How to Get Rid of Gophers (Without Losing Your Mind or Your Garden)

My prized rosebush disappeared overnight. Not wilted. Not diseased. Just gone. One day it was there, blooming beautifully, and the next morning there was a hole in the ground and a mound of dirt where my rose used to be. That was my introduction to gophers.

Those adorable-looking little rodents that live underground and destroy everything you've spent months—sometimes years—growing. They pulled my entire rosebush down into their tunnels. Ate the roots. Left me with nothing but a horseshoe-shaped dirt pile and a lot of rage.

If you've ever dealt with gophers, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't? Count yourself lucky. Because these things are destructive, persistent, and surprisingly difficult to get rid of once they've decided your yard is their personal buffet.

Let me save you from the mistakes I made trying to evict my unwelcome underground tenants.

Gopher in its natural habitat — The culprit: a pocket gopher

Gopher damage in garden — Fresh gopher mounds—the telltale sign

"One gopher can create up to 70 mounds per month. And they're prolific breeders."

First Things First: Are You Sure It's Gophers?

Before you start a war with an underground enemy, make sure you're fighting the right battle. Gophers, moles, and voles all create mounds and tunnels, but they're different animals with different habits.

Gophers

Fan or horseshoe-shaped mounds. Plugged hole on one side. Eat roots, pull plants underground.

Moles

Volcano-shaped mounds, raised surface ridges. Eat grubs and insects, not plants.

Voles

Surface runways, small holes near shrubs. Chew bark, no large mounds.

I spent two weeks trying mole remedies before I finally figured out I was dealing with gophers. Learn from my wasted time—identify your pest correctly before you start.

Why Gophers Are Such a Problem

Beyond the obvious plant destruction, gophers also:

Chew through irrigation lines (ask me about my £400 sprinkler repair bill)
Create tunnels that collapse under foot traffic
Undermine patios and walkways
Damage underground utility cables
Attract predators that cause additional damage

The good news: gophers are territorial and solitary. You'll usually only have one gopher per acre. The bad news: that one gopher can do the damage of ten.

What Doesn't Work (Save Your Money)

Let's get this out of the way first because the internet is full of "miracle" gopher solutions that are complete nonsense.

Things I Tried That Accomplished Nothing

Ultrasonic devices — Gophers completely ignore them
Chewing gum — They don't eat it
Vibrating stakes & pinwheels — Underground means they don't care
Flooding tunnels — Wastes water, gopher seals itself in
Mothballs — Toxic to you, ineffective on them
"Gopher purge" plants — Research says no

I wasted weeks and £200 on products that promised easy solutions. There are no easy solutions. There are, however, methods that actually work.

Methods That Actually Work

Trapping

Most effective option

I resisted trapping for a long time because it seemed complicated and grim. But after losing four more plants, I gave in. Turns out, trapping is the most reliable way to deal with gophers. It's what professionals use for a reason.

Trap types: Macabee (cheap, effective, brutal) or Cinch (easier to set, worth the extra cost).

How to Trap a Gopher

Find fresh mound (moist dirt, recent plug)
Probe 12 inches from mound on plug side to find tunnel
Dig small hole down to tunnel
Set two traps facing both directions
Cover hole completely (no light)
Check daily, relocate if no catch in 48 hours

Barriers and Exclusion

Best for prevention

Bury galvanized gopher mesh 2 feet deep under raised beds or around valuable plants. Labour-intensive but permanent protection.

I put wire baskets around replacement fruit trees. Still alive three years later.

Poison Bait

Effective but problematic

Works but dangerous to pets, children, and wildlife. Use zinc phosphide if you must, avoid strychnine. I won't use it again due to secondary poisoning concerns.

Natural Predators

Long-term strategy

Barn owls eat 1,000 gophers per year. I installed an owl box—no owls yet. Dogs and cats sometimes help. Don't rely on this alone.

Gopher trap and damage assessment — Assessing gopher damage and preparing a trapping strategy

When to Call a Professional

After three months of DIY attempts, I called pest control. Problem solved in two weeks for £300. Worth every penny.

        Call a Pro If:
        You have multiple gophers
DIY methods failing after 30 days
No time for daily trap checks
Damage to expensive landscaping

      

Professionals know exactly where to trap and can help prevent future infestations. No shame in admitting this is above your skill level.

Prevention (So You Don't Have to Do This Again)

Once you've eliminated your gopher, make your yard less appealing:

Remove excess vegetation and debris
Keep soil compacted where possible
Install underground barriers around valuable plants
Maintain a tidy yard
Plant gopher-resistant species (daffodils, oleander, lavender)

If your neighbours have gophers, you might eventually too. In some areas, it's an ongoing battle.

The Bottom Line

Getting rid of gophers requires persistence, realistic expectations, and usually multiple strategies.

Trapping works best. Poison works but has concerns. Barriers work for prevention. Everything else is hit-or-miss at best.

Don't waste time on gadgets and gimmicks. Magic solutions don't exist.

And if you're struggling, call a professional. Your garden (and your sanity) will thank you.

My rosebush never came back. But I planted a new one inside a wire basket, and it's thriving. The gophers moved on to someone else's yard.

For now.

Final Thought

There are no magic bullets. But there are proven methods—and persistence wins.