TastyLandscape Growing fruit trees at home in Southern California
The gopher problem:
- Gophers can (and will) do a tremendous amount of damage to your garden and yard.
- Those ravenous bottom dwellers will not only destroy your valuable plants but their holes are also a walking hazard.
- In general, the roots of most plants need to be protected from these subterranean raiders. My favorite defensive maneuver is to install a protective gopher cage at planting (there are also many other ways of dealing with these destructive critters; perhaps that is a topic for a different day).
- However, there are a select few plants that don’t seem to need any special protection from the little furry terrorists and that is the topic of this discussion.
Pocket gopher photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_gopher
Gopher resistant plants (overview):
- There are a select few plants that have a natural resistance to gophers.
- The following list has been compiled from direct experience and legend.
- The direct experience part comes from the fact that I have a major gopher problem in one part of my yard. This war zone has proven to be a testing ground for gopher-plant resistance.
- The legend part is just that; hearsay, rumors and talk. Some of it is true, some of it has been proven to be false and some of it is a work in progress.
- Please let me know if you have any specific experience or suggestions. I will add your insight (with you as a reference) to this post.
Note: The photographs are of plants in my garden unless credited otherwise.
- The following list has been compiled from direct experience and legend.
The following article is organized into 3 basic categories and presented in this order:
- Gopher resistant plants (from direct experience):
- Reportedly gopher resistant plants (that I have no direct gopher experience with-yet):
- Plants that have been said to be gopher resistant and actually are not:
Gopher resistant plants (from direct experience):
Euphorbia genus
- The euphorbia genus is a very diverse group and the appearance of the plants ranges from (cactus-like) succulents to leafy shrubs such as poinsettias.
- The milky white sap of euphorbia is toxic and can cause severe problems; this is their main defense. I discovered this the hard way after I got some of the sap of Euphorbia tirucallii on my arm.
- However, the potency of the euphorbia sap is variable depending on the particular species of plant. This variability is likely why some types of euphorbia are safe from gophers and other species of euphorbia plants are just another potential gopher victim. On that note, I have heard that some gophers have actually eaten the plant called gopher spurge (Euphorbia lathyris). I honestly find that hard to believe, but then again gophers are little furry monsters, so I guess its possible.
- Below is a list of some of the euphorbia that are happily growing in my yard without any special gopher protection.
Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)
Crown of Thorns, aka Euphorbia milii
Fire Sticks (Euphorbia tirucalli)
Fire Sticks, aka Euphorbia tirucalli
Baseball Plant (Euphorbia obesa)
Baseball Plant (Euphorbia obesa)
Indian Corn Cob (Euphorbia mammillaris)
Indian Corn Cob (Euphorbia mammillaris)
Cow’s Horn (Euphorbia grandicornis)
Cow’s Horn (Euphorbia grandicornis)
African Milk Barrel (Euphorbia horrid)
African Milk Barrel (Euphorbia horrid)
Tanzanian Zipper Plant (Euphorbia anoplia)
Tanzanian Zipper Plant (Euphorbia anoplia)
Candelabra Tree (Euphorbia ingens)
Candelabra Tree, aka Euphorbia ingens
Lavender (Lavandula)
Gophers have avoided every variety of lavender that I have planted: (Spanish, English, hybrid, etc).
Just an FYI: Here’s a link to my earlier lavender care article.
December 11, 2013 Update:
Jose L Hernandez, a contributing reader from Gilroy, CA has been battling gophers for over 5 years. However, he states that the vermin have not eaten his Lavandula “Grosso’.
1/22/2014 Update:
Linda Melsher, a contributing reader shared that gophers have recently eaten her English Lavendar. This is the first time I have heard of this. However, it just goes to show that gophers will eat just about anything if they are hungry enough.
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Sateesh Lele, a contributing reader from the Bay Area, shared that although he has a bad gopher problem they haven’t touched his lavender.
March 12, 2014 Update:
Marti Howell, a contributing reader living in the mountains of California shared some additional insight. Martin states that gophers recently ate an entire planting of 6 lavender plants! This is amazing and terrible news.
As of today: April 4, 2014 ,
I still have multiple varieties of lavender growing in the middle of my gopher war zone and they haven’t been touched… and are growing quite well. I am not sure what to make of some the other reports (see above).
May 4, 2014 Update:
Kimberly N, a contributing reader states that she has a major gopher problem and that they have eaten a lot of her plants but, “They don’t seem interested in the lavender, epilobium, or myoporum…”
French Lavender (Lavandula dentata)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
I have large and small bushes of rosemary sitting on the edge of Gopher Country and the subterranean varmints steer clear of the fragrant plants.
December 11, 2013 Update:
Jose L Hernandez, a contributing reader from Gilroy, CA has been battling gophers for over 5 years. However, he states that the vermin have not eaten his rosemary.
Jan 14, 2014 Update:
Georgie Lee, a contributing reader from Southern California has shared some of her own gopher insight. Although gophers have eaten her agave and citrus, they don’t touch her rosemary or society garlic.
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Tracie Mazlo, a contributing reader states, that although they have a very bad gopher problem, they have had good luck with rosemary.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lantana comes in a wide range of bright flowering colors. However, the strong odor of the leaves/stems is rather challenging. I personally can’t stand the smell of the leaves/stems. However, I have a friend that actually likes the smell (to each his own). To me ones with blue flowers smell the worst. Therefore, I can understand why gophers would have little interest in lantana. Different types of lantana have a different odor.
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Sateesh Lele, a contributing reader from the Bay Area, shared that although he has a bad gopher problem they haven’t touched his lantana.
Lantana (Lantana camara)
Feb 12, 2018 update:
Rajiv Chand, a contributing reader shared the sad news that gophers ate his Texas Red lantana and Yellow Lantana.
Geranium (Pelargonium)
Geraniums have a distinctive aroma that is repels most animals. I suspect that it is this strong odor which is the main deterrent for the voracious underground herbivores.
Specifically, I have heard that the zonal and scented-leaf geraniums are more resistant to gopher attack than the ivy-leaf type of geranium.
Geranium are a great plant to propagate. For information on my scientific experiment to determine the best propagation method, check out the 11/29/14 article I wrote The best way to propagate geraniums.
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Sateesh Lele, a contributing reader from the Bay Area, shared that although he has a bad gopher problem they haven’t touched his geranium’s.
Geranium
Ivy Geranium
Scented-leaf geranium
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Pomegranate gopher resistance is a bit of a quandary for me. The plants don’t give off a repulsive odor and the sap doesn’t seem particularly toxic; at least in my experience.
None the less, I took a chance on a roomer that pomegranates are resistant to gopher attack and planted a few pomegranates without cages. It’s been about 2 years since I planted them deep in Gopher Country and there has been no noticeable gopher damage to the pomegranates.
Sept 19, 2013 Update:
Kevin, who is a contributing reader, has shared some of his own personal gopher-pomegranate insight (This is an outline; his full text can be read in the comments section at the bottom of the page for Sept 19, 2013). Thanks Kevin.
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- In his experience, the gopher resistance of pomegranates depends on the cultivar.
- Wonderful pomegranates are resistant.
- A Pink Satin pomegranate was killed by gophers
- Eversweet pomegranate has borderline resistance with gopher activity in the root zone.
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Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Sateesh Lele, a contributing reader from the Bay Area, shared that although he has a bad gopher problem they haven’t touched his wonderful Pomegranate’s.
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus)
Apparently gophers can’t stand the strong smelling/tasting oils found throughout eucalyptus plants.
Silver Dollar Tree (Eucalyptus cinerea)
Rock Rose (Cistus)
I have no idea why gophers don’t touch the Rock Rose plant… They just don’t seem to like it. Mine has been growing quite well on the edge of gopher lands.
December 11, 2013 Update:
Jose L Hernandez, a contributing reader from Gilroy, CA has been battling gophers for over 5 years. However, he states that the vermin have not eaten his, Cistus ‘Doris Hibberson’
Rock Rose (Cistus)
Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)
(It is not actually a bamboo despite the common name)
The plant contains hydrocyanic acid, which can be potentially fatal to people if ingested. The plant is attractive, grows very well in Southern California, and is well behaved. It seems to grow better when it is not in direct sunlight all day long. I have not had any problems with pests; specifically, it has been untouched by gophers in my yard.
March 12, 2014 Update:
Marti Howell, a contributing reader living in the mountains of California shared some additional insight. Martin states that gophers recently ate 3 Heavenly Bamboo in their yard after the gopher cage rotted away. What a bummer!
Nandina photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandina
Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha)
Probably all of the salvas offer some gopher resistance. However, the degree of resistance for this genus seems to be less than other plants in this category.
For example, I have noticed a lot of gopher activity in the middle of several S. leucantha bushes. The rodents don’t seem to do enough damage to completely kill the plant, but the critters do seem to munch on at least some of the plants roots. The affected plants are spindly and thinned looking compared to other S. leucantha that I have planted in non-gopher ridden areas of the yard.
Mexican sage (Salvia mexicana) with gopher hole in the center of the picture
Garlic (Allium sativum) & Society Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea)
Many say that gophers hate the strong smell of garlic.
However, I have also heard reports from the town of Gilroy (the garlic capital of California) that gophers are a significant problem for garlic growers there. So who knows; perhaps the Gilroy gophers have adapted to what is growing around them in abundance.
Personally, I have lots of society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea) on the edge of Gopher Country and it has remained untouched. Note, society garlic is a different species than the culinary garlic that has been eaten by gophers in Gilroy, CA
Oct 29, 2013 Update:
Dallas, a contributing reader from Idaho says that potatoes, garlic, and onions are gopher food.
Jan 14, 2014 Update:
Georgie Lee, a contributing reader from Southern California has shared some of her own gopher insight. Although gophers have eaten her agave and citrus, they don’t touch her rosemary or society garlic.
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Tracie Mazlo, a contributing reader states, that although they have a very bad gopher problem, they have had good luck with society garlic.
Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum)
Gophers don’t touch the Fountain Grass that has spread from my neighbors and is taking over a part of my yard. This African and Middle Eastern native plant has been very invasive in my area. The good and the bad news of this plant are the same: the good news is that gophers don’t seem to touch it. The bad news is that gophers don’t seem to touch it… and the sure-footed root system makes the plant a pain to pull up.
May 4, 2014 Update:
Kimberly N, a contributing reader states that, “… The gophers also ate at least four achillea and recently two large pennisetum. They don’t seem interested in the lavender, epilobium, or myoporum…”
Pine trees:
Anything that produces pine sap and/or pine cones has been safe from gophers in my yard.
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Tracie Mazlo, a contributing reader states, that although they have a very bad gopher problem, they have had good luck with Junipers.
March 12, 2014 Update:
Marti Howell, a contributing reader living in the mountains of California shared some additional insight. Martin states that as far as they can tell, Gophers don’t eat their costal or interior redwoods.
Arabian Lilac (Vitex trifolia f. purpurea)
I have two Arabian Lilac that are living on the edge of my own personal gopher country and are growing very well.
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Tracie Mazlo, a contributing reader states, that although they have a very bad gopher problem, they have had good luck with Arabian Lilac.
Grevillea:
Grevillea is a diverse genus of about 360 species. These evergreen-pine looking Australian natives do very well in Southern California and the ones growing in my yard havent been touched by gophers… Although the ones I have are in an area that is not frequented by the raiders.
December 11, 2013 Update:
Jose L Hernandez, a contributing reader from Gilroy, CA has been battling gophers for over 5 years. However, he states that the vermin have not eaten his, Greviillea l. ‘Mt. Tamboritha’
Reportedly gopher resistant plants (that I have no direct gopher experience with-yet):
Oleander (Nerium oleander)
This is one of the most toxic plants in the world and has been known to down a horse that has made a meal of its leaves. Apparently gophers somehow know this and don’t bother with the killer plant.
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Sateesh Lele, a contributing reader from the Bay Area, shared that although he has a bad gopher problem they haven’t touched his Oleander’s.
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Tracie Mazlo, a contributing reader states, “I planted Oleanders and within a week a gopher pulled two of them down into his hole, he destroyed the plants. There was nothing left but a few leaves and the pest is still alive.”
April 21, 2014 Update:
Terri, a contributing reader from the San Antonio, TX area has shared some additional gopher insight. Terri has a particularly bad gopher problem and they are doing a number on their Oleanders.
Reading these last two comments is hard to believe, but those freeking gophers are born from below.
Nerium oleander: Photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerium
Foxglove (digitalis)
The cardiac drug digitalis is derived from the foxglove plant. From a treatment standpoint, this medication is notoriously difficult to titrate and a slightly change in dose can stop your heart. Apparently, the plant tastes bitter and this flavor may be a warning for gophers to stay away.
Foxglove (Digitalis)
Naked ladies (Amaryllis belladonna)
The toxic alkaloid, lycorine, is the principal toxin in Amaryllis that gophers apparently know not to eat.
Amaryllis photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaryllis
Daffodils (Narcissus)
Daffodils are also filled with the toxic alkaloid, lycorine (see poison references above and below).
http://www.thepoisongarden.co.uk/atoz/narcissus.htm
Narcissus photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_(plant)
Columbine (Aquilegia)
The columbine roots contain cardiogenic toxins that are highly poisonous.
April 4, 2016 Update:
Cat Young, a contributing author adds that: “Gophers DO eat columbine. I lost all of mine two summers ago, and didn’t know what had happened until I personally witnessed a gopher pulling one of them underground from the roots, just like in the cartoons. I had always thought that was for comedic effect, but apparently its real. Maybe gophers in other areas won’t eat columbine, but here in Fresno I guess they are haute cuisine.
Aquilegia photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquilegia
Mugwort, Wormwood and Sagebrush (Artemisia)
Mugwort, Wormwood and Sagebrush are all very closely related plants.
I suspect that it is the aromatic smell and/or the extremely bitter taste that deters gophers (and deer).
December 11, 2013 Update:
Jose L Hernandez, a contributing reader from Gilroy, CA has been battling gophers for over 5 years. However, he states that the vermin have not eaten his artemisia ‘powis castle’.
Artemisia absinthium photo credit via via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisia_absinthium
Monkey-flowers (Mimulus)
The Mimulus species tends to concentrate lots of salts from the soil into their tissues. As a result, the plant is very salty tasting. The plant also happens to taste bitter. This strong flavor may be why gophers don’t like these plants.
Mimulus photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimulus
Mint (Salvia)
The salva resistance does not seem to be as strong as other plants discussed above; see Mexican sage (Salvia mexicana) reference in the above category of this article.
Mint comes in a surprising variety of flavors, including lemon mint and chocolate mint.
1/22/2014 Update:
Linda Melsher, a contributing reader shared that gophers have recently eaten her mint stand.
Peppermint photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppermint
White sage (Salvia apiana)
White sage seems to deter gophers for the same reasons as other plants in the Salvia genus.
However, religious movements have used “smudge sticks” made of white sage to ward off bad spirits, which seems appropriate in this situation considering that the little underground gopher fur-balls are basically evil.
White Sage (Salvia apiana)
Sweet clover (Melilotus indicus)
Some have reported that the weedy looking Sweet Clover is the only plant that will actually repel gophers.
Melilotus indicus photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melilotus_indicus
Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis)
April 21, 2014 Update:
Terri, a contributing reader from the San Antonio, TX area has shared some additional gopher insight. Terri has a particularly bad gopher problem and has shared the news that gophers in their area will kill Indian Hawthorn (see Terri’s comment at the bottom of this page).
Rhaphiolepis photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhaphiolepis
California Lilac (Ceanothus)
Ceanothus photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceanothus
Breath of heaven (Coleonema)
December 11, 2013 Update:
Jose L Hernandez, a contributing reader from Gilroy, CA has been battling gophers for over 5 years. However, he states that the vermin have not eaten his, coleonema p. ‘Compacta’
Coleonema photo via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleonema
Strawberry tree (Arbutus)
Arbutus photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbutus
Bottlebrush (Callistemon)
April 21, 2014 Update:
Terri, a contributing reader from the San Antonio, TX area has shared some additional gopher insight. Terri has a particularly bad gopher problem and has shared the news that gophers in their area will kill Bottlebrush (see Terri’s comment at the bottom of this page).
That’s too bad for me, I just planted some unprotected Bottlebrush a few months ago in gopher country. I have not seen any gopher activity yet, but based on Terri’s report, I fear that it will juts be a matter of time. Ill keep you posted.
Callistemon photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callistemon
Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens)
March 12, 2014 Update:
Marti Howell, a contributing reader living in the mountains of California shared some additional insight. Martin states that as far as they can tell, Gophers don’t eat Deer Grass.
Redwoods (Sequoia and Sequoiadendron)
March 12, 2014 Update:
Marti Howell, a contributing reader living in the mountains of California shared some additional insight. Martin states that as far as they can tell, Gophers don’t eat their costal or interior redwoods.
Thanks Martin, this is not too surprising to me because, gophers dot seem to eat anything in my yard that produces a pine cone.
Palm Trees:
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Sateesh Lele, a contributing reader from the Bay Area, shared that although he has a bad gopher problem they haven’t touched his queen palms.
Coffeeberry aka California buckthorn (rhamnus californica)
December 11, 2013 Update:
Jose L Hernandez, a contributing reader from Gilroy, CA has been battling gophers for over 5 years. However, he states that the vermin have not eaten his rhamnus californica.
Arctostaphylos:
December 11, 2013 Update:
Jose L Hernandez, a contributing reader from Gilroy, CA has been battling gophers for over 5 years. However, he states that the vermin have not eaten his arctostaphylos m. ‘Dr. Hurd’
Euphorbia ‘Blackbird”
I have a lot of euphorbia growing around the yard…and as mentioned at the top of this post, gophers avoid them all. Contributing reader Jose Hernandez adds another species to the list I haven’t heard of (blackbird). Its a cool looking leafy euphorbia. Thanks Jose.
December 11, 2013 Update:
Jose L Hernandez, a contributing reader from Gilroy, CA has been battling gophers for over 5 years. However, he states that the vermin have not eaten his, Euphorbia ‘Blackbird”
Epilobium:
May 4, 2014 Update:
Kimberly N, a contributing reader states that she has a major gopher problem and that they have eaten a lot of her plants but, “They don’t seem interested in the lavender, epilobium, or myoporum…”
Left: pale willowherb (E. roseum)
Right: dwarf willowherb (E. obscurum)
Image credit/reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epilobium
Myoporum:
May 4, 2014 Update:
Kimberly N, a contributing reader states that she has a major gopher problem and that they have eaten a lot of her plants but, “They don’t seem interested in the lavender, epilobium, or myoporum…”
Naio (Myoporum sandwicense). Photo credit wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myoporum
Plants that have been said to be Gopher resistant and actually are not:
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Man this lesson was a bummer for me. I bought a beautiful Bay laurel tree from a guy who grows them from seed. The seller really seemed to know his stuff so when he said that the pungent smell of the plant was too much for gophers I believed him.
Unfortunately, I discovered the hard way that he (and I) were wrong to follow that logic. Those darn gophers hit the base of the young bay laurel tree like it was gopher chocolate. The remaining stump looked like a beaver got to it.
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis); notice the gopher cage on this one.
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)
Again, I took some bad advice (this time advice that I found online). I know, how dare I find info on line? Well, now I am much more careful about the source of the information I get.
Anyhow, I planted a really nice loquat without a gopher cage. Sadly, a gopher easily took it to the ground.
A Gopher killed this young Loquat tree. The stump looks like a beaver got to it.
Citrus (Citrus)
Citrus resistance to gopher damage is a bit controversial.
I have personally planted several citrus trees deep in Gopher Country and they have been doing just fine without any gopher cage protection. However, I am starting to regret this move because one of them was recently attacked by a gopher. After the gopher was.. uhh… “removed” the tree started to recover. So yea, gophers will eat citrus, but it doesn’t seem to be their top choice.
However, I have heard other people tell horror stories about how gophers killed their beloved citrus. That being said, it is interesting to note that several “organic” gopher repellent solutions (made to pour down their holes), contain some sort of citrus ingredient in them.
Jan 14, 2014 Update:
Georgie Lee, a contributing reader from Southern California has shared some of her own gopher insight. She informs that gophers have eaten her small orange trees stating, “They chew through the orange tree sapling trunk like an underground beaver”
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Sateesh Lele, a contributing reader from the Bay Area, shared that although he has a bad gopher problem said that he has lost at least a dozen orange trees to gophers.
Nagami Kumquat; a type of citrus
Cactus (Cactaceae)
Some sources say that gophers don’t eat cactus. I think this is false.
Perhaps cactus are not a gopher’s favorite food, but there is definitely gopher activity around some of my frightened cactus.
Roman/English Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) & German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
In my backyard Gopher County, Chamomile is just another snack.
I still plant German Chamomile, just in a protected spot.
Agave (Agave)
I recently trimmed up a huge blue agave (Agave tequilana) in my yard. As I got into the task I started to notice the sensation of multiple stinging needles on my side. I thought for sure I was going to see a swarm of ants when I looked to see what was causing the pain. However, as it turns out it was just the irritating sap of the agave.
You would think that this type of dermatitis inducing liquid would keep a gopher at bay. Not so; a hungry gopher will definitely take down an agave (even before the plant is fermented into tequila).
Jan 14, 2014 Update:
Georgie Lee, a contributing reader from Southern California has shared some of her own gopher insight. She informs that gophers have eaten her agave stating, “The agave was eaten like an apple”
Blue Agave
Aloe (Aloe)
Unfortunately, I was again misled to believe that gophers don’t like the gooey sap of aloe. I guess my gophers didn’t read the book, because they took several of my poor aloe down to the stump.
Aloe variegata with tiny Euphorbia obesa growing by accident in the right hand corner
Onions, Scallions, etc (Allium species)
Many say that it is the strong odor of onions that deters gophers. However, too many other people have told me that gophers have devoured their onions. Therefore, I am putting it in the gopher snack section.
Oct 29, 2013 Update:
Dallas, a contributing reader from Idaho says that potatoes, garlic, and onions are gopher food.
Scallions photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scallion
Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)
Several (online) authors have stated that the Butterfly bush is gopher resistant. However, I have also read quite a few reports from other people who lost their Butterfly bushes to gophers. Therefore, I feel compelled to add it to this part of the article list.
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Tracie Mazlo, a contributing reader states, that although they have a very bad gopher problem, they have had good luck with Butterfly Bushes.
Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)
I have seen a lot of reports proclaiming that gophers won’t eat potatoes.
However, I find this totally amazing and hard to believe. I mean seriously, a big fat juicy potato should be a root lover’s dream. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the potato is in the Nightshade family. None the less, I am now adding potatoes to the gopher food section.
October 29, 2013 Update:
Dallas, who is a contributing reader from Idaho, has shared some of his own personal gopher- potato insight. Basically, his potato crop was destroyed by pocket gophers. (his full text can be read in the comments section at the bottom of the page for Oct 29, 2013). Thanks Dallas.
potato photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato
Hydrangea (Hydrangea)
Several (online) authors have stated that Hydrangea is gopher resistant. However, I have also read a lot of compelling reports from other people who lost their Hydrangea to gophers. Therefore, I feel compelled to add Hydrangea to this part of the list.
Hydrangea (Hydrangea)
Beardtongues (Penstemon)
I had read that penstemon was a gopher resistant plant. However, a recent comment from a contributing reader has convinced me to move this option to the non-resistant section of this post.
May 4, 2014 Update:
Kimberly N, a contributing reader states that, “I wish penstemon was gopher-proof, but mine certainly were not. All four gallon size plants vanished within a couple of weeks of planting in the fall. The gophers also ate at least four achillea and recently two large pennisetum. They don’t seem interested in the lavender, epilobium, or myoporum…”
Penstemon photo credit via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penstemon
Hibiscus:
Jan 30, 2014 Update:
Tracie Mazlo, a contributing reader states, that although they have a very bad gopher problem, they have had good luck with Hibiscus.
However….
June 29, 2016 update:
Jill Adams, a contributing reader states that “I have two hibiscus plants and hose little terrorists ate those too!!! Grrr”
I have recently heard a few other recent stories about gophers eating hibiscus and therefore, I am putting it down here into the not gopher resistant section.
Disclaimer:
Gophers may eat just about any plant if they are hungry enough. When in doubt, cage the roots of your plants.
As for pomegranates- my experience seems to say “depends on the cultivar”. Wonderful does not seem bothered at all, yet Pink Satin was clearly killed by gophers within a month of planting…. Eversweet seems to be borderline- they require watering to look well but have also noticed gopher activity around these, perhaps they are getting nibbled on enough to need help to recover but not so bad like for Pink Satin. Another unknown cultivar is also unaffected. All of these were planted in a straight row, roughly 4-6 feet from each other.
Thanks Kevin for this important and useful insight.
Interesting preference those gophers have.
Ill update the post soon with your comments.
Thanks,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Not sure if your “pocket gophers” are the same kind that we have in Idaho or not, but you can put the “potatoes” in the “gopher candy” department. In fact, if you want “pocket gophers” to make your garden their home – plant lots of potatoes, garlic, and onions. They have taken out my whole garlic patch before, but they especially like potatoes. The first year I harvested over 400 pounds of potatoes some of which were 8-9 inches long – then the gophers moved in and I haven’t gotten a decent crop of potatoes since (in spite of trapping the gophers as fast as I can).
Some of your other suggestions sound interesting – I’m going to have to try them. Thanks.
Thanks for the info Dallas
Sorry to hear about your potato raiders. However, your comments make total sense.
I was surprised when I heard that others didn’t have a gopher problem with their potatoes because it seems like the perfect meal for those vermin.
Ill add your insight to the post soon.
Thanks!
Hi Tom,
I enjoyed reading the information regarding plants tolerant to gophers. I live in Gilroy, CA and for the past five years have had to deal with gophers and moles. With the help of my cat Tomas, we have caught over 100 of these critters and still I see activity. It will be a never ending story… I can say that have not had one dead plant from gophers and/or moles from the following: artemisia powis castle, rosemary, rhamnus californica, arctostaphylos m. ‘Dr. Hurd’, coleonema p. ‘Compacta’, Cistus ‘Doris Hibberson’, Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’, Greviillea l. ‘Mt. Tamboritha’ and Lavandula “Grosso’. I will continue to experiment for more gopher and drought tolerant plants.
Best regards,
Jose
Jose!
Thank you for the note and for your awesome insight on your gopher resistant plants.
I also agree, it is amazing-this never ending story of gophers.
Great job to Thomas the cat… A good cat may be a critical part of the gopher treatment solution.
Thanks,
Tom
Thanks for the great article. Sadly, I’ve had gophers eat agave and very small orange trees 🙁 They chew through the orange tree sapling trunk like an underground beaver. The agave was eaten like an apple. However, the critters in my yard won’t touch the rosemary or the society garlic. I’m in Socal.
Thanks for sharing your gopher experience; ill update the post with your info.
And thanks for the positive feedback Georgie
Sorry to hear about your gophers.
It’s amazing the damage a little rodent can do.
Bad news: Pocket gopher took out my large, old mint stand in just under a week. They also ate half of one of my English Lavendar bushes but seem to be ignoring a lot of regular and pinpoint ivy. Killed an established 9′ tea tree, too.
My house is surrounded by properties that bred gophers; I had a dream of gathering propane from everyone’s BBQ’s, pumping in the holes and blowing up the neighbors’ yards! That’s how devastated my formerly lovely yard is, but fortunate for the neighbors my conscious mind is strong enough to constrain my unconscious wish.
Hey Linda
What a bummer; I know how you feel about the propane dream. Those underground killers will break your heart.
That’s amazing that they went to town on your mint and lavender. I suppose if they are hungry enough, they will eat just about anything.
How are you dealing with the gophers now?
Sorry about the news, but thanks for the info.
Tom
I planted Oleanders and within a week a gopher pulled two of them down into his hole, he destroyed the plants. There was nothing left but a few leaves and the pest is still alive. I’ve tried many different types of plants that are gopher and rabbit resistant, both eat plants they are not suppose to like. I have had good luck with rosemary, society garlic, arabian lilac, butterfly bushes, hibiscus and junipers, anything else needs to be protected with chicken wire.
Hey Tracie
Thanks for the great info.
I am totally surprised about your Oleanders. However, those evil underground critters never cease to amaze me. It just might be a testament to how veracious and durable those little buggers are.
I so enjoyed reading your article and the associated comments in reply. For years I have waged a lonely war against these voracious critters. Now at least I know that I’m not alone. They have destroyed so many plants and trees and have cost me thousands of dollars. I will never forget the sight of huge tall Sun Flowers being pulled down into the root holes before my very eyes. They must have chomped on the roots and kept going till they had eaten the entire 8 foot high sunflowers ;-(
I can however attest to the fact that they don’t seem to have touched my Wonderful Pomegranates, my Nandinas, my Lavenders, Oleanders, Geraniums, Lantanas, Queen Palms, etc but I have lost at least a dozen orange trees, peach trees, cherry trees, — the latter were prolific Bings with a tree trunk a foot thick! I have found the most effective way to keep them at bay is to use poison bait and wire mesh cages. But you have to be very very careful NOT to use poison bait around fruit trees or the cure could be much worse than the plague of gophers ;-(
Hey Sateesh
I have stood helpless from a far watching a gopher pull down one of my young trees… reminds me of your amazing sunflower story.
Those rodents can drive you to the edge.
Yea, cages are so far my best solution too.
T
please do not use poison bait as it can kill owls and other raptors who eat rodents.
I am really pleased to see your list of gopher-proof plants. I would like to make these additions:
We live in the mountains, so many of your plants won’t grow here. A friend had gophers eat an entire planting of 6 lavenders. They recently ate 3 of my Heavenly Bamboo after the gopher cages rusted away ( they last 5 years here). However, I have not had them eat my Oriental Poppy plants yet, which are mostly seedlings. They also haven’t eaten my Deer Grass. They HAVE killed several trees after the 5 years. So far, they haven’t eaten my Redwoods – either Coastal or Interior. They haven’t eaten my gray Santolina, although they have partially killed some plants by digging under them. None of the Santolina have been killed completely. Of corse, they do get huge (6-8 ft across).
Hey Marti
Thanks for the great additions to the list.
I am amazed to hear that those subterranean rodents ate rows of lavender. Wow!
Ill add your insights to the list as soon.
Thanks!
T
I live in Los Angeles. I am surprised you did not mention roses. I just bought a home a year back in gopher country and planted Blackberries, Citrus, Kumquot, Pomegranates, Avocado, Guava. and Roses.
I have about 10 rose bushes that are 4 year older and they are doing quite well. Encouraged i have planted a lot of mini roses and geraniums and keeping fingers crossed.
I forgot to mention that I am also growing fig and grapes.. so far so fine… (has been about a year)
Rajiv
Hey Rajiv
Thanks for the note.
It sounds like you are lucky, I have read lots of stories about how gophers love to eat roses.
The geraniums should be fine on their own, but the figs are a gopher delight. The figs will be your “canary in a coal mine”. I would keep close tabs on that one.
Best,
Tom
thanks for the headsup Tom…and reading the stories is therapeutic ..
I never realized I had a dark side until I met them critters
-Rajiv
No prob Rajiv… Thanks for your note.
I totally agree. These underground plant killers causing me to struggle with my feelings on varmint control.
Gophers and Taxes ..
in that order, keep me awake at night!
LOL.
Funny.. me too!
I live south of San Antonio, in sand. We have tons of gophers. I have invested thousands and thousands of dollars in landscaping. Out of the original 18 oleanders I only have six left, and they are just hanging on. I would take Indian Hawthorn and bottle brush off the list too. I have been somewhat successful with wire baskets, but if they find something they like, the pesky little varmints will dig up come across ground then dig down to the plant. I go through phases where I declare war, but if you aren’t diligent they just move in from the boardering neighbors.
Is there nothing sacred to those freeking rodents?
Thanks for the info Teri. I am surprised to hear about the oleanders but will add it to the post.
Thanks!
T
I wish penstemon was gopher-proof, but mine certainly were not. All four gallon size plants vanished within a couple of weeks of planting in the fall. The gophers also ate at least four achillea and recently two large pennisetum. They don’t seem interested in the lavender, epilobium, or myoporum. I live across from a 3 acre field so it’s pretty much hopeless to control them.
Thanks for the great insight Kimberly!
Ill add your comments to the site.
Apparently, very little is sacred to those marauding rodents.
Hi – Here in Santa Cruz CA on the edge of 10,000 acres of wilderness, I planted ‘Anouk’ Green Lavender (Spanish Lavender) around two berms (apple & fig) with hopes of discouraging the subterranean monsters. I live in a serious war zone… after a brief reprieve they started devouring the Lavender. Thankfully the apples and figs are in cages, which I monitor daily. I have tried so many things. Naked ladies get ‘shouldered’, and pushed out of the ground… along with daffodils. Love thyme… including all variations of them. They allowed my orange trees to live 5 years without a hint of malice, then when they reached producing size… took out three whole trees! I have tried traps… which work only initially… till they catch on to them. Poison is NOT EATEN… just pushed out of holes. Car exhaust only drives them to other areas… along with flares. But they do return. AAAGGGHHH!
Can you clarify whether it is the gophers who love thyme or you love thyme because it is gopher proof?
Hi Ginger.
Good question.
If you are referring to the comment from May 30, 2014 at 4:05 pm, that was from contributing reader PJ.
Since that was not my note, I can’t say for sure. But the way I read that comment, it looks like gophers eat thyme.
I have thyme growing here at my place, but it is all in protected areas.
Therefore, I cant tell you with certainty from personal experience.
Wen in doubt, assume that gophers will likely eat a plant.
Good luck,
Tom
My experience with intense gopher attacks here in the San Bernardino Mountains is that the critters do not touch my vinca major or vinca minor. I plant the pretty all summer flowering ones around other plants and the gophers will pull everything else down, including marigolds which I thought would stink too much, but they leave the vinca alone. But they do eat my St. John’ s Wort, which is very frustrating. They seem to be able to dig through horrendous soil my husband can only dig in with a pick axe. Arggh!
Hey Rose
Thanks for your note. Those gophers are really frustrating creatures.
But thats awesome news to hear that they leave your vinca major and minor alone.
Ill add that great insight to the site as soon as I get some time.
Thanks a bunch!
Tom
Pumpkin and sunflowers
Thanks Jacqx
Are these plants gopher resistant or gopher food?
Thanks,
Tom
Gophers love pumpkins and sunflowers. We had gopher bite a hole in the bottom of 12-inch pumpkins and eat all of the “goodies” from inside on the pumpkin and stuff the empty globe with pulverized dirt…makes for very HEAVY pumpkins! The sunflowers are just “pulled down” like other favorites.
What a story!
Thanks for the great info Terry!
Thanks for all the possibilities of what future plants I might try next, I live in Pinole Calif. Have a large variety of shrubs, flowering plants trees and vegetables. The little buggers eat everything I have tried . My pathway lawn has been replanted 3 times. The last planting , I put 2 layers of chicken wire, under the sod. The gophers dig through, and just pop their heads up through the hole and literally look at me. I just tore out the grass for the last time , leveled the ground again and put down decorative rock, hate the look , but had no choice. This year I have lost an 8 foot long section of geraniums that have been in the ground for over four years and were never touched before by the furry beasts. I have rosemary in my yard and lavender, never have been eaten on , so will fill the empty spots I now have with more lavender. Then cross my fingers and hope these four legged rototillers go find somewhere else to eat.
Aloha!
You are very welcome.
Its a bummer to hear about gophers eating everything in your yard… It is unfortunately a common story.
They have pushed many to the edge.
The way I see it, we are all in this battle together.
I hope this site can be a place where our collective knowledge will help us to fight the underground scourge.
Regarding the geraniums that those ruthless critters ate… do you happen to know the type of geranium?
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress/insight.
Thanks,
Tom
I am writing on behalf of Pearson Education India.
This is regarding a request for permission to include image of Baseball Plant in our upcoming GK Book specially meant for children.
I would be grateful if you could give us permission to reproduce the above mentioned as a part of our forthcoming publication.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you shortly.
Regards,
Sonia Bali
Permission Coordinator
Rights, Contracts & Permissions
Pearson Education
Thank you for asking Sonia Bali
It sounds interesting; Please send me additional information/details about the project.
Overall: it would be an honor to contribute to a book that helps children.
I only ask that you reference/cite the picture appropriately.
Also: I have a higher resolution versions of all of my photos that would likely be better suited to print.
Please provide additional information/detail about the book and let me know if you would like the higher resolution images.
Best,
Tom
Hi,
Thanks a lot for your reply.
It would be great if you could provide us with the higher resolution image.
Photo Courtesy will be properly mentioned. Please provide Credit line as well.
GK book is a general knowledge book which will help in increasing knowledge of school kids which will get them acquainted with famous personalities, famous places, culture etc.
Baseball plant will come under rare species of plants.
Please let me know if you would like to know more.
Thanks and Regards,
Sonia Bali
Hi Sonia.
Thanks for the info, sounds great.
Depending on your needs, I may have other photos that you may want to use.
And thank you; more information would be greatly appreciated.
In addition, if possible I would be interested in seeing examples of previous editions of the book.
Also: do you also have a standard format for credit lines that I could use to provide you the information you need?
Thanks!
Tom
how are your Bougainvilleas doing in gopher country?
did some impulse shopping with a 6 pack beautiful plants..and waiting to hear happy/sad stories before planting..
Great question Rajiv
I have some Bougainvilleas on the edge of gopher country that are doing well.
I am not sure if they are resistant to underground attack or if the subterranean rodents have just not discovered them yet.
If it was me, I would err on the side of caution and put your new plants in gopher cages.
Perhaps another reader has some specific Bougainvillea-gopher insight they could add.
Best,
Tom
To date your info is the best I found in 10 yrs. Started using cages 6 yrs ago. Put in beautiful veg gardens, rose & herb gardens and watched them wag back & forth then disappear or fall over, tree roses and all. So far have built 75 cages (they work) planted resistant plants, growing gopher purge & where planted deters the bandits. Tried poison but hate torturing them and have cats & dogs that will eat them and be poisoned. My only problem is in knowing just how big the cage should be to not damage the tree? P.S. I use 2″ x6″ & 8″ lumber (salvaged when possible) with hardware cloth wire you use, for bottom of all raised veg beds if that helps anyone else
Thank you very much Carla
Those gophers are a real challenge.
The story you told about actually watching plants disappear underground is painful, but I have been there too. Almost like a cartoon, but no fun.
As far as the size of the cage; The bigger the better.
I dont think it damages the roots. I have seen the roots grow into the actual cage with not noticeable ill effects.
However, the real reason to have a bigger cage is you will be protecting more of the root zone from the marauders.
Thanks and happy gardening!
Tom
We tried Gopher Purge and it grew well and the gophers did not eat it; however, they ate EVERYTHING around the gopher purge. I guess if you wanted to plant gopher purge exclusively, you could have a nice garden of it…but it isn’t all that exciting.
Enjoyed your article and comments. We purchased an RV lot with mostly gravel in sunny AZ, to winter in from the Pac NW. We decided to put in some desert landscaping last year, unaware that the gophers would consider it their personal buffet. 9 months ago, besides crushed rocks, we put in a lot of latana, dwarf bottle brush, a couple of mediterranean palms, an ocotillo and some barrel cactus. About a month ago, we noticed the gophers had moved in. In the month, they have devoured every one of the latana plants, in fact, they used the latanas to camoflage the entrances to their tunnels. So am hoping to replace the ruined plants with more gopher resistent ones. The info about gopher cages is appreciated, and I love the pics of the plants. Being a novice, it’s always nice to know what plants go with those daunting names. I will pass along a hint I read on a different site…. some lady said she heard that gophers don’t like the scent from fabric softener dryer sheets, and she stuffs them down the holes. She said that seems to have slowed them down a little.
Thank you for your kind words Ellen.
And thank you for the great- if not depressing info about your gophers.
Sigh… I am totally bummed to hear that the gophers make lunch out of your lantana.
Good to know though.
The fabric softener angle also sounds interesting.
Thanks!
Sorry Dr. Osborne…..I looked again at the picture of the Lantana, and realize that was not the plant that was devoured… I’ve taken a picture of the remaining plant like the ones which were, but can’t find a way to attach it. I’ll try emailing it separately. However, I will say there were 2 of my lantana’s which were nibbled on; one subsequently died, the other is surviving, but one of the ‘branches’ was eaten off like a beaver would a sapling. I tried the fabric softener, I only placed one sheet per hole, and it didn’t seem to phase them much… found new dirt this morning right over the top of the dryer sheets! Glad they work for the lady. Again I apologize for my mis-identification of the lantana.
Ellen
Thanks for the kind update Ellen
Overall, it seems that gophers will eat nearly any plant. However, some plants seem to be lower on their preference list.
Thanks again; the more we can share on these subterranean vermin the better.
Best,
Tom
Thank goodness for the clarification! I just replaced my whole front lawn with trailing lantana and was very concerned when I read the earlier report. I have gophers in my back yard but not my front yard yet. However, I decided that all my new landscaping from now on will be on the gopher resistant list. I planted rosemary in the back and so far, no plants have been harmed. We are finally getting a little rain today in the San Jose area, but it is just a trace so far; the drought continues. I was pleased to find this site last summer and discover that many of the gopher resistant plants are also drought tolerant, so that is the way to go now!
This is the best thing I have seen to help us plant around the gophers. It has rekindled the love of all things garden. Thanks for putting the information out there. Armed with my Sunset Western Garden Book, I am off to make a list of the plants I am going to try. Once again, I will be surrounded by my favorite plants.
Your very welcome! I am excited to hear that I could have inspired you to get back to the love of the garden.
Best,
Tom
Thank you . I moved to angels Camp Ca last year and tried to transplant my mostly native garden from the Bay Area.
What was not eaten? Manzanita! Out of about 15 mimulus I have 6 left. I am wondering, I planted a black oak sapling, do you think the gophers would eat those roots? I am also wondering about redbud trees and dogwoods ?
My sunflowers did fine last year. I threw in some cosmos around the base of the sunflowers which also survived. California poppies thrive, but I’ve tried Matilda poppy three times and failed. Which brings me to the question of tubors, plants that spread underground, since it doesn’t seem baskets would work. Any suggestions?
Here In the Sierra foothills when I mention I lost a huge garden to gophers people just smile and laugh, say things like “my garden is cemented in.”
Thanks again,,,somehow it is nice knowing I am not the only one suffering this fate
Donna
Hey Donna
It is painful having to battle these underground raiders.
They seem to undermine the best of gardens. It is a battle for most of us here in the west.
Basket cages is my last line of defense… but as you said, plants that spread by tubers underground will often wander outside the protection of the cage. So what can you do? A bigger cage, more gopher traps… there is no silver bullet. However, there are many other ways to combat the scourge. The only problem is that you have to be diligent because they just keep coming.
That is great news about the Manzanita.
I dont have experience with black oak, but perhaps someone else could chime in.
Good luck and let us know if you have any other success stories or insights.
Thanks!
Tom
Hi Donna,
I live closer to the coast in California and have a moderate gopher problem in my front yard. I also have a squirrel and blue jay problem. The squirrels and jays plant trees for me, mostly black oaks. I have about a dozen black oak saplings in my yard and the gophers don’t seem interested at this point. Some of the saplings are over 5 years old now.
I experimented with planting daffodils around my gladiolas this last year. It is the first year my glads survived the summer. They won’t touch my bearded iris either, but the furry little freaks have no problem digging under them to get to other plants.
I just bought a redbud and I am going to try and go cage free. My experience has been that California native plants don’t really get harassed by gophers too much. Otherwise, they would have been extinct long ago.
Hope this helps!
~Brook
Thanks Brook!
Great insight about the “furry little freaks” lol
Agree with you about the CA natives too.
Tom
I am in the mountains (4500 ft elevation) and gophers love the soft soil. They do not touch my baby dogwoods, cedars, sequoia, black oaks or grapes. My little pear seedling got eaten and so did a bunch of native wildflowers.
Great input
Thanks!
I am hearing from a lot of people that gophers dont eat and avoid areas where there are pines and similar plants.
Gophers have gotten into my raised beds again. I have already torn up the beds and replaced the protective wire once. And now the ground is as hard as rock and digging out the beds is would be very difficult. Should I dig them up anyway? Or should I surround my raised beds with rosemary?
Hey Cynthia
Those little buggers!
Sorry to hear about that, they are such a pain.
For what it is worth, a while back I wrote an article about how to create a very cost effective garden box that is gopher proof and really doesnt require any digging. The ones I created with this method a few years back are still going strong without any problems. Check it out and perhaps something like this design could work for you.
The rosemary is an interesting idea.
Although gophers dont seem to eat rosemary, they will go around it.
Therefore, I dont think rosemary will solve the problem.
There is something I heard about as a gopher deterrent that might interest you.
I havent tried it myself so I havent written about it… but some people say that gophers hate dryer sheets.
Yea, the stuff for your laundry.
Apparently, if you push a dryer sheet down each gopher hole, it offends the gophers so much that they abandon the area.
So, it is an interesting thought, but like I said I havent tried it… and not sure if the dryer sheets would leach anything funny into the soil.
Good luck,
Tom
I figured out how the gophers got in. After some digging, I found they chewed a 2 inch hole in the submerged part of the box.
Freeking gophers!
Having your garden box sit on top of the soil with a wire mesh bottom might keep them out.
This is what I do and it works for me even though I have a major gopher issue here.
Also:
I know gophers dont like pine.
Therefore, cedar or redwood might be helpful materials to use for the walls of your garden box.
Cedar and redwood are also naturally resistant to rotting.
Good luck!
Tom
Hi Tom,
I live in Northern Arizona and happened upon your site. I’ve used the gopher cages for years, but have found they do stunt the growth of things…but it’s the only way my roses have lived!
The best thing I did was plant native seed for my flower beds and raised beds for the vegetables – with hardwire in the bottoms of the beds.
I know that iris (especially native) is poisonous to the little devils. Seedling pine trees won’t cut it in gopher land. They need to be 2-3′ tall in growth at least.
Good luck with the war. Jo
Thanks for your insight Jo!
Gophers ate our hibiscus down to nubs. I have found they dislike lavender, marigolds, nasturtiums, 4 o’clocks and geraniums. I’m in Southern California.
Thank Jill
That is great information and timely for me specifically.
I just got a bunch of hibiscus plants on sale… and the seller told me that hibiscus was gopher resistant… Which of course I was skeptical about.
I will definitely cage my hibiscus before I put them in the ground.
Thanks for that and the other info!
Tom
We are hibiscus growers and we can tell you that gophers LOVE hibiscus, as do deer, rabbits, grasshoppers, snails, slugs, and just about another living creature. Hibiscus are our favorite flowers, but definitely use gopher cages when you plant them. We have seen gophers eat completely through the crown of a 6 foot tall hibiscus plant and kill it in one night. The crown is their favorite part of the root system, as far as we can tell.
Gophers are bleeders. Once they get cut they just crawl into their holes and bleed to death. Careful placement of broken glass with make this happen – in the tunnel or around the opening. I prefer in the tunnel or deep inside the opening to keep my dog safe from the glass. Persistance pays off because the little monsters are intelligent. I used to own a hardware store in a farming area. Gophers would kill a cherry orchard in no time at all. Instead of poison and traps I told my customers about broken glass and they said “cheap and effective”.
Thanks for the insight Virgie
Very interesting.
I live in Tampa Bay, Florida and have bad gopher problem. petunia beds, Fox tail beds, vinca bed are worst damaged. No problem of any digging by gopher in CALADIUM beds!
Hi Bala
Sorry to hear about those darn rodents.
But thanks for the additional insights.
Tom
Thank you for the tip about caladiums. I just looked it up in the Sunset Western Garden Book and see it is toxic, which explains why gophers would avoid it! However it needs moist soil, not something we can plant here in California this year (or ever, if this Ridiculously Resilient high-pressure Ridge becomes a permanent part of our climate.)
Hi Ginger
Thanks for looking up the info/growing requirements of caladiums.
As you say, unfortunately, we are in big trouble with our water situation here so they may not be the best option.
Best,
Tom
It seems to me that it would be a good idea to bring in a few garden snakes. If there are no garden snakes eventually the rattlesnakes will find the gopher cities and kill our dogs.
Hi Cynthia.
Interesting idea.
I have no experience introducing snakes into a yard.
However, I have heard that introducing snakes to a new environment can be stressful for them, make it hard for them to hunt, and can result in their death.
It sounds like you are asking about native snakes… However, just to be sure, I would definitely recommend against introducing non-native snakes of any sort. The introduction of nonnative species has cause countless (sometimes catastrophic) problems around the world.
I am planning to plant some Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) along the fence line and also as a ground cover.
how do they stack up against Gophers?
Appreciate any advice…
Thanks
Rajiv
Loc: Gopher HQ @ South Pasadena
Hey Rajiv
Good question.
I do have a bunch of star jasmine growing in the yard.
However it is on a very protected cliff edge that has not seen gopher activity.
Therefore, I cant really say that I have direct experience to answer that question.
However, it is my strong suspicion that gophers would eat them if given the chance.
I would play it safe and cage the roots.
Star Jasmine has a very sticky, milky sap and it may discourage gophers; they have never bothered ours.
Thanks.. yes, they are growing very well.
El Cajon California 92021 (San Diego)
Because were as smart as Gophers, look what is surviving in your neighborhood. That is the start.
In my neighborhood the following are all survivors.
Fortnight Lilly
African Lilly
Rosemary
Fountain Grass – hate it
Lantana – alternate Fountain grass, rosemary, and fill with Lantana. Add Society Garlic. Its WAR
Jerry Choice
Sticks on Fire
Manzanita – again look to native plants
Large Queen Palms
Salvia Hot Lips
Santa Barbara Sage
Yucca – tall version
Society Garlic
Plumbago
Geraniums
Red Sensation
Sea Lavender
What is old in my yard, in the ground, and untouched
Giant Birds – 8-10 feet high
Now to win the war: Unfortunately I have many plants in cages in the ground
Dwarf Fruit trees (lemon and Mexican lime)
Drago
Durante vines and trees
Cactus – probably 5-7 kinds
Mexican Bird of Paradise
Papyrus
Cardboard Palms
Plumeria
Belgium Lilly
Lilly of Nile
Succulents. I must have 10 different kinds. Flap Jacks etc
Canas – probably would not eat these………all over the neighborhood untouched
In Pots……….some of these are just invasive and some I am to lazy……..to plant in the ground yet.
Bears Breech – invasive
Philodendron – invasive
Large Sedums
Banana (ornamental and fruit bearing)
Baby Queen Palms……..probably could go in the ground uncaged?
Elephant ears
Ficus – three types (invasive roots)
Gardenia – if you can grow it do not tell me.
Triangle Palms – I think they will eat these in the ground
Canas………… probably would be OK in the ground ex cage…….all over the neighborhood
Gazanias……….. bullet proof and drought tolerant. I cut them in spring with my lawnmower. I have wire down under them.
Blue Yuccas………..unknown……….that is why in cages
Little Sister…………Hawaiian
O lu lu – from Kauai
Fox-tail Palm. Unknown in ground. NOT light frost tolerant……. I cover it
Grass – yes my little lawn is LINED with heavy duty wire…………its a war.
Ponytail Palms. Unknown in ground. They do not mind being root bound.
Madagascar Palms. I have one in a pot 8 ft tall……….they like being root bound.
Margarita Bop. Bloom already.
Kangaroo Paw. Ink Disease. Get the right type
Red Bird of Paradise. Might be ok in the ground?
False Yucca. Two types. These might be ok in the ground.
Desert Rose. Poor baby’s do not like frost.
Passion Flower. The plant that butterflies will NOT lay eggs on. Purple backset.
Umbrella Tree – YIKES………..it does get flowers in the right situation
Gold Dust
I also have two LARGE planter boxes. 12 x 5 pressure treated with WIRE ON THE BOTTOM. I have lots of cool stuff PLANTED in them because the gophers cannot get it.
I also have a standing vegetable planter box. Hum, 12 x 3. They cannot get that.
Bottom line:
Use the plants that are proven winners as your base.
Fill in what you want in the ground with vinyl coated cages. Its a bear to do this but they cannot get to the main part of the plant. My garden is AWESOME
Pots work excellent – but are more work managing them every few years. For exotics and invasive this is the only way to go. You can grow LARGE potted plants. Fruit trees, semi dwarf, are good with wine barrels.
The darn GRUBS killed more of my plants than the Gophers last year.
Add in the aphids, the scale, the spider mites.
Add in the bud rot, the fungus, if you read this far your a COMPULSIVE GARDNER. Stop it now.
Lastly, trapping them is poison free and EASY.
Now the drought in California. Less Grass and weeds means less Gophers. But they may begin eating my fire sticks……YA RIGHT
Greg!
What an awesome list.
Thank you for the well thought-out outline and insight.
Thanks!
Tom
I use exlax they die of dehydration.. if they die in their tunnel near your garden you may have to put up with the smell..
In my world I love the smell.
The smell of success!
I hate voles,gophers,etc.
Anything that messes with all the work I put into my garden must be terminated!
These animals & the abundance of insects this year in the High Desert California have turned me into a SeriaL KiLLeR! :*(
Lol
Thats an inventive strategy.
Do you have a formula, method of delivery or concentration of exlax that has been most effective?
Thanks for the insight.. that’s a new one for me.
And I totally know what you mean about these critters ruining your hard work.
The damage can really push you to the limit.
Thanks!
T
We had our lawn replaced thrice because of gophers and the drought. This time, after the drought, we got the entire front yard rototilled to look for critters and replaced a beautiful lawn with rosemary,lavender, hibiscus,geranium plants along the perimeter only to be completely ravaged by gophers! Gophers eat everything and no plant is spared! Any remedy to kill gophers is appreciated.
Oh man, so sorry to hear about the gopher damage. What a bummer.
I tend to cage all my plants, that may help as a last line defense. Some pointers via this gopher cage building article.
I have recently heard great things about the “Gopher Hawk”. I have not used it myself, but it looks like ingenious engineering and I see a ton of great reviews on amazon.
By the way, in my experience, the buzzer gopher repellent things do not work at all.
There are gopher exterminators that people hire.
Getting an outdoor cat seems to wrk well for some people (as long as you dont have coyotes that will eat the cats)
Best of luck,
Tom
I have two things that are helping me wage battle with the gophers in our yard. One of them is our cat Jamus. He has caught 6 gophers in the past 2 months and endlessly tracks them looking for more. The other surprising weapon is a huge, volunteer tomato plant. It showed up in large planter box near our garage. Since we were in the midst of installing a french drain and had to rip out the lovely climbing rose that I had planted. I just ignored it, thinking I would transplant it later if it survived. It seems to be one of those varieties that spreads and spreads and spreads. We also have a young fig tree in the middle of this planter (it is huge) that is a replacement for the fig we planted last year that the gopher killed. Since the tomato took over, the gopher hasn’t gone near the planting bed or the tree! So we have tons of tomatoes, and maybe the tree will survive.
Wow Ellen, that is very interesting.
Since tomatoes are in the Nightshade family, they might putting off tome anti gopher vibes.
Very cool!
Thanks for sharing.
Tom
You are welcome!
I just thought I’d add that in my yard gophers have eaten down to nothing several plants you have on your gogher resistant list. Spanish lavendar, fox glove, mexican bush sage, 5 foot fire stick tree. They also killed a mature 20 ft orange tree. What seems to help is putting chili powder, the hottest you can find in the holes when you plant and periodical around the base of the plant I also pour it down their open holes but you have to keep it up. I’ve saved a second orange tree so far with the chili powder and I recently decided to plant rosemary around the base of all my fruit trees. My gophers are voracious but they have never eaten Rosemary. I’m hoping that if there are a lot of rosemary roots (They grow deep roots) around my citrus roots that the citrus will be protected.
Hey Tameron
Wow, thanks for the additional insight.
That is very surprising that your gophers have gotten into lavender, fix glove, sage and euphorbia! Wow, first I have heard of them getting into those noxious roots. Thanks you for the important information.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Have you heard about used Coffee grounds as an effective Gopher repellent?
Their activity just spiked up in the last couple of weeks (due to hot weather I think) and just driving me crazy..
Thanks
Rajiv
Hey Rajiv
They are driving me crazy too.
I have not heard about using coffee grounds as a gopher repellent.
But I have heard from many sources that gophers are sensitive to smell, so the idea makes sense.
Have you given the coffee a try or are you just looking for some additional solutions?
Perhaps ill give it a try… I dont think it can hurt anyhow.
Thanks,
Tom
Acquired some good quantities last week.. so I tilled in some coffee grounds into the soil at a few places, (around old tunnel exits, base of uncaged roses etc ) , and did pour a mix of coffee grounds + water and sprinkled them on the soil as well..
I will know in a few week and will keep us all updated..
Thanks
update on the coffee grounds..
Gophers dont care about coffee grounds.. it is business as usual for them.. (bummer)
That is a bummer Rajiv
But good to know.
Thanks for the update.
T
My sister has 40 yard cats on her property, and her gophers are gone.
40 yard cats!
That is impressive Cynthia.
I bet she doesnt have any rodents of any sort.
What does she do to protect the cats from the coyotes?
Thanks,
Tom
Two big dogs, plus the cat have a fenced in shenter. Cats can get in but nothing bigger.
Thanks Cynthia
Interested to see what that cat specific shelter might look like if you happen to have any reference links that would be awesome!
Thanks!
Tom
The cats were give to her because she has a ranch, and she insisted that the cats be fixed. If you want cats, I would advertise that you take in stray cats on craigslist.
Awesome points.
Thanks Cynthia!
Has she traded one problem for another? I doubt she has 40 litter boxes setup and cleaned each day, so they are probably digging up her yard. Perhaps the same control can be done with just a couple of good hunting cats (not your typical indoor pet cats, but maybe adopted feral cats or from a farm.) Raccoons can also kill cats, so that is a risk of keeping them outdoors all night, but that is probably necessary if they are to control gophers.
lol… yea, there would be a lot of cat poo.
The threat from Raccoon’s are a good point; they are also rather crafty at getting into protected areas.
Any suggestions how to keep a good feral cat safe in your yard?
Thanks!
Tom
Our adopted stray cat Jamus, is an excellent gopher hunter. I think most hunters are pretty crafty and street wise about protecting themselves. We have a couple of people in our neighborhood whose dogs get out occasionally and roam the streets. I was worried the first time I saw them and Jamus was outside, but he knows who to hunt and who not to and he can climb. A true hunter has the intelligence to know who to tangle with, and while I don’t think he would go after a raccoon. I did watch my cat Simon (who is now deceased, old age) stalk and escort off our property two skunks. I was terrified they would turn on him, but they didn’t. If you are concerned you might create a safe zone for the cat, or a cat door into an area that the cat can escape to.
Hey Ellen
Its fun to read about your crafty cat.
Corralling skunks is a special skill.
Yea, I would like to create a “safe zone” or special enclosure or something before I collaborate with an outdoor cat.
But at the same time, I would like to keep the outdoor cat outside.
Just want it to be safe because the coyotes do roam around here.
Thanks,
Tom
Her pool area is a fenced in cat safe zone.
Cool.
A ready made safe zone.
Any comments/experience with Cape Honeysuckle? Thanks!
Hey Kevin
I havent tried growing it, but perhaps another reader has experience with gophers and Cape Honeysuckle.
Thanks,
Tom
There is another approach that I use: dogs! Depends on the dog, though. My Jack Russell terrier is useless — he only want to chase trains and horses. But my old fox terrier once cleared a half-acre gopher infestation in two days. He was relentless, however the drawback with the fox terrier was that he would dig them out, so you get big holes all over. The best dog ever, strangely (?) is my half border collie – half greyhound. She just waits for the gopher to appear and then nails them — no gophers, no enlarged holes.
Awesome Catherine
I think there might be a business renting skilled dogs such as yours.
T
Tom I to have lost alot of so called gopher proof plants. I know gopgers are Gods plows in grass lands. And on that part of the property. They di a great job. All new plant now get atleast 4 cloves of garlic. (Lots ofgarlic( alot of Pink Lady seeds too. BUT THE ONLY THING THAT DOES THEM IN IS BUBBLE GUM!!! No other predators are effected by secondary poison. I hate using poisons. Because of secondary poisoning. Also I’ve. Powdered potatoes. Not as good as bubble gum. Beachnut also works but it’s. harder to find. And you can chee it for your own enjoyment
Hey Tom
Thanks for the insight.
I am amazed but also somewhat excited to hear about the effectiveness of bubblegum.
Ive now heard about its gopher-power from a few different people and I would have never guessed it worked.
Do you just drop the gum down their hole or do you prepare it some way?
Thanks,
Tom
Tom,
I have heard about the gum rumor too, but have yet to try it. Apparently it is supposed to be fruity gum, like Juicy Fruit, and you have to leave the FOIL wrapper on. It won’t work with a paper wrapper because gopher death is achieved by the foil wrapper binding the intestines.
~Brook
Thanks Brook!
Foil on the gum… that is interesting and important insight.
Thanks!
Tom
I have rhubarb in my garden and the gophers don’t eat it. I know the leaves are poisonous so when I cut the stalks for cooking, I put the leaves over gopher holes. Don’t know if I’ve killed a few with the leaves, but do know that the gophers do not like or eat my rhubarb and it is also a pretty plant, although large. Gophers have destroyed a whole garden of dahlias.
Writing from San Diego CA to say that here with our larger gopher war zone hibiscus is dinner for them. It has taken them some time to finish off each plant one by one, but none the less they have consumed them. As well as bougainvillea.
Thanks for the additional info…
Bummer to hear.
Unfortunately, those subterranean monsters will eat just about anything.
It has been a great New Year start for my gophers.
Checking in today after the rains, and saw that the gophers have gnawed the stems of 2 of my 4 year old rose plants.
I thought they had immunity given some of my other 6 year old bushes are doing good. Looks like they did not get the memo
R.I.P Rosa Grandiflora
You brought vibrant colors to my garden
sigh! back to building cages ..
Sigh… So sad.
Quick thought:
Before you discard the remains of your poor Rosa Grandiflora…
Consider making some small cuttings and putting them in soil.
Roses grow rather well from cuttings.
The cooler temps also make this a good time of year to grow cuttings.
Sooner you get the cuttings and put in soil the better.
Procedure:
Make 6 to 8 in long cuttings with a 45 degree angle cut at the end.
Remove the leaves at the bottom part.
Powdered rooting hormone may increase success rates but not necessary
Put well draining soil in a container and push a hole a few inches deep in the soil with a dibble or finger.
Place the cutting in the soil, push the dirt around
Keep in shade while rooting and keep moist but not waterlogged… Dont let dry out.
More details that might be helpful via this other site.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/southerngarden/roseprop.html
Best,
Tom
Thanks Tom for the tip and the timely reply. I was planning to throw away the plant.
Regards
Rajiv
Hey Rajiv
No problem.
Hopefully we can make some good (new little plants) out of the destruction from the underground terror.
Please keep us posted on your progress.
Best,
Tom
Hi Rajiv,
Before a gopher was introduced into my isolated yard, I had nearly a dozen rose bushes. Most of them were miniatures, but I also had some hybrid teas, grandifloras and one floribunda. The floribunda is the sole survivor. I have also had success with Cecil Brunner and Lady Banks, although those get quite large. Hope this helps. Gardening is a life-long experiment.
~Brook
I have had serious gopher issues for the past 2 years in eastern San Diego county in southern California. They were decimating my onion crop. Then I switched to alternating rows of onion and garlic. They would not come anywhere near the garlic, even with a once-coveted onion nearby. Now the gophers have moved to wrecking other areas of my yard but have at least left the garden bed alone. I have, however, heard of gophers eating garlic, both here and from other sources. Garlic may not be a gopher deterrent for everyone, but it worked for me.
Thanks for the info Matt
I have also heard some stories that gophers will eat garlic.
However, I wonder… perhaps your alternating onion-garlic combo is keeping them away.
None the less, it seems that gophers will eat just about anything.. but they do seem to have preferences.
Thanks,
Tom
I found your web site when I googled gopher resistant plants. A gopher ate all our gladiola bulbs–none came up, but a gopher hole appeared one day. Our daffodils are doing well. Either the gopher didn’t like the daffodils, or our cat Ray-Ray killed it before it had a chance to get the daffodils. Yes, our cat Ray Ray killed it and laid it right at our front door beside his food dish, yay Ray Ray! I see that daffodils are on your list of resistant plants, which is encouraging. And Ray Ray is encouraging too.
Hey Lisa
Thanks for the note.
Sorry about your gladiola bulbs.
But go Ray-Ray!
I need to get me a hunting cat.
Is Ray Ray an outdoor cat or does he come in at night?
My major worry for having a cat in my area is the coyotes and wondering if you have any insight about how to protect your cat.
Thanks,
Tom
Tom,
Are the popular Euryops gopher resistant? (Euryops pectinatus (Green Golden Shrub Daisy) )
thanks
Rajiv
Hey Rajiv
Great question, I have wondered the same myself.
As a result, I as a semi-experiment, I have planted a bunch of Euryops throughout the yard (some caged and others not).
Its been about a year and no gopher activity so far.
So the preliminary results suggest that we are on the right track…
None the less, those freeking gophers will eat just about anything if they are hungry enough.
Looking forward to hearing any other insights/experiences from others about h ow gopher resistant Euryops are.
Thanks,
T
Are osteospermums (African Daisies) gopher resistant?
Hope they are .. or I have to replant them in cages 🙁
Thanks
Rajiv
Great question Rajiv
I have wondered that myself.
Osteospermums produce awesome flowers.
I have a bunch growing in one section of the yard and they haven’t been touched… but I don’t know if that is chance or an indication that gophers are just not into them.
the gopher in my yard has eaten both my established lantana and a new lavender with in the last 5 days. I hate gophers. next step is the cage
Wow… Lavender and lantana!
Those underground terrors!!!
Sorry to hear about your garden but thanks for sharing your experience.
T
It is kind of disturbing to read Melinda’s comments about the Lavenders and Lantanas..
I though atleast the Lantanas were untouchable.
I had planned to plant a lot of lantanas next weekend and was very happy about not building the cages.. damn!
Gopher infestation should be a mandatory disclosure in real estate transactions
I absolutely agree Raj
Its totally disturbing news.
I have a lot of lantana in the ground that is not caged. Currently it is ok… but it goes to shoe you that those gophers will eat just about anything if they are hungry enough.
And yea, the mandatory disclosure in real estate transactions is a great idea.
Gophers DO eat columbine. I lost all of mine two summers ago, and didn’t know what had happened until I personally witnessed a gopher pulling one of them underground from the roots, just like in the cartoons. I had always thought that was for comedic effect, but apparently its real. Maybe gophers in other areas won’t eat columbine, but here in Fresno I guess they are haute cuisine. (By the way, the word is spelled “rumor”, not “roomer”–you can edit this out of my comment if you want.)
Thanks Cat!
That is really a bummer to hear about columbine. Ill add your insight to the article.
Thanks for the spelling correction, much appreciated.
T
They have not touched Japanese Privet,Podocarpus, Howea palms,Trachycarpus palms,King palms. Tree Ferns seem to be safe- all kinds. Cycads,Magnolia’s.Brugmansia’s. Cane Begonia’s of various types. Bird of Paradise- and GBOP. I have HEARD them gnawing on tree Yucca’s…the Yucca simply grew a tiny bit slower for awhile..then back to normal.
For some reason Impatiens solderii is never touched by them..and its as succulent and juicy a plant as they come. One reason they are all over San Francisco is because gophers ignore them.
Hibiscus.
That’s the short list. If you have valuable palms not on this list and gophers…prepared to see them eaten in a week…or later if hidden. They WILL get to them.
Feeking underground monsters.
Thanks for the great info Stan!
Great insight about the surviving plants in SF.
Ill add ur insights to the post when I catch up with my paying job-work.
Thanks!
nasturtiums = gopher food
grew them first time (without cage) enjoyed the beautiful flowers for couple of months and then poof! last week found my plant gnawed through at ground level.
MORAL: cage cage cage
Hey Rajiv
Well, that is disappointing info about nasturtiums but great to know.
Thanks and I agree, when in doubt (and even when not) cage, cage, cage.
What a plethora of information, thank you so much for compiling this and for your steadfast study (sometimes it seams at your own risk) of all plants in general. This article has been most helpful as we are on an acre of land where gophers have consumed most everything I have planted.
Thanks for the great feedback Paula
A lot of the information also comes from fellow readers. There are a lot of insights from the community of gardeners in the comment section.
Thanks!
I have two hibiscus plants and hose little terrorists ate those too!!! Grrr
So sad.
Freekin subterranean monsters
Do you know of any plants that will deter rabbits?
Great question
I dont know any plants that deter rabbits.
However, I do know of some plants that rabbits dont seem to eat.
Perhaps not too surprisingly, they seem to be the same plants that gophers dont like (rosemary, lavender, euphorbia, etc).
As a side:
I have tried organic deterrents such as chill pepper flakes on the leaves and an ammonia soaked rag close to the plants… However, they havent worked for me. Irish spring seems to have some repelling effect on squirrels and may also work with rabbits, but I havent tried it with them yet.
Two plants with no gopher predation:. rose campion, aka lychnis coronaria, and curry plant, aka helichrysum italicum. Not even a munch. Even the deer haven’t harmed them.
Possible mitigating item, in the same bed there are daffodils all around, which gophers in my area never bother. However, the devils do tunnel under this bed so they have had the opportunity to sample the two plants I mentioned.
Thanks for the great info Jane!
Hi Tom,
Back again 🙁
fyi.. planted 2 sea lavender statice plants without cages. I planted them without cages after reading on the web that Gophers do not eat them.
one of the plants was chewed through. Have pictures if interested.
Cheers
Rajiv
Oh no!
Sorry to hear that Rajiv.
Would be happy to see pics if you got them.
Thanks,
T
how do I upload pics?
Hi Rajiv
Do you happen to have a social media account that you can post to (Twitter, Instagram, pinterest, etc)?
I live near Los Angeles and have had success in stopping gophers from making holes in my yard by doing the following:
1. Putting used coffee grounds in the hole AND
2. Placing one or two dryer sheets inside, then
3. Covering up the hole with dirt.
They have stopped making holes in the yard for the last 2 months after I spent 2 weeks putting coffee grounds and dryer sheets in the holes.
Having said that, I believe they have moved on to my crocosmias. Several disappeared and I couldn’t figure out what was going on. Then, one hardy crocosmia completely disappeared overnight – and I saw the tell-tale gopher lumps around the flowers (but no holes). So, you may want to add crocosmias to the gopher-eating list.
I hate gophers much! Now, I have to figure out how to protect the rest of my crocosmias. I’m thinking of putting coffee grounds all around them, but I’m worried that the nitrogen may kill them. I’m off to do some research
Thank you Lydia!
Great advice and insight!
Tom
Great website. Our yard is a hotbed of pocket gopher activity so I’ll be trying some of the options listed.
I’ve lost a young lemon tree (8-10′ tall) to gophers within a couple of years of planting it. The Meyer lemon replacement is in a large stainless steel basket and is still alive three years after planting.
I also lost a 50+ year old fig tree (Mission, I think?). They just gobbled and gobbled the roots until it fell over, like the lemon tree.
Our volunteer coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) and planted valley oak (Quercus lobata) all have survived ok.
Our giant avocado tree (unknown hybrid which we grew from a seed) has never had a problem throughout its life.
Thank you Al!
Its amazing that the pocket gophers like citrus trees. I have definitely seen the same in my yard. However, there are some “resources that say gophers dont like citrus. Clearly wrong. Interestingly, I have even seen some “natural gopher deterrents” you can pour into their holes that have citrus oil as a main ingredient. As you and I know, these types of products are a waste of money.
So sad about your fig tree… they do love figs for some reason.
Great info about the live oaks. I am not too surprised because California Live Oaks and California Pocket Gophers evolved together.
Also cool to hear about your avocado tree. The only thing that seems to bother my one remaining avocado is my neglect (Avocados are so cheap in the stores so I dont give it much attention), Phytophthora infection (my property is on an old avocado orchard so the bad fungus is all over), and salt burn on the leaves.
Thanks!
Tom
Hi Tom,
I had ready everywhere that lantanas were gopher resistant. Last year, when they ate my Texas red lantanas, I thought it was an exception.
Today, one of my 1 year plus yellow lantana, got chewed up.
I think you should update your website with this latest heartbreaking update.
I have some pics at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/x6deqmh6xpe1wa9/AABlHTaOnYk3cjCioRPtmemra?dl=0
Thanks
Rajiv
Oh no.. thats terrible.
So sorry to hear about your lantana.
The bottom line is that those underground terrors will eat anything with roots.
Calendulas! I’ve had them at several places in my garden since last spring and not one has been dstroyed.
I’m not in a position, at the moment, to put cages under my annuals (although calendulas will survive winter in my location–foothills of the Sierra Nevada, 2300 ft.). I don’t protect calendulas or marigolds or zinnias. However, my garden is young and the furry devils just may need a little more time to find them.
I have not protected my iris. They are in an area where I haven’t seen tunnels but they are close by . They are under the canopy of a native oak. Perhaps the roots are thick enough to discourage digging.
Thank you Jane for the insight.
Best, Tom
COAST REDWOODS – Sequoia sempervirens. We live a few miles from the ocean, on Monterey Bay, and Monterey Pines and Coast Redwoods are native here. The pines don’t seem to be bothered by gophers (they have many other enemies, such as Pitch Canker and Pine Bark Beetles), but the redwoods seem to be gopher candy. As our pines have died off, we have replaced them with Redwoods; however, about 50% of the five to fifteen gallon trees have been killed by gophers. Some of the Redwoods were in the ground for many years and stood nearly fifteen feet tall and just died. Upon examination, the trees just pulled out of the ground with a totally chewed-off trunk. Very discouraging…
The Giant Sequoias (Sequoiadendron gigantea) seem to deter the gophers, but are very nasty, prickly trees when you touch the dry branches.
My name is Irina and we live in Escondido CA. I planted some lantana camara bushes and after two weeks hungry gophers ate one of them before my eyes standing near and crying. I could only take some pots and replanted another bushes from ground. Thank you Tom for sharing information about such a great problem, and all people who have written comments here.
Irina
So sorry to hear about your poor lantana.
Those gophers are unforgiving.
Although gophers will eat just about anything… I have noticed they tend to stay away from the blue-purple flowered lantana more than others. None the less, I put a cage around the roots all of the lantana plants that go in the ground now.
Best of luck, tom.
We live in a very rural part of Southern California and have been battling gophers (and other critters) for over 10 years. If gophers don’t eat your lantana or hibiscus, rabbits and squirrels certainly will! I tried both these plants and they were completely eaten overnight!
Thanks Stephanie
It is a huge problem.
I have tried all kinds of things to deter the hungry critters.
Its not easy.
* My best luck for the gophers has been by caging the roots of plants when they go in the ground.
* For Squires… I try to deter them as much as possible. Pick fruits a bit early (before fully ripe). Try not to let any fruit fall to the ground and quickly clean up what does. Put smelly things in the burrows like Irish Spring to piss them off and make them move elsewhere. Trap and release seems humane, but relocation is supposedly illegal. Some times they really push me to the point where I want to make a permanent solution, but I haven’t gotten to the point where I want to kill them. However, I have a neighbor who is well past that stage. None the less, there seems to be an unending flow of them.
* Rabbits seems to be the easiest for me. Just put fencing around the valuables. Of course the squirrels are too crafty for this, but the rabbits seem content munching on the weeds nearby. I tried ammonia dipped rags near plants to ward off the rabbits but they didnt seem to care.
Best of luck fighting the fight against the marauders.
Tom
hmm..besides gophers, I have a new problem and want to check.
Coyote (I am sure there is only 1) keeps chewing up my drip irrigation tubing. I am tired of patching up.
any solutions? this is becoming stressful
While my property is fenced, he or she? digs under the fence and gets in. I have began routinely monitoring my fence also now 🙁
thanks
Hey Rajiv
Great and important question that is especially problematic this time of the year. Its also a big problem for the commercial farmers such as grape growers I know of that typically use exposed drip-lines for irrigation.
The main issue is that in the late California summer/early fall, it is typically the driest it is going to get all year. As the streams dry up, many animals such as Coyotes get really desperate for some water. As a result, they will start chewing anything they think they can get moisture out of. Coyotes are also pretty smart/crafty and they know water comes out of those black irrigation poly tube lines regularly.
There are a lot of things that people try to do that may help.
Prevention is great, but requires you start before the problem starts. In this case prevention means that you hide your poly tube irrigation lines so they dont know about them. I try to bury the poly tubes in a tiny/shallow trough just a few millimeters under the soil to they cant see it… (and I dont trip over it when I am walking around). Of course, the emitters need to be above the soil line so that they dont clog up.
If it is not not possible to do this everywhere (and it often is not), I also bury the irrigation lines under wood-chips. Of course this works best if done before the coyotes figure out there is water in those tubes; once they figure it out, they may try to find it again.
Another option that a central California grape grower told me is to put a bowl water out for them. Obviously this has pluses and minuses. On the plus side, when you put water out for them, it is easy for them to drink and they wont have to go through the hassle of chewing through your irrigation lines. On the down side, you may be attracting Coyotes to your land… and the standing water could be a mosquito problem. (see info about combating mosquitoes in your yard).
All that being said, I actually am a bit fond of those Willie Coyotes, and not just for there underdog cartoon status. They play an important role in keeping the rodent population in check, therefore reducing the population of four legged rodents-raiders that cause havoc on so many plants.
Hope this helps,
Thanks,
Tom
Thanks Tom, there are some good suggestions I can try out.
Burying the poly tubes shallow, might be practical as long as the gophers don’t get them; I can also try rescheduling the drip irrigation early morning or late evening, before the coyotes come in.
Regards
Rajiv
Thanks Raijv
Good point about the gophers.
However, even though gophers are a huge problem in San Diego, I never had a problem with this method. Either I was lucky or they just dont like to chew on plastic.
Thank you for this posting.
The gophers in my garden love the following “resistant plants”:
Society garlic
Artemisia -Powis
Mint
Narcissus
I can attest that they leave the belladonnas alone.
Thank you for your feedback and insight Susan.
I’m in San Marcos, CA(North San Diego County) and have a HUGE gopher problem. I’ve been experimenting with the So African plant, Plectranthus neochilus. So far, the gophers have not only not touched them, but have completely abandoned the areas where I have planted them. I’m busy propagating more, as quickly as my single plant can produce stems. It’s so easily propagated, that I no longer use rooting hormone, or rooting it in its own container. I simply snap off a piece and stick it into the ground. After keeping it moist for a few weeks, it roots itself and begins growing. The groundcover type, semi-succulent plants have a distinct skunky scent when watered or brushed up against, but it’s not very noticeable in the air otherwise. I’m wondering if anyone else has any experience with Plectranthus neochilus? So far, so good here! Lisa
Thank you Lisa for your awesome insight.
What a fantastic discovery/observation to deter gophers. This is an exciting option for those dealing with the dreaded underground raiders. Looks like great low-maintenance ground cover with nice blue-purple flowers. http://www.plantbook.co.za/plectranthus-neochilus/
Thank you so much for sharing!
Tom
Thank you so much for your article and comments. They are very helpful. My husband and I recently purchased a house on a third of an acre up against an open space in Marin County. I never realized until today why people were always so rabid about getting rid of gophers. I thought, hey, just another one of god’s creatures, so they dig a few holes… Now I understand why. So in thinking about what to bring to the new property, I now have a lovely list from which to start. Thank you for that!
One thing I did want to point out is the import of checking the gopher resistant plants against a list of fire resistant plants before doing any planting. At the urging of our local fire department we just removed all the juniper and most of the rosemary around our house because it is so explosive in a fire situation. We were told the oils in the plants turn to a gas when exposed to a high heat and then literally explode when exposed to flame. For the San Francisco Bay Area the following site is very helpful but I am sure one can google for such a website in one’s own area. https://www.firesafemarin.org/plants/fire-resistant Again, thank you so much for your site.
Thanks for this great site! I live deep in gopher country, in Watsonville, CA. I came here looking for information about bear breech (Acanthus Mollis), as someone just gave me some. But I wanted to chime in (misery loves company) that I planted 12 supposedly toxic foxglove in a row last fall and watched the gophers suck them down one after another. I have two left. Not sure if that means there are 10 sick/dead gophers out there or one very hungry little terrorist with a belly of steel. Either way … I’m super excited about seeing my remaining two foxglove bloom this spring. Fingers crossed. Also, the baskets are for sure not gopher-proof. I’ve watched them build a Masada-like embankment around a favorite salvia (salvia!!) in order to launch an above ground attack, coming up over the top of the basket and chomping away. And meanwhile the cat runs away in terror. OH well. I’ll keep planting Mexican sage and society garlic. Thanks again!
So sorry to hear about your latest encounters with the underground terrors.
However, I did enjoy your storytelling, your a wonderful writer.
Thanks,
Tom
Hi Tom!
Thanks for the compliment :). Just now realized you’d responded and wanted to give you an update. My last two foxglove bloomed beautifully! Then the gophers ate the tallest. I now have one lonely but beautiful plant standing sentinel over the picket fence. The good news (i think) is that I’m trying Lydia’s coffee grounds and dryer sheet trick and i THINK it’s working!
Becky, I’m sorry to hear about your gopher problems, and I surely can relate! I’m shocked and disappointed to hear they are your foxgloves. I haven’t had them eat any of mine yet, but that’s probably because they have plenty of tastier items to choose from. They start with the plants the enjoy the most, and move on to less desirable,(read gopher resistant plants) as they run out of their choicest snacks. As things get hotter and drier in the late summer, they’ll eat just about anything.
Tom, I’m definitely having some success with the Plectranthus neochilus, but they move to areas where I don’t have any growing. The first things to be eaten this spring were my dianthus, dahlia tubers, and Orlaya. I’ve watched them take down my full sized tomatoe plants, by the way. Like someone else mentioned, one of those nasty critters mounded up the soil around my expensive Italian Ranunculus corms, and climbed right in. Apparently, it spent a good amount of time in that “all you can eat buffet”. Because the Ranunculus were dormant at the time, I didn’t notice until it had eaten every one of them, and vacated the cages.
Those gophers are SO incredibly frustrating! Recently, I purchased two “Gopher Hawk” traps, one included the “setup kit”. It has worked wonderfully, especially for someone who has trouble digging to place a standard trap. I love not having to touch the dead gopher, and setting the trap is easy for someone without much physical strength. I highly recommend adding it to the gopher arsenal!
Good luck, everyone! This is by far the most helpful site for gardeners doing battle with gophers. Tom, thanks so much! Lisa
Thank you so much Lisa for your kind words.
And.. I totally agree with your assessment about these subterranean bandits (gophers).
Also, thanks for the amazing tips:
* Awesome to hear about your success with Plectranthus neochilus… esp because it can thrive our sometimes harsh Southern California growing conditions.
* I just looked up the “Gopher Hawk” trap you mentioned. I have never used them, but it looks like ingenious engineering and I see a ton of great reviews on amazon.
Thanks!
Tom
I live in the high desert New Mexico mountains with Pines and cactus in our town. The Gophers have infested our neighborhood for quite awhile. Never in 30 years of gardening have I seen my bearded iris get sucked down and restored like this year. I have had these flowers for 26 years. Our neighbors decided to kill their whole yard to rid themselves of weeds and gophers. They succeeded in sending them all over to my gardens. I am so upset. I will look into GOPHER HAWKS and anything else!
Betty
Bearded Iris get sucked down and destroyed (not restored)
Oh no! So sorry, they are terrible vermin.
Hi Tom,
Have couple of questions,
q1
Planning to plant couple of olive trees.
Any comments/past experience with regards to Olives and Gophers?
q2
I know sunflowers are a gopher treat, but has anyone grown sunflowers successfully with a gopher cage?
Sunflower roots grow vertically down,(tap root) so not sure if the cage girdles root growth.
Thanks
Hi Rajiv
Great questions.
Olives:
Olives grow like weeds in Southern California. In my experience, I have not had any problems with them. However, the part of the property where I was growing olive trees did not have any gophers. So I would say its always best to cage the roots because gophers have a tendency of eating just about anything.
Sunflowers:
Good point about sunflowers. When I have dug up plants that have grown in cages for years, the roots always grow through the holes in the cages. Often times, the roots grow into the wire of the cage, much like a tree trunk would grow into an adjacent metal fence. I have never seen any problem with the toots doing this and there has never been any sign of girdles.. the roots just engulf the wires as they grow. However, I do sometimes see roots that are pruned by gophers as they reach the other side (outside) of the gopher cage. However, I get the sense that the little roots are not enough for them,and they usually only attack a small part of the caged plant roots (outside roots) before moving on to a different plant where they can go straight to the core.
Thanks,
Tom
Tom like you, I’ve grown sunflowers with cages and the wire (hardware cloth) did not inhibit the roots.
Since my last post I’ve been able to confirm that the underground devil’s do not bother calendulas. I have these flowers all over my large garden and never one eaten. My other successes are native plants: hummingbird sage, cinquefoil, and yarrow.
Hi Jane
Thanks for sharing your experience/insight and the great additional info. Wonderful list of plant options.
Tom
phew! thanks Tom
Foxgloves are NOT gopher-proof!! I planted three young plants in a bed w/o root cages a couple of months ago, hoping they might be toxic to the critters. Within a week, gophers had invaded the bed and ate them, one every other day ’til they were gone, much to my dismay.
Oh no!.. is there no mercy from those underground terrors?! I would not have expected that they would love foxglove… but then again those bandits will eat just about anything. Thank you for sharing your insight.
Tom
I live in zone 9b in Southern California. I planted 12 Lantana plants in April, and in the last 2 weeks a gopher has eaten 10 of them. Everything I read said Lantana is gopher proof. However, they were eating all of my moss rose, so I moved my moss rose to pots. After that the gopher took out 2 of my rose bushes, so I dug up all my rose bushes and put them in cages. That’s when they went after my lantana. Moral of the story: if you remove their favorite food sources, they will go after the gopher resistant plants. I intend to replant the lantana in cages. I hope that won’t make them go after my rosemary, lavender, sage and geraniums. I’m trying hard to make a gopher-proof yard, but I may end up with a rock garden if they keep this up!
Hi Bonnie
Thanks for your note. I totally agree with you. You take away their favorite food and they will just go to the next victim. They are terribly refrigerating. I have had the best success with Gopher cages and wish you the best. Tom
I just came across this post and thank you for the great information! I moved to “gopher country” 4 years ago and planted some Lilac bushes when I first moved here. I noticed California Lilac on the gopher safe plant list and I thought I would mention my other lilac varieties that have remained untouched by the gophers here: Common Purple, Lavender Lady, Blue Skys, Scentsation, Ludwig Spaeth and F.K. Smith. I also have a Wonderful Pomegranate tree that is thriving and some New Zeasland Tea tree bushes (of course, it’s only been 4 years so who knows).
My loss list however is also very long including several varieties of hibiscus, roses and even a Meyer lemon tree sawed off at the base.
Hi Jordan
Thanks for your insight. Appreciate the additional info about these destructive critters.
Best, Tom
This was really helpful information! I have a little strip of garden behind my apartment in the middle of Santa Cruz CA and had a very elaborate vegetable patch for a couple years, before gophers found it. They decimated everything within a couple months, it was pretty frustrating seeing plant after plant after plant gone. Even the jalapenos! I got so discouraged that I quit gardening entirely for a couple seasons, potted up the three remaining survivors (two hungarian wax and a rabbit-eye blueberry, clearly nibbled on but not yet destroyed), and just left the whole plot to go wild.
But after finding this page I got encouraged again. At first I was planning to stick with gopher resistant plants as listed here, and had a nice time researching them all, super interesting! But after I found your tutorial on gopher cages I ended up taking a couple weeks constructing my own, and lining some planter beds, and I’ve put in a flower garden. Fingers crossed!
Now I’m researching groundcover options to fill in the spaces between the cages. Do gophers eat grass roots? Or just dig through them? I had some extra woodland strawberry runners that I’m not invested in, so I planted some of those to start, but I was thinking of getting some moss (Irish moss is so pretty!) and maybe something that grows a little taller around the gopher cages to hide them a little (mine stick up about 4 to 6 inches).
Thanks for your help!
Hi Sierra
Thank you so much for your note. Great to hear it was helpful. Such a painful situation with those gophers. hopefully it is getting better. I dont grow grass myself, so I dont have direct experience. However, I do believe that gophers eat grass roots, and likely love it based on my research of the movie Caddyshack. All the best.
Tom
Sierra, I am in zone 9b in California. I have had good luck with allysium and verbena as ground cover. The allysium is about 3″ tall and does a good job hiding the cages. It’s also very I inexpensive. The gophers by us are relentless, and we have removed all other sources of food by caging everything, so I think these are a good choices.