It can be a true source of headache to homeowners to see their yards and gardens become infested with annoying moles and gophers. These pests ruin the appearance of the gardens due to their activities, which makes it infuriating, especially if we spent a lot of money maintaining the state of our gardens and backyards.
These animals might look cute and cuddly. But they bring forth destruction and disarray to your well-manicured gardens and well-kept backyards with their burrows, holes, and other problems they bring with them.
Thus, we must address these concerns before it gets worse. Many different home remedies are available on the Internet, saying how these can make the gophers and moles go away with just a few tries.
However, other people doubt the authenticity of their claims. Still, they immediately get convinced when they try the tricks and home remedies themselves.
We know you are interested right now, so we are not breaking the momentum. Here are eight of the best home remedies to get rid of gophers and moles.
Creating Noise in Your Backyard
We know this one sounds weird, but it really does the trick. It is interesting to know that gophers are known to be extremely sensitive to loud noises. Thus, creating noise that will annoy the annoying gophers and moles in our gardens makes sense.
Some people say adding wind chimes or other objects that can produce noise in the yard is one sure way of shooing the gophers away from the backyard. Also, wind chimes add a charming factor to any garden, so it will not be an eyesore to the garden landscape.
Others put speakers on their backyards and gardens and blast songs or any music that annoys the gophers and moles. Thus it drives them away without resorting to any bloody methods.
Use Castor Oil to Get Rid of Gophers
Gardeners and landscape architects use castor oil to effectively drive the moles and gophers away from the yards and gardens. These animals get diarrhea from consuming castor oil, so they do everything to get away from the castor oil. They are sure to stay away from the garden and start searching for a new place to thrive.
To create this:
- Mix two tablespoons of any dishwashing liquid with a quarter cup of castor oil.
- Dilute the two tablespoons of the castor oil and dishwashing liquid mixture in a gallon of water.
- Spray it all over the infested areas.
Soon after, the gophers and moles will come out of their caves and scurry away from the garden and into the wild. This home remedy is a good idea because it does not harm the plants in the garden or releases any nasty odors, even though castor oil smells nasty at times.
Attracting Owls to the Garden
This home remedy is also a hands-free one that is sure to get rid of moles and gophers in a few days. Attracting predators will surely eliminate any prey infesting the garden and the backyard, and this will not backfire on us.
Owls are their mortal enemies, and thus attracting them to build nests on the trees in the garden would surely send the message to the nasty moles and gophers.
Start by building or buying a nest box and installing it on tree branches and other high spots in the garden or backyard. These nest boxes can be attached to the tree or to the outside of a barn. Ensure that it will be stable enough to stay up there and not knock up when owls visit the nest box.
Then, fill the box with straw and wait for the owls to flock on the nest boxes. Once gophers see their predators, they would get scared, and getting rid of them would be passed on to the owl.
Planting Natural Mole and Gopher Deterrents
Since we are already talking about the garden and backyards, why not plant natural deterrents to shoo the moles and gophers away from our gardens?
Using these natural mole and gopher repellents can be the best thing to do. It also beautifies and diversifies the plants we might have in our gardens and backyards. Plants such as alliums, mole plants, castor beans, daffodils, and marigolds are good deterrents sure to shoo these crawly creatures away from our gardens.
However, castor bean plants and mole plants are considered dangerous due to their poisonous attributes. So be careful when planting it and make sure that no children or pets would be near these plants.
Using Tabasco Sauce
Mixing tabasco sauce, castor oil, peppermint oil, and water together can make a very potent mixture. This ingredient is a staple in many homes, and it can serve its purpose in getting rid of moles and gophers. This mixture can easily eliminate these nasty crawlers out of the gardens and backyards. Dabbing cotton balls in this mixture and leaving them in the infested area will surely make them hurry out of the burrows and out of our lives.
Block Gopher Holes With Pet Waste
Using the pet waste from our dogs and cats is another known home remedy that is harmless and does not damage the soil conditions when applied. This is also another good way of repurposing the pet waste before it gets thrown away.
Use these to block the gopher holes and the other entry and exit points of the gophers. Now, watch as they get the message and leave the garden alone while looking for their new homes.
Mothballs are Not Just for Cabinets
This method uses an ingredient that is commonly found in most homes nowadays. Mothballs are also known to annoy moles and gophers out of their wits with their smell. It works the same way when we use it in our cabinets and drawers to remove the pests inside those.
Putting several mothballs on the entry and exit points of the gophers would help get rid of them, but these are meant to be used on minor infestations. It will not work on gardens, usually heavily infested, and is also treated as a temporary option. Thus, it should not be relied on solely in getting rid of gophers and moles.
Poisoning Them Might Be the Best Idea
This last method should only be used if no children or pets are living in the house. This method can be dangerous to pets or children because it might work against them. Buying pesticides to get rid of their food source — insects, grubs, and worms — is a tried and tested method that will send the message to the moles and gophers that they are not welcome here.
If that fails, use baits designed to lure and trap them to their death. Talpirid Mole Bait is a bait that resembles a worm in shape and texture, thus fooling the gophers into thinking these are actual worms before eating them. However, use this with care and keep it out of children and pets.
Our Takeaway
Gophers and moles can be very annoying, but we can use several home remedies to eliminate them completely without resorting to killing them with our bare hands. Some of these home remedies can be found in our kitchen cupboards at home, so it will not cost us a lot to use them to get rid of these annoying animals out of our gardens.
If all else fails, call a professional and let them do the job for you. Hybrid Pest Control in Salt Lake City offers to take this task off your hands with its team of professional pest exterminators. The company offers to get rid of moles and gophers, and other pests in the house to ensure that we will not be bothered by these creatures. Their services are effective and efficient, without wasting their effort and money in creating empty promises for their clients in residences and commercial areas.
