[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Gophers
I love the discussion here about the role different animals (mainly
insects) play in the ecosystem of the garden. Especially when it's animals
that most people strive to get rid of. I'd like to start a similar
discussion about gophers, which have just appeared in my yard (a couple
weeks ago). I bought the house in late May so I have no idea if they
arrive every fall or if they are new immigrants to my garden.
Actually, I don't know for sure if they are gophers. We are seeing piles
of dirt 2-3" high and 6-10" in diameter appear in the lawn, especially next
to the watered beds (we don't water the lawn ever and it's rained once this
summer). How can I tell which burrowing animal it is? I live in the San
Francisco Bay Area.
We have no intentions of killing them off. The mess they are making is
minimal (so far anyway) and we are happy to give them food and shelter.
But we are about to put in a vegatable garden (not too far from where
they've been digging) and I'd hate to lose significant portions of it. I
don't mind losing some (10-20% to all animals...gophers, birds, insects,
etc).
Anyone want to offer thoughts on gophers' role in the garden? How to
discourage them from certain areas (someone on rec.gardens suggested
putting human hair into their burrows...but there are no visable holes in
the ground, just mounds of dirt)? If I will need chicken wire under my
veggie bed? And how to keep them happy and alive without turning my entire
yard into a dirt mound?
Cyndi
_______________________________________________________________________________
Oakland, California Zone 9 USDA; Zone 16 Sunset Western Garden Guide
Disabled, chemically sensitive, wheelchair user Organic Gardening only
_______________________________________________________________________________
"There's nothing wrong with me. Maybe there's Cyndi Norman
something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG) cnorman@best.com
__________________________________________________ http://www.best.com/~cnorman
Follow-Ups:
- Re: Gophers
- From: tvalenti@solectek.com (Tim Valentine)