Gophers and bulbs

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TheGardenerGirl Trabuco Canyon, CA(Zone 10a) Feb 17, 2008

Now that spring is here I am about to plant a bunch of bulbs in my garden. I have seen the signs of a gopher in my yard (rows of dug up soil, tunnels, holes). Will the gopher eat my bulbs? If so, what is the best way to protect them from being eaten? (Besides killing the gopher). Can I put a cage around the bulbs?

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Feb 17, 2008

If they're garlic or onions or something like that they'll probably leave them alone, but if they're anything else then they'll probably eat them (and just to warn you, they don't just eat bulbs, they'll chew the roots off your plants too) I would plant your bulbs in wire cages, that should stop the gophers from munching them. Around here you can buy special "gopher cages" that are pre-made for you, but you can make your own too if you want to. I normally don't like killing things, but after my own experience with gophers I highly recommend killing them, if you don't it turns into a neverending battle (unless you want to dig up everything in your garden and replant them in wire baskets)

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rosewynd Anza, CA(Zone 8b) Feb 18, 2008

Make sure the wire cage sticks up a little bit out of the ground, to discourage "overland travellers". Darned gophers are determined.

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LorraineR Gilmer, TX(Zone 8a) Feb 18, 2008

We had gophers kill several azaleas by eating the roots. These were big azaleas.

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