California winter #2

Kathleen, there's a device available at Joe's hardware in Fallbrook to get rid of gophers. It's called the "Underground Exterminator". It's a neoprene 'boot' with a built-in hose clamp that fits over your car exhaust pipe. The other end of it has male hose thread. You clamp it over the end of your exhaust pipe, hook your garden hose to the other end, put the male end of the hose into one of the gopher holes and tamp dirt around it to seal it, start your engine and run it for 15 or 20 minutes. It gasses them painlessly, and you don't have to deal with their dead bodies like you do with traps or worry about other animals or birds eating various poisons that are sometimes used. It works great and only costs about $15.00. You can use it as many times as you need to over the years and the only expense after purchasing the device is the cost of gasoline.

I remember you mentioning this before, DP - I'll give the info to the DH. They have so many holes, I'm sure they could escape, but even if it makes them vacate the premises it would help. They've got a whole dang hill across the road they can have.

I take it you have used this yourself?

I'm not thrilled with the lousy rodents, either. Because of gopher activity, and the heavy rains my gh flooded out.
I want one too!
I have photos of the gopher damage somehow they aren't filed like they should be, and I have to unscramble them. Will post as soon as I do.
Hang in there KC.
WIB!
SW

One word...wire....

What kind, wc,? Copper wire, chicken wire, steel wool? Inquiring minds want to know!
WIB!
SW

the thing about this device, Kathleen is that they just stay put and don't try to 'escape'. It's relaxing for them. Relaxes them to death.

Chicken wire...one roll at a time...

The thing about wire is, it doesn't stop steps collapsing, or one's foot going through a weak spot where they've tunneled extensively. Protects the plants, but not my bones!

DP, I've used the gas bombs, but they don't seem to work much. DH says it's US - we're not consistent enough. :-( I have to agree to some extent: out of sight, out of mind.

I've used the gas bombs before as well with very little success. This thing is much more effective. I have one of them that I use at work. If I owned one of my own, I'd loan it to you. I may wind up buying one though. I seem to have a bit of a gopher problem here and I won't be able to have much of a veggie garden with those rascals around.

I have one of those in the garage from my neighbor. He said, "here, maybe you'll have more luck than me"! Part of the problem with gassing them, I guess, is that they basically close the door behind themselves, building a dirt berm within the hole. Apparently they do this quite fast too. Another neighbor talked of using the smoke bombs and when he had put it into a hole, smoke came out all over his yard and saw it over the neighbor's fence too. LOL

When we first moved here we used a pest control service every other month, then changed the company to Freedom as they said they could get rid of gophers. We signed up for bug spraying with gopher control and it seemed to work, but we id not have as much evidence of gophers then either. Then I realized I did NOT want all that insecticide used in my garden, killing good and bad bugs and money was getting tighter too, so we cancelled the whole service. They do come out for just gophers too, seemed pricey, but would be worth it more now with this seeming invasion. I see in yellow pages others that do gophers, but only a few that do ground squirrels. Then, I wonder, what about our neighbors gophers and squirrels?

I was telling my Dr. about the device you recommended DP. He had just told me about his neighbors using concussion bombs to kill the gophers on his acre. His neighbor raises alpaca's and has about 12 of them. They get their feet stuck in those gopher holes and break their ankles. I don't think I'd be happy about that method.
Here is another gopher hole flood contributor to my gh. Sneaky, rotten rodents!
This is outside the gh, with the post pointing to the hole, and my old sneakers.

Oh Star!, I lost the ones of the gopher holes inside the gh. I'll have to go find them photos or take more.
WIB!
SW

I found it! I was looking for this batch of photos since I lost them on the 23rd.
I don't even like cone flowers, but will save the seed if someone else wants it.

This is my side of the front yard. Time to weed and put down more mulch. Anyone have any ideas about what I can do with the broken bird bath pedestals?

The succulent fountain looks happy.

The Sea Lavender is starting to bloom.

I forgot what these are, having a duh moment.
I planted them, I guess I'll just wait and be surprised. LOL!

Jonquils and weeds, well at least the chickens will be happy to get those weeds.

I'm still wondering what is going on with that Confederate Rose. One of Dad's friends sent it to me, and I'd be sad if it died. I have a lot of clean up and mulching to do.

The bulbs came from last March's RU at KC's, but I forgot what they are. Oops. Most of them sprouted though! We'll figure it out. : - )

It volunteered, and it's blooming.

More jonquils.

What? A bloom on the Brazilian Sky Tree? It's been a mild winter here.

One of the bird feeders is full of water.

A daffie. : - )

It's been slow but my Bay leaf tree is coming back. It barely held on through last year.

I have changed my opinion of the Bower Vine. Yesterday morning, I saw a hummer diving inside the blossom and feeding off the various blooms.

A pretty spot near the gf & turtle pond.

I have been trying since I moved here in 1987 to get Bougainvillea, to grow outside here. You can imagine my surprise when I saw this one, not just growing, but blooming! : - )

It was hiding behind the Heavenly Bamboo.

The Aloe looks like it plans on blooming.

The Society Garlic never quits.

Hmm. I wonder what the cats see.

That's the feral Mama Cat (now spayed). Also old rusty can from before we moved here. They didn't take the trash to the dump so it keeps turning up.

Feral Mama, her son Sid, and BB Jr. are all interested in something. They are my rodent control officers. LOL!

I think they are on to me.

Yellow berries on the potato bush.

Nice reflection in my muddy pool. I've since cleaned off the concrete and the pool coping with the pressure washer. Now we wait for the sediment to settle. Sigh . . .



edited because I left out a word. Ooops! : - )

This message was edited Jan 27, 2010 10:47 PM

My Freesia isn't too happy.

I've become very fond of these blue flowers, even though I don't remember what they are. They are as hard to get a good photo of as my Red Sage Salvia.