STEPS TO TAKE TO MITIGATE THE INTRUSION OF GOPHERS AND MOLES IN YOUR YARD
RAISED BEDS
- Plant Vegetable/flower gardens in raised beds. Place ONLY "galvanized hardware cloth" screening material, securely fastened, to the bottom of the bed to prevent intrusion.
Planter Boxes
- Place all flowers in Planter Boxes, clay pots, or encase in "gopher baskets". Do not use chicken wire as a gopher "can and will bite" through it.
Trenches
- Studies show that gophers/moles will be deterred from digging through rock 1" in diameter.
- You can dig trenches three feet deep and one foot wide and fill it with rock to deter lateral entry into specific location in your yard.
- This, however, would not prevent them from moving into the area above the ground.
Other Animals are your friend
- Some Cats and Dogs will actively hunt gophers and moles
- Birds of Prey will also hunt gophers and moles. If feasible, install raptor stands on your property
Galvanized Hardwear Cloth
- Install between lawn areas.
- This will prevent the gophers/moles from penetrating the law area.
- You must ensure that the installation of the wire is done correctly.
- There can be no gaps in the wire
- It is unrolled similar to carpet
- Wire comes in 3" and 4" widths
- The widths must overlap each other by 6" and be securely pinned with lawn pins
- The edges of the wire must be secured to prevent gophers/moles from pushing dirt up around concrete, rock borders, etc.. This is commonly overlooked and defeats the entire purpose of placing the wire under the lawn.
- Make sure you have conveyed this to your landscaper.
- Additionally, do not allow sod to be placed over the wire until you have inspected it to ensure proper installation
