Gophers can turn a thriving Ohio garden into a mess in no time. Their tunnels tear through roots, leave mounds everywhere, and wreck lawns you’ve worked hard to grow.
But you don’t need harsh chemicals to fight back. There are safer, smarter ways to keep these furry troublemakers out of your yard.
I’ve found that barriers, natural repellents, and strategic planting can make a big difference. With a little effort, your garden can stay beautiful—and gopher-free.
1. Plant Gopher-Repelling Flowers And Herbs
Certain plants naturally keep gophers away because of their strong scents and bitter tastes. Marigolds, daffodils, and lavender work wonders when planted around garden borders or near vegetable patches.
Gophers hate the smell of these flowers and will usually avoid areas where they grow. Rosemary and mint also make excellent natural barriers.
Plant them strategically throughout your yard to create zones that gophers find unpleasant, protecting your favorite plants without any chemicals or traps.
2. Install Underground Wire Barriers
Creating a physical barrier underground stops gophers before they reach your plants. Hardware cloth or chicken wire with half-inch openings works perfectly for this method.
Dig down about two feet and line the bottom and sides of garden beds with the wire mesh. Make sure it extends at least six inches above ground level too.
This creates an impenetrable fortress that gophers cannot chew through or dig under, keeping roots safe and gardens thriving throughout the growing season.
3. Use Castor Oil As A Natural Deterrent
Castor oil creates an environment gophers absolutely despise. Mix four tablespoons of castor oil with one gallon of water and a squirt of dish soap to help it spread.
Pour or spray this mixture directly into gopher tunnels and around affected areas. The oil coats the soil and makes it taste terrible to gophers.
Reapply after heavy rain or every few weeks for best results. Most gophers will relocate within days of encountering this unpleasant surprise in their tunnels.
4. Encourage Natural Predators To Visit
Owls, hawks, and snakes are nature’s gopher control team. Installing owl boxes or hawk perches encourages these hunters to patrol your property regularly.
Barn owls can eat several gophers each week, making them incredibly effective pest managers. Keeping some areas of your yard a bit wild also attracts beneficial snakes.
Avoid using rodent poisons that could harm these helpful predators. Creating a predator-friendly environment provides long-term, sustainable gopher control without any effort on your part.
5. Create Vibrations With Wind Chimes And Pinwheels
Gophers have sensitive hearing and feel vibrations through the ground, which they interpret as danger signals. Wind chimes, pinwheels, and even empty aluminum cans on stakes create constant movement and noise.
Place these items throughout your yard, especially near gopher activity areas. The vibrations travel through the soil and make gophers uncomfortable.
This method works best when combined with other deterrents, creating an environment that feels unsafe and unwelcoming to these underground dwellers.
6. Apply Coffee Grounds Around Plants
Your morning coffee habit can help protect your garden. Gophers dislike the strong smell of coffee grounds, making them an excellent natural repellent.
Spread used coffee grounds around the base of plants and along garden borders where gophers are active. The grounds also improve soil quality as they decompose.
Collect grounds from your daily brewing or ask local coffee shops for their leftovers. Reapply every week or after rain to maintain the scent barrier that keeps gophers away.
7. Flood Gopher Tunnels With Water
Sometimes the simplest solution works surprisingly well. Insert a garden hose directly into visible gopher holes and turn the water on full blast.
Flooding the tunnels forces gophers to evacuate their homes and often convinces them to relocate permanently. This method works best in spring when tunnel systems are still developing.
Be patient and let water run for at least fifteen minutes per hole. The gopher may emerge or simply move to a neighbor’s yard, solving your problem naturally.
8. Plant In Raised Beds With Bottom Barriers
Raised beds offer multiple advantages for Ohio gardeners battling gophers. Building beds at least twelve inches high and lining the bottom with hardware cloth creates a gopher-proof growing space.
The elevation makes it harder for gophers to access plants, while the wire mesh provides complete underground protection. Your vegetables and flowers can grow safely without worry.
This one-time investment pays off for years, eliminating gopher damage while improving drainage and soil quality for healthier, more productive plants.
9. Use Pet Waste As A Territorial Marker
Gophers instinctively avoid areas where predators live. Cat or dog waste placed near gopher holes signals that dangerous animals are nearby.
Drop small amounts of pet waste directly into tunnel openings or around the perimeter of your garden. The scent warns gophers to stay away from the territory.
Replace the waste every few days to keep the scent fresh and effective. Many Ohio gardeners swear by this free, natural method that uses something you already have available.