Gophers LIke Marigolds ... !!!

17 years ago

The gophers like my marigolds! I thought that gophers didn't like marigolds ... These little buggers have nearly destroyed my beautiful flower garden!!! Last night they took several more marigolds, at least one more dusty miller and some more pansies. I'm losing this battle .... What a bummer.

I flooded the front yard and was able to get one gopher and kill it. But I think by flooding the front yard, they were forced away and into my flower garden (although they had already started devouring my flower garden before I flooded).

I can't use the traps with sharp points or poison because our neighbor's dog might get hurt or die! The powder deterrant seems a bit expensive, and some people say it doesn't even work.

My mother said that the gophers will just push moth balls out of the way ... Although I may give those a try ...

Does anyone else use the small metal box traps, that will trap the animal inside, so it can't get out? I used those many years ago to trap desert rats (kangaroo rats).

I would like to give those a try, but where do I find them?

- Riding 4 Life

http://vj4him.blogspot.com/

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Comments (7)

petzold6596
17 years ago
The only marigold that are effective as repellents are the old fashion French Marigold. Just google 'small animal live traps' and you will get an extensive list.
vja4him
Original Author
17 years ago
I wish that somebody would have stated which kind of marigold that gophers don't like!!! I bought over 100 marigolds!!! Unfortuantely they don't sell French marigolds around here.

I was talking with an older man today who said there is a special plant that gophers don't like. I can't remember what the name of the plant is .....

- Riding 4 Life
http://vj4him.blogspot.com/
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Kimmsr
17 years ago
Keep in mind that the active ingrediant in Moth Balls is a class one carcinogen and, as stated very clearly on the label, it is a violation of Federal Law to use them in any manner not specifically listed on the label. Plunking them around your garden is not a listed activity.
Many hybrid marigolds have been so inbred that they no longer are the deterent they were in the 1970's, but even at that I've not really seen a gopher much detered by them.
about the most effective barrier I have seen for a gopher is a good, tight fence with a very tight mesh fabric buried in the soil around the garden in an inverted "L" shape (the bottom leg of the L facing away from the garden) and a tight fence above that. I have, however, seen gophers climb fences, too.
vja4him
Original Author
17 years ago
My next step is to try small, metal box traps. After that I will dig up my garden and flower beds, and place fine-mesh chicken wire on the inside, on the bottom and all four sides, and put up a fine-mesh wire fence.

- Riding 4 Life
http://vj4him.blogspot.com/
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
I expect that your marigolds are (so called) french. That's the most common kind. However, I've never heard of marigolds (of any kind) repelling gophers.
vja4him
Original Author
17 years ago
Several varieties of marigolds I have include: large, dwarf, and African. Many people have recommended marigolds to keep away the gophers. Obviously the marigolds don't work! Onions and garlic doesn't work either. The gophers just push them out of the way.

The gophers also like my pansies, habanero hot peppers and dusty miller!

- Riding 4 Life
http://vj4him.blogspot.com/
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
The 'dwarf' marigolds are the French varieties. FYI