California Gardening: Ugh, gophers, 1 by buffaloroad

buffaloroad wrote:
quiltygirl - Yes the Weevil-cide is for "professionals" but there are companies that will do it for you. The only thing is I wouldn't sign a 1 time contract with them for the gopher removal. If they advertise removal I would make sure they understand that the job is not done until you are rid of the pests. They know that this takes more than one visit. The trick is to stay after it.

The time of day seems to make a huge difference as well. I always go out when it is early morning or early evening when they are active and right after a rain is perfect. I put tablets (it only takes a couple) in two different ends. I just estimate which holes are in the same area and they are almost always connected. I have learned that from Rodenating. They can't dig fast enough to take care of two different cites. This stuff smells so bad it hits you like a ton of bricks the minute you open the canister. I always wear a mask and gloves. I imagine that they succumb pretty quickly. I go out the next day and look for new activity and hit it again. After a few days of constant Weevil-cide I hit them again with the Rodenator. If your soil is sandy my guess is it will work great. If your neighbors are too close you might want to give them a heads up that you are going to start. It makes the same sound as a shotgun. Sometimes loud and sometimes muffled depending on the depth of the tunnel. We love it. It gives you some small measure of satisfaction to hear the blast and think of them flying through the air, never to destroy another precious plant again! I would also put up owl boxes. They go through the gophers pretty quickly. Don't give up! If you just can't go on anymore you can always rest easy with the fact that if you let them breed themselves out they will eventually succumb to overpopulation, disease and starvation but, your land will be barren. I feel for you. I know how much gardening means to me. I hope I have helped. Here is a picture of a tunnel that has been blown apart.