Plants That Repel Groundhogs

If you’re tired of seeing your vegetable garden ravaged by those furry excavators, you’re not alone. Finding plants that repel groundhogs is a top priority for many gardeners seeking peace. These burrowing pests, also known as woodchucks, can decimate a plot overnight. But you can fight back naturally. This guide gives you a clear plan to protect your garden using smart planting strategies and other humane deterrents.

Let’s get straight to the root of the matter. While no plant is a 100% guaranteed forcefield, certain strong-smelling herbs, pungent flowers, and spicy vegetables are highly effective at making groundhogs think twice. Groundhogs rely heavily on their sense of smell to find food. By surrounding your prized plants with these aromatic guardians, you create a sensory barrier they’d rather avoid.

Why These Plants Work as Deterrents

Groundhogs are creatures of habit and prefer easy, tasty meals. They love tender greens like lettuce, beans, and carrots. Plants with intense fragrances, bitter tastes, or milky sap confuse and repel them. These plants essentially act as natural, living repellents. They work best when used as part of a larger strategy, which we’ll cover. But first, let’s look at the best candidates for the job.

Top Herbs to Plant

Herbs are a fantastic dual-purpose solution. They deter pests and enhance your cooking. Plant these liberally around the perimeter of your garden or interplant them with vulnerable crops.

Lavender: Its powerful, calming scent for us is overwhelming for groundhogs. They tend to steer clear of it’s fragrant blooms.
Mint (Peppermint & Spearmint): The strong menthol aroma is a major turn-off. Warning: Plant mint in containers, as it can become invasive in garden beds.
Rosemary: This woody herb has a sharp, pine-like scent that groundhogs find unpleasant. It’s also drought-tolerant once established.
Thyme: Another great ground-cover herb with a strong aroma. Creeping thyme can form a nice border.
Sage: Its fuzzy, fragrant leaves are rarely touched by browsing animals, including groundhogs and deer.
Chives & Garlic Chives: The oniony smell is a classic pest deterrent. The purple flowers are also pretty and edible.

Effective Flowers for Protection

Don’t underestimate the power of ornamental flowers. Many add beauty while performing a crucial protective duty. They can make your garden look great and keep pests away.

Alliums (Ornamental Onions): These are your heavy hitters. Their strong onion/garlic scent permeates the area. Varieties like ‘Globemaster’ make a bold statement.
Marigolds: Their distinct smell repels many pests, including groundhogs. The roots also release a substance that can deter nematodes in the soil.
Daffodils: These spring bulbs are toxic and avoided by all rodents. Plant them around the edges of your property for early-season protection.
Catmint (Nepeta): While it attracts cats, it repels groundhogs with its pungent fragrance. It’s a hardy, low-maintenance perennial.
Agastache (Hyssop): This plant has a strong licorice-mint scent that is very effective. It also attracts pollinators.

Vegetables and Other Plants They Dislike

Some plants you might grow for food are naturally resistant. Interplanting these with susceptible crops can help mask the desirable plants scent.

Onions, Garlic, and Leeks: The entire allium family is generally safe from groundhogs. Their potent smell protects them and nearby plants.
Hot Peppers: Both the plants and the fruits are usually left alone. The capsaicin is irritating to animals.
Fennel: Its strong anise-like flavor and scent are unappealing to many garden pests.
Potatoes: While groundhogs might nibble the foliage, they typically avoid the plant, especially bitter-tasting varieties.
Rhubarb: The leaves are poisonous, so the whole plant is usually left completely untouched.

How to Design Your Deterrent Garden

Simply planting one lavender bush won’t cut it. You need a strategic layout. The goal is to create a perimeter barrier and use companion planting within the garden itself.

Creating a Protective Border

Your first line of defense is the outer edge. Plant a dense, continuous border of repellent plants around your entire vegetable garden. Use a mix of tall plants (like alliums), medium shrubs (like lavender), and ground covers (like thyme). This creates a multi-layered aromatic wall. Make the border at least two feet wide for the best effect.

Companion Planting Within Beds

Inside your garden beds, don’t plant all your tomatoes in one block. Intersperse them with cloves of garlic, basil, and marigolds. This mixes the smells and makes it harder for a groundhog to find a large patch of its favorite food. For example, plant a row of lettuce between two rows of onions.

Essential Non-Planting Strategies

Plants are a core part of the solution, but they work best when combined with other tactics. Groundhogs are persistent, so a multi-pronged approach is key.

Fencing: The Physical Barrier

A proper fence is the single most effective way to exclude groundhogs. But it must be installed correctly. Here’s how:

Use sturdy wire mesh with openings no larger than 2×4 inches.
The fence should be at least 3 feet tall above ground.
Bury the bottom edge at least 12 inches deep, bending it outward into an L-shape to prevent digging.
Consider adding an outward-facing overhang at the top to deter climbers (though they are not great climbers).

Natural Repellent Sprays

You can make homemade sprays to reinforce your plant defenses. Reapply after rain.

Garlic or Hot Pepper Spray: Blend crushed garlic or hot peppers with water and a bit of dish soap (to help it stick). Strain and spray on plant leaves.
Predator Urine: Granules or liquid coyote or fox urine can be placed around the perimeter. The scent signals danger.

Habitat Modification

Make your yard less inviting. Remove brush piles, tall grass, and wood stacks where they might hide. Keep the area around the garden open so they feel exposed. Groundhogs prefer not to feed in open spaces where predators can spot them easily.

What to Do About Existing Burrows

If you already have a groundhog living nearby, you need to adress the den. Always ensure the burrow is inactive before taking any action. Stuffing loose leaves or paper in the entrance and checking it later can show if it’s still in use.

For active burrows, live trapping and relocation may be necessary, but check local wildlife laws first. Once confirmed empty, you can install an L-shaped buried fence around the garden or fill the burrow with gravel and soil. Planting a thick barrier of repellent plants over the old burrow entrance can help prevent re-colonization.

Plants That Attract Groundhogs (Avoid These)

Knowing what to plant is just as important as knowing what not to plant in vulnerable areas. If you love these plants, grow them in raised beds with secure fencing or far from your main garden.

Lettuce (all types)
Beans (especially young plants)
Peas
Broccoli and Cauliflower
Squash and Cucumber (young seedlings)
Carrots
Clover and Alfalfa

Long-Term Maintenance and Monitoring

Consistency is crucial. Your repellent plants need to be healthy and vigorous to produce the strong scents that do the work. Prune herbs regularly to encourage new, fragrant growth. Refresh your border plantings if any die off. Walk the perimeter of your garden weekly to look for signs of digging or new burrows. Early detection makes the problem much easier to manage. Remember, persistence pays off more than any single quick fix.

FAQ: Naturally Deterring Burrowing Pests

What smell do groundhogs hate the most?

Groundhogs strongly dislike pungent smells like garlic, onion, and mint. Predator scents, like coyote urine, are also very effective as they signal danger.

Will marigolds keep groundhogs away?

Yes, marigolds can help repel groundhogs due to their strong odor. They are most effective when planted densely as a border around the garden, not just as a few plants here and there.

How do I permanently get rid of groundhogs?

“Permanent” removal is difficult as new animals can move in. The best long-term solution is a combination of a properly installed fence, consistent use of repellent plants, and maintaining an open, uninviting habitat around your yard to discourage them from setting up home.

Do coffee grounds deter groundhogs?

There is some anecdotal evidence that coffee grounds can help, as the strong smell may mask more appealing scents. However, they are not a reliable solution on their own. Its best to use them as a minor supplement to your main strategies.

What is the best natural groundhog repellent?

A layered approach is best. A fence is the top physical repellent. For plant-based solutions, a dense border of alliums, lavender, and mint, combined with interplanting garlic and marigolds throughout your beds, creates a powerful natural deterrent system.

By integrating these plants and strategies, you can create a beautiful, productive garden that is far less appealing to groundhogs. It takes some planning and effort, but the reward of enjoying your full harvest makes it all worth it. Start by choosing a few repellent herbs or flowers you like and plant them this weekend. Every step you take brings you closer to a peaceful garden.