Are you dealing with those unwelcomed backyard and garden visitors that keep on challenging you by making holes and mounds everywhere? Gophers, also called pocket gophers, are a type of rodents. They are larger than mice and have white fur on their paws and tail. Gophers don’t spread diseases as they hardly come in contact with humans. However, they can transmit ticks to your pets and make your beautiful lawns a mess. Gopher removal in Florida is really a challenge because you find a lot of them here. If you want your gardens and lawns to be free from gophers, here are some tried and tested ways to do so.
Scare Them Away
Gophers are the type of mammals that don’t want to be disturbed by humans. That is why they tend to live in deep dug burrows and holes. So, if you are done fretting over these pesky little rodents, the best way is to disturb them. They don’t like loud and disturbing noises. You can use sonic spikes that create electronic pulses to scare the gophers away. Insert a spike inside the ground where you see the mounds, and it will make them leave your yard quickly.
Use Repellents
No matter how much you want to make, gophers leave your outer space; killing them, poisoning them, and using deadly baits is never the right option. Try to use repellents that will keep gophers, moles, and other pests from entering your lawn. The unappealing and strong smell of the repellents will automatically force them to leave the area. The most humane way is to use castor oil. Place the oil on your garden boundaries and the entrance of the gopher tunnels to make them leave the place.
Plants Work As Natural Deterrent
Growing plants that repel gophers are the best and natural way to make them leave your property. Although they can pull down your plants to eat them, some plants repel gophers. Plants such as lavender, catmint, daffodils, and thyme are the best to keep your garden and backyard safe from any rodent.
Underground Fencing
Fencing is not a method to remove gophers altogether, but it will surely keep the plants safe from destruction. Gophers use the roots, stem, and tubers of the plants. What you can do is bury hardwire fences around the hole before planting. This method prevents gophers from attacking your plants. You can also install a layer of fencing before placing sod in your lawn so that gophers will not even enter.
Set No-Kill Traps
Another effective method for gopher control is to set traps. Catching the gophers and setting them free in their natural habitat is the most humane and eco-friendly method many professionals follow. Set no-kill traps with enticing baits such as lettuce, carrots, or apples so that the gophers won’t be able to resist and enter the trap. You’ll have to move the trap to a different place if you don’t get any luck after two days of setting the trap.
Call Professionals
If you have done everything, but gophers and moles still invade your lawn, it is time to call professional services like Blakes Wildlife Removal.