What plants will keep gophers away? Here are some species that will repel these pest species anytime.

The burrowing activity of gophers through yards and gardens can be destructive. This can cause significant damage to your lawns and gardens. The only way to prevent these rodents from causing further havoc is by finding ways to stop them.

This article will dwell on one of the most reliable and proven ways to contain a gopher problem. This has to do with the use of plants to repel them.

Repelling gophers with plants is a natural way that has no negative impact on the environment. In other words, it’s an environmentally safe method of pest control.

7 Herbs And Plants That Deter Gophers

There are several plants having gopher repellent properties. These only need to be planted along or around infested areas to repel them off. Knowing how they work as well as how to use them is of the essence is you must have real impactful results.

Luckily, we’re bringing all of this information to you as well as possible side effects associated with the use of such plants. This information should go a long way in helping you contain the problem. These plants include Daffodils, Allium, Onion, Garlic, Gopher spurge, Crown imperials, and Lavender.

Other plants include Rosemary, Salvia, Catmint, Oleander, Marigolds, and Euphorbias among several more.

  1. Daffodils

One of the natural and effective ways of deterring gophers is by having daffodils planted within your surroundings. As gophers burrow through your garden, they chew on any plant they come across. With daffodils, they don’t stand a chance. A toxic chemical compound in the bulbs will easily poison these rodents.

  • How it Works

Daffodils are plants that help keep gophers at bay. It significantly limits their activity and presence due to its chemical content. The more these plants are found within your yard or garden, the less likely gophers are to have a free reign. Finding a more suitable environment will be the only option available.

  • How to Repel Gophers with Daffodils

Your best bet of gaining full control of your surroundings is by planting daffodil plants around gopher-infested areas. When planting, ensure the bulb’s pointy ends face up while the broader or fatter end should be down. This plant should be planted twice as deep as the bulb is tall.

Well-drained soil is needed for growing daffodils. After covering the bulbs with soil, water well as frequently as necessary.

  • Side Effects

If you handle daffodil plants, there’s a likelihood of experiencing skin irritations and swelling. You might want to use gloves to protect your skin. Medication is also necessary when such irritations are noticed.

  1. Alliums

Alliums are great plants that are effective in gopher control. To have these planted in your yard, find areas with adequate sunshine as well as well-drained soil. As gophers go about their destructive activity, they’re met with barriers formed by these plants. This makes your surroundings increasingly unsuitable for them.

  • How it Works

We earlier mentioned that gophers love to chew on plants which results in such plants being mowed down. However, not all plant types are suitable. Alliums fall under this category. The more you have these within your yard, the less suitable it becomes for gophers to have free reign.

  • How to Use

All you need to do to take advantage of the repellent properties of alliums is to have them planted around your yard. Forming a barrier with these plants around mole-infested areas will go a long way to provide the much-needed relief you seek.

  • Side Effects

Using alliums to take back control of your yard will hardly have or present any side effects. However, there may be complications arising from allergies. These should medically be sorted out.

  1. Gopher Spurge

Gopher spurge plants are popularly used as gopher repellents. This native European plant is called by several names including a mole plant, gopher plant, and euphorbia Lathyrus. It is a poisonous plant not only to gophers but also to humans and most animals.

  • How it Works

Gopher spurge is a great remedy for gopher problems. This plant is poisonous, hence dangerous to gophers when chewed on. Planting gopher spurge around infested areas should do the trick as these rodents will have no option but to abandon their burrows for areas considered more favorable.

  • How to Use Gopher Spurge to Repel Gophers

Gopher spurge plants will need to be grown around your yard or areas where gopher presence has been identified. For the best results, it will be necessary to get a sufficient number of plants. This will depend on the size of the affected area.

  • Side Effects

The handling of gopher spurge is likely to lead to skin irritations. This plant contains latex which can easily stick to your skin. Consider using gloves to avoid such. Medication is also essential when these irritations happen.

  1. Crown Imperials

If you’re looking for plants with gopher repelling properties, you may want to consider crown imperials. Aside from being a beautiful plant that enhances the look of your surroundings, it checks further incursion into your property by gophers.

  • How it Works

Crown imperials provide relief from gopher problems. The scent released will stop gophers in their tracks. As such, it’s necessary to have a sufficient number of crown imperials within your garden or yard to help ward off these destructive rodents.

  • How to Use

Planting crown imperials around your home will help serve as a deterrent for gopher activity. Well-drained soils are best for growing these plants. The presence of crown imperials serves as a protective barrier as these rodents can’t chew on them.

  • Side Effects

There are no major side effects associated with crown imperial use for gopher control. Although such isn’t common, there’s a chance of developing irritations.

  1. Lavender

Another plant with natural gopher repellent properties is lavender. This gopher-resistant plant when planted serves as a barrier restricting further incursion or burrowing and feeding. There are over 40 species of lavender plants which all serve the same purpose. This plant also has nutritional and medicinal value.

  • How it Works

Lavender plants have a sweet-smelling fragrance that is pleasant to humans. However, the same cannot be said for pests including gophers. Gophers stand no chance against lavender as they cannot burrow through or chew on this plant due to its repellent properties.

  • How to Use Lavender

The best way to use lavender plants for repelling gophers and a host of other pests is to have them planted around your home. Well-drained soil is needed in addition to adequate sunshine. When these rodents come in contact with lavender plants, they are turned off and seek more favorable locations.

  • Side Effects of Lavender

No major side effects have been associated with lavender use. Nevertheless, there’s a likelihood of irritations developing when you come in contact with it.

  1. Catmint

One of the natural ways to discourage and dispel gophers is by using a catmint plant. This plant not only repels gophers but also serves as an attraction for cats. Both cats and plants help create an environment that isn’t conducive to gophers.

  • How it Works

To get real benefits from this plant, you’ll need to know how it works. Catnip plants belong to the mint family. These plants give off a pungent smell that repels a variety of pests including gophers. What more? Gophers find this plant unsuitable for feeding and will avoid them.

  • How to Use

Deploying catnip plants for gopher control isn’t as difficult as it seems. Get these plants and have them planted around or close to areas with gopher problems. For this to be possible, you’ll need to detect affected areas.

  • Side Effects

There are very few if any side effects associated with catnip use as a repellent. As a result, little information is available on such. However, the possibility of allergies is always there hence the need to seek urgent medical help where necessary.

  1. Marigolds

Marigold plants serve as effective repellents to gophers.

The presence of these plants creates an unfavorable condition that limits gopher activity. The most effective way to use these plants is to populate your backyard or garden with them.

  • How it Works

Marigolds are known to have given off a pungent smell which is disliked by gophers. Plus, these plants cannot be fed on by these rodents. So, having them planted around your garden or yard serves to repel them.

  • How to Use

The scent given off by marigolds serves as one of its repellent properties. This originates from its foliage. Gophers cannot chew on, or feed on marigolds as it is toxic. Therefore, the best way to use this plant is to form a barrier or hedge around gopher-infested areas for maximum impact.

  • Side Effects

Facing an allergic reaction from marigold use is unlikely. Though there’s a possibility of this happening.

These are a few of several gopher repellent plants that can be used to ward off these rodents. Gophers will cease to cause havoc the moment these plants are introduced into your yard or garden.

So, start by choosing your preferred gopher repellent plants from the list provided here.

One Comment

  1. Hello:
    Thank you for the information.
    My only concern is with the spurge. As it is a European plant & some forms are *extremely* invasive (especially here in the wild areas of California), I would be quite hesitant to incorporate it on the property. Do you know if “gopher spurge” is likewise invasive? That’s important info to include in your descriptions.
    Thank you again for the suggestions.
    =^..^=

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