounts of dirt.  Whatever this beast is he's still around munching on the roots alone.  He's slowly killing off my Spaghetti Squash plants   

[spuds]

thats a shame,I hope you nail that pest!

[pz]

I've tried everything from the Giant Destroyer, traps, to even a pitchfork when I see the plants shaking, but none of those worked for me.  However, I did manage to find a solution that has kept my plants gopher free for two years now, but it is a pain.  I built rabbit wire cylinders and studk them in the holes where my wife intended to plant - then filled in with dirt.  Essentially, each plant now has a cylinder of rabbit wire protecting it.  The trouble was worth it for me because we only had a couple dozen plants.

I'm planning to build planters much like you have, and will put a rabbit wire liner in them - I doubt I'll see any of those pesky buggers in my dirt again.

One last thing that seemed to work are these gopher spikes from Harbor Freight that periodically send out a nasty (to the gopher) vibration through the dirt.  Although mine were battery powered, they are now evidently solar powered.

http://www.harborfreight.com/solar-mole-chaser-94661.html

[teesquare]

Well my father had a gopher problem when I was young. First he stood outside over the hole with a 12 gauge waiting for the rodent to pop his head out. After the neighbors called the cops and then the cops had a brief discussion with my father he decided that was not the best tactic.

So then I watched him pour a couple gallons of gasoline down the hole and he waited a few minutes. Then he tossed a lit road flare by the hole and a flame shot out of it as the fumes lit

He later spent time digging up the yard to locate the dead gopher. After a half day of digging he finally found the partially charred remains he called me outside to show me. 

Sounds like you come from a family of recovering pacifists.....

[Pappymn]

Get the backhoe out. This is serious

[smoker pete]

Get the backhoe out. This is serious

Wish that I could Pappy!!

I'm planning to build planters much like you have, and will put a rabbit wire liner in them - I doubt I'll see any of those pesky buggers in my dirt again.

One last thing that seemed to work are these gopher spikes from Harbor Freight that periodically send out a nasty (to the gopher) vibration through the dirt.  Although mine were battery powered, they are now evidently solar powered.

http://www.harborfreight.com/solar-mole-chaser-94661.html

This Fall I'm going to do just what you suggest PZ.  Going to empty the planters on the retaining wall, line them with chicken wire and fill them back up with Planter's Mix.  Nothing worse than doing all that hard rewarding work only to have some low life fur ball reap the rewards!!   

Going to visit my local Harbor Freight tomorrow and pick up a couple of those Mole Chasers ... For $10 I'll try anything.

    Drives away burrowing pests, moles and gophers in minutes
    Works day and night
    Emits sonic tone every 30 seconds
    Covers 6000 sq.ft.
    Environmentally friendly
    No electricity required

[CDN Smoker]

One of these are great on varmints

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[pz]

Hope the mole chasers, smoker pete - I've 2 battery powered units in the small garden and they seem to avoid the spot.  I thought about chicken wire, but was concerned that like mice, those nasty gophers might squeeze through the wire due to their compressible bodies.  The mesh I chose to use is available in rolls of various sizes at Home Depot, Lowes, etc., and I suspect just about any home/garden store. The mesh was about 1/4 x 1/4 inch and there's no way those buggers are getting through that 

[smoker pete]

Hope the mole chasers, smoker pete - I've 2 battery powered units in the small garden and they seem to avoid the spot.  I thought about chicken wire, but was concerned that like mice, those nasty gophers might squeeze through the wire due to their compressible bodies.  The mesh I chose to use is available in rolls of various sizes at Home Depot, Lowes, etc., and I suspect just about any home/garden store. The mesh was about 1/4 x 1/4 inch and there's no way those buggers are getting through that 

Thanks on the update about the size of the mesh.  We have a Tractor Supply down the road and they carry all sorts of stuff.

You mention that you have 2 battery powered units in a small garden and they avoid the spot -> Does that mean they avoid your garden of where the 2 units are?  I'm hoping they avoid your garden!

[smoker pete]

First 2 Spaghetti Squash flowers ... If nothing else at least they got to this stage without having their roots munched!!

[pz]

You mention that you have 2 battery powered units in a small garden and they avoid the spot -> Does that mean they avoid your garden of where the 2 units are?  I'm hoping they avoid your garden!

I sure am envious of your garden!  We'd love to be able to grow what you have!

This small plot is an irregular shape that is likely about 200 square feet in size, with one edge close to the house.  We placed the two units on the far edge when we saw the dirt piles approaching the plot and the progression of tunnels toward the garden appeared to stop.  I don't know it it was just coincidence, but we haven't seen a dirt pile near that spot for the last 3 years or so.  I can't say for sure the units are the absolute reason why, but it sure is nice to see a clean garden plot instead of those awful piles of tunnel dirt.  Interestingly, the unit holds 2 "C" batteries, and they last the entire season before we put them away in the fall.