What's going on, Albuquerque?

Gophers! Oh, no....

Ok, so last week I saw a suspicious mound on the ditch bank, but there is always something interesting out there. I didn't do anything about it. First mistake. A couple of days later I saw another further down and STILL I didn't act because, well I don't know why. Live and let live attitude? Anyway, on day three, I told my partner and after some discussion, we decided to put the hose down one of the tunnels. First we dug into the mound to find a tunnel and found one! I decided to also run the ditch water just in case the little monster was at a higher level (figuratively and literally). So with the water soaking the soil from underneath, the area was boggy. Next day, OMG....the tunnel was filled with dirt! I haven't seen any NEW mounds but...long story, short question, WHAT to do about Gophers? We are on 1/3 acre. Oh, and while you are at it, how do they appear out of nowhere? I''ve checked around the area and there are no mounds in any of our neighbors areas and no mounds further down the ditch. Amazing.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Diana Mallea on August 31, 2010 at 7:54am

Greetings, well, I am no gopher expert, but I had them IN the garden for the first time this year. I have seen their mounds across the street, and outside of my front yard fence for a couple of years. When they reached the garden that was just too much. Can't answer why they appear. But, what has worked for me is dog hair and dog poop. It is a predatory thing. I dig directly into the mound(s) and add the dog hair, then water the garden. The poop I add to a trench around the edges of the garden (had to collect it in a bucket for a week). This worked for a few months then I had to do it again. Have not seen any since the second application. Of course there are poisons, but I didn't want to go that route and don't have information on their use. Hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Serafina on August 31, 2010 at 8:23am

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Permalink Reply by Serafina on August 31, 2010 at 8:23am

Sorry, had to.

Permalink Reply by Gloria M on August 31, 2010 at 11:36am

Wow...thank you Diana,Serafina and Joran...I will start with the dog poop, I think. I was hoping that the dogs would do their dog thing and dig but no, they've been trained not to. I jokingly thought of renting a Terrier. Traps? Eeek, but may be necessary.. And I really really really hesitate to use poison. Joran's articles are helpful in that I don't feel quite so, uh, naive. Bill Murray killing gophers...oh, yeah. I am not a violent person, but I don't want to lose the garden either!! Oh, and there is a new mound. Grrrr.

Permalink Reply by Jodi on March 1, 2011 at 8:33pm

I know this is a little late for a comment... or maybe early enough for your garden woes this year. A few years ago I took my son to the library and a nice lady was talking about these gophers. What she had to say was that the area that we all live on once belonged to the little fellows and they are getting.... killed/ losing habitat, you know the story. Any how.. I haven't had any need to look into it but there is a gopher relocation program in abq. so now you know, its out there, I hope you have luck finding it if you need it. One might start by calling the city, 311 answers every question you can think of.. or is it 411?

Permalink Reply by Gloria M on March 7, 2011 at 8:52pm

Oh wow. A relocation program for gophers? I have heard about one for prairie dogs, but not gophers. After several attempts at putting dog poo over every hole I could find I think I ended up drowning out the poor creature, . I feel so bad about it. The number is 311, but they didn't have any suggestions back then either. They said I should call an exterminator.

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