If you’ve ever planted a beautiful garden only to find it riddled with mounds and tunnels, you know the frustration gophers cause. Using gopher repellent plants is a natural, effective first line of defense against these persistent garden pests. This method works by integrating specific plants that gophers find unappealing into your landscape, creating a living barrier that protects your more vulnerable flowers and vegetables.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about using plants to deter gophers. We’ll cover the best plants to choose, how to plant them for maximum effect, and how to combine them with other natural strategies. You can take back your garden without resorting to harsh chemicals or harmful traps.
Gopher Repellent Plants
The idea behind gopher repellent plants is simple: use nature’s own defenses. These plants typically have strong scents, bitter tastes, or toxic properties that gophers instinctively avoid. By strategically placing them, you create a less inviting environment, encouraging gophers to dine elsewhere.
It’s important to remember that no plant is 100% gopher-proof. A very hungry gopher might sample almost anything. However, using these plants significantly reduces the risk and can protect your prized plants by acting as a natural deterrent border.
Why Gophers Dislike These Specific Plants
Gophers rely heavily on their sense of smell to locate food and navigate. Their sensitive noses are overwhelmed by strong aromatic compounds found in many herbs and bulbs. Other plants produce latex-like saps or contain alkaloids that are irritating or toxic if ingested.
Think of these plants as the garden’s own security system. They don’t harm the gopher, but they send a clear signal that this area is not a desirable buffet. This approach is sustainable, adds beauty and diversity to your garden, and supports other beneficial insects like pollinators.
The Most Effective Gopher-Repelling Plants to Grow
Here is a list of reliable plants known to deter gophers. Incorporate a variety for the best results.
Crown Imperial (Fritillaria imperialis): This striking plant has a distinctive skunk-like odor that gophers and moles strongly dislike. Its large, bell-shaped flowers make a bold statement in spring gardens.
* Daffodils and Narcissus: All parts of these cheerful spring bulbs are toxic and unpalatable to gophers. They provide a colorful barrier that gophers will avoid.
* Alliums (Ornamental Onions, Garlic, Chives): The strong sulfurous smell of plants in the onion family is a major turn-off for gophers. This family includes edible garlic and onions as well as beautiful ornamental alliums with globe-shaped flowers.
* Rosemary: This hardy, aromatic herb is excellent for dry, sunny borders. Its potent scent and woody stems are not appealing to gophers.
* Lavender: Loved by humans and pollinators, but avoided by gophers. Its strong fragrance and essential oils make it a great decorative and functional choice.
* Salvia (Sage): Another aromatic herb with many varieties. Gophers tend to steer clear of its pungent foliage.
* Catmint and Catnip: While cats adore it, gophers do not. These plants are tough, drought-tolerant, and produce lovely purple flowers.
* Mint (Planted in Containers): Mint is famously invasive, so it’s best grown in pots sunk into the ground. Its strong menthol aroma is a good deterrent.
* Marigolds: The roots of some marigold varieties, particularly French marigolds, give off a substance that can repel soil nematodes and may also discourage gophers.
* Oleander (With Caution): Extremely toxic in all its parts. Gophers seem to recognize this and avoid it. Warning: Oleander is poisonous to humans, pets, and livestock. Use only with extreme care and never where children or animals might access it.
Gopher Purge (Euphorbia lathyris): This plant has a legendary reputation. It exudes a milky sap that is irritating, and it’s said to repel gophers and moles. Handle with gloves, as the sap can skin irritation.
Planning Your Gopher-Deterrent Garden Layout
Simply planting one or two repellent plants won’t create a strong enough barrier. You need a strategic plan. The goal is to surround your vulnerable areas with a perimeter of these unappealing plants.
Start by identifying your most precious beds—your vegetable garden, rose garden, or perennial border. Plant a border of daffodils or alliums around the entire edge. Intersperse clumps of rosemary, lavender, and salvia throughout the bed itself. This creates a multi-layered defense that makes it harder for gophers to reach your tasty plants.
How to Combine Planting with Other Natural Methods
For severe infestations, plants alone may not be enough. Combine them with other humane tactics for a integrated pest management approach.
1. Install Physical Barriers: When planting new trees or shrubs, line the planting hole with wire mesh baskets (hardware cloth with ½ inch openings). This protects the roots while they establish.
2. Use Raised Beds: Line the bottom of raised beds with hardware cloth before adding soil. This is one of the most effective ways to protect vegetable gardens.
3. Introduce Natural Predators: Encouraging barn owls can help. Install an owl box on your property. Their presence can supress gopher populations.
4. Try Castor Oil-Based Repellents: These granular or spray repellents make the soil and plant roots taste bad. They are a good supplement to your planting strategy, especially when first establishing your repellent plants.
Step-by-Step: Creating a Gopher-Resistant Garden Bed
Follow these steps to convert a vulnerable bed into a fortified one.
1. Clear the Area: Remove existing plants you want to keep (potting them temporarily) and clear weeds.
2. Dig a Trench: Around the perimeter of the bed, dig a trench about 6 inches deep and 6 inches wide.
3. Add Barrier Plants: Plant daffodil or allium bulbs in the trench (in fall for spring bloom). Also plant rosemary or lavender starts along the trench.
4. Line with Wire Mesh (Optional but Effective): If gophers are a major problem, line the sides and bottom of the bed with hardware cloth before refilling with soil.
5. Replant with Strategy: Place your most valuable plants in the center. Surround them with groupings of other repellent plants like salvia, catmint, or marigolds.
6. Mulch and Maintain: Mulch with a coarse material like bark. Water and care for your plants, knowing they are working double duty—looking beautiful and providing protection.
Plants That Attract Gophers (What to Avoid)
Just as important as knowing what to plant is knowing what not to plant in vulnerable areas, or what to protect extra carefully. Gophers have favorite foods.
* Vegetables: Carrots, potatoes, peas, beans, and lettuce are top targets.
* Root Crops: Anything with a tasty tuber or root, like sweet potatoes and beets.
* Bulbs (Except Daffodils): Tulip and crocus bulbs are like candy to gophers. Always interplant them with daffodils for protection.
* Fruit Tree Roots: Young trees are especially susceptible to root gnawing.
* Alfalfa and Clover: These are gourmet meals in a gopher’s world.
If you must grow these plants, use raised beds with hardware cloth bottoms or plan to protect them with ample surrounding plantings of repellent varieties.
Long-Term Maintenance and Monitoring
A gopher-deterrent garden requires ongoing attention. Check periodically for new gopher activity, like fresh mounds or disappearing plants. If you spot a new mound, act quickly.
Refresh your repellent plant borders as needed. Some plants, like rosemary and lavender, become large shrubs, while others, like marigolds, are annuals. Replant annual deterrents each year to maintain the barrier. Remember, consistency is key. A well-maintained living barrier is your best long-term, natural defense.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with the best intentions, its easy to make mistakes that reduce the effectiveness of your strategy.
* Planting Too Sparingly: A single lavender plant won’t protect an entire vegetable plot. You need density and variety.
* Neglecting the Perimeter: Failing to secure the outer edges of your property or garden is like leaving the front door unlocked. Start your barrier at the property line.
* Using Only One Method: Relying solely on plants during a major infestation sets you up for disappointment. Combine with barriers and habitat modification.
* Forgetting About Bulbs: Planting tasty tulip bulbs without protective daffodils is an open invitation.
* Ignoring Early Signs: One gopher can quickly become a family. Address the first signs of activity immediately.
FAQ: Natural Gopher Control
Here are answers to some common questions about keeping gophers away naturally.
What smell do gophers hate the most?
Gophers have a strong dislike for pungent smells. The most effective natural scents come from plants like crown imperial, alliums (garlic, onions), and castor bean plants. Castor oil-based repellents capitalize on this aversion.
Do marigolds really repel gophers?
Marigolds are more effective against nematodes, but their strong scent may provide some level of deterrence to gophers. They are best used as part of a combined planting strategy, not as a sole solution.
How fast do gopher repellent plants work?
They work as soon as they are established and growing, but creating a full barrier takes time. Bulbs like daffodils need a season to bloom, while herbs need to grow to full size. For immediate protection, combine planting with physical barriers.
What is the best natural gopher repellent?
There is no single “best” method. The most effective approach is an integrated one: a perimeter of strong-scented repellent plants, combined with physical root barriers for valuable plants, and the encouragement of natural predators like owls.
Will mint plants keep gophers away?
Yes, the strong scent of mint can help deter gophers. However, mint is highly invasive and can take over garden beds. Always plant mint in containers or pots sunk into the ground to control its spread while still utilizing its repellent properties.
Are gopher repellent plants safe for pets?
Most are safe, but you must always check each plant. For example, rosemary, lavender, and daffodils are generally safe. However, plants like oleander and gopher purge (Euphorbia) are highly toxic to pets and humans and should be used with extreme caution or avoided.
Creating a garden that naturally repels gophers is a proactive and rewarding process. It involves thoughtful plant selection, smart garden design, and a bit of patience. By using plants as your primary deterrent and supporting them with other natural methods, you cultivate a resilient ecosystem. Your garden will not only be less attractive to burrowing pests but will also be more diverse, beautiful, and vibrant for you to enjoy all season long. The key is to start with a plan, be consistent with your planting, and adapt your strategies as you learn what works best in your unique garden space.