What's the safest and most humane way to get rid of the gophers?
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They came up into our boxes and are eating whole squash plants from the roots. Oh, and they like tomato plants that way, too.
I don't want to poison ; it travels the food chain.
traps seem my only remedy.
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If they aren't too big, saw a video a farmer did with a large water bottle from a water fountain filled 3/4 with water, jam the spout in the hole, and wait, and low and behold the darn thing swam up into the bottle. Drain water out, cap and drive to a wildland.
HI Rachael, You're right. If you don't want to poison them, then traps are your next step. So below are some handy tips that I hope help you with this problem. Thnaks for using HOmetalk for help :) and good luck!
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/getting-rid-gophers
Hello Rachael, You can spread shredded Irish Spring bar soap in your garden. You can shred them on a box grater or even a food processor. Gophers (and other small animals) hate the smell and taste. Hope this helps you. Good luck.
Buy a live trap. Catch them and relocate to a wooded area farrr away from your home. Truth is, once they're there with their little colony with babies it's almost impossible to get rid of them because others will migrate to their dens after you've gotten rid of the previous tenants. You're providing a food source as well. Other options are build raised beds with heavy chicken wire laid on the ground, then construct your raised bed over that with 4x4 treated lumber over the edges. The weight of the piled on 4x4 walls will prevent them from coming up under the plants and eating them from the roots up to the plant. Of course this is added expense, including buying bags and bags of potting soil to plant them in, but I guess it all boils down to how badly you want your garden. You may have to put chicken wire around the perimeter of each raised garden to keep them from crawling up over the walls and foraging as well. I battled these big fat hungry rodents for years, and chicken wire did help keep them at bay.
Try spreading mothballs around to keep them away
If you or if you know anyone who has snakes, keep the skin when they shed and place a good long piece in each in hole. They won't be back. Tried and true!