Ah, gopher holes—every homeowner’s worst nightmare. If you take lawn care seriously, you may notice these holes all over your yard.
You might first notice small mounds of dirt, shaped like a crescent, around your yard and garden. You might stumble, sinking to the ankle in a well-concealed hole. You may see little critters running through your yard or the edges of your garden. Or you may notice plants that show the telltale signs of being chewed by rodents. They all mean the same thing—gophers.
Many homeowners discover that gophers are damaging their landscaping and wreaking havoc on their carefully cultivated gardens. It’s a common problem, but one that needs to be solved before your garden deteriorates or someone gets hurt.
Today, we’re covering everything you need to know about gopher holes and how to fix them.
What are Gophers?
Gophers are medium-sized rodents that are known for burrowing. They are usually classified as pests because of the damage this burrowing (and the snacking they do after burrowing) can do to a yard, garden, or farm. Furthermore, they are often confused for squirrels, mice, moles, or other small rodents, especially in the dark or when in fast motion. Gophers aren’t harmful to humans directly, but their burrowing can cause problems.
Gopher Problems
Gophers are more than just a nuisance. They can cause issues that have detrimental effects.
- Surface Blemishes: The first problem gophers cause is to damage the surface of the earth and whatever sits on it, whether that’s grass, flowers, vegetables, or other plants. Gophers burrow, which means they are coming up and punching down through the surface, resulting in broken soil. Unsightly holes in your grass or garden can also cause dead spots.
- Dangerous Holes: These holes are roughly the size of a human foot, and they’ve been known to cause a sprained ankle—or worse. Running or playing on soil that has been damaged by holes can cause tripping, falling, and resulting injuries.
- Plant Damage: Gopher holes can tear up soil and root systems that damage plants. Additionally gophers can chew on plants, so look for teeth marks or plants missing branches or fruit, because it may be a hungry gopher.
Best Way to Fix Gopher Holes
Once you’ve safely eradicated the gophers (you can use traps or natural solutions like spicy or pungent foods), you need to get to work repairing the holes. The tunnels are usually a flattened U-shape, with the middle being the deepest part and curving upwards toward the surface.
Begin by digging a trench to uncover the tunnel, if possible. In a grass yard you’ll want to fill the bottom of the tunnel with gravel, then dump topsoil on top. For a garden, just use topsoil and no gravel so you can maintain drainage and growth. Pack down the soil as tight as you can, since loose soil is easier for burrowing. Cover with grass seed if it needs to match surrounding turf.
Contact All Green Pest Control for Gopher Control
If you’re facing a continuing nuisance of gophers, it’s time to call in the professionals at All Green Pest Control. We can help you get rid of these rodents and prevent any more from coming to dig up your yard and garden. We serve Salt Lake and Utah counties in Utah.