Don't trim the plants, that's just extra stress. Probe carefully around the base and try to collapse the tunnels. Gophers can core out agave from the bottom.

yeah, bringing out a guy for $150. He comes out every week for 2 months. Let him get them under control and then I'll trap myself as needed. Those cinch traps look pretty easy to use. It's just identifying the fresh holes, etc. More curious about whether I can save these agave. They take so long to grow. Damn shame to have them murdered like that. I packed them with mud and keeping wet. We'll see if they reroot. Magnolia is 50/50. The leaves look good, so there might be just enough root to keep it alive until I can transplant again.

If the core of the agave is intact, it should make it ok.

I agree, if the core of the agave wasn't eaten, it'll re-root. They're tough plants. I've transplanted large agave with barely a handful of wiry roots and they didn't even flinch.

I have Magnolia and that same Agave and lots of gophers. So many, cats can't get all of them. I see gopher parts here and there..but in weeks,more mounds of soils. The Magnolia and Agave haven't really seemed bothered,but palms are devoured,some Aloe's.

Trap them or hire to trap them. Better then poison.

I seem to recall a plant called Gopher Spurge. Not sure what the Latin name was. From what I recall reading on the tag (YEARS ago) you plant it near where the gophers are, the gophers eat the plant and it has some kind of anticoagulant so they basically bleed to death internally. I never tried it but but that's what I remember reading on the nursery tag.

Does that sound familiar to anyone? Maybe I'm misremembering...

Tyler

thank you everyone. I'm going to do my best with those damaged plants. Think I'll put some dirt up the stem a little bit and just keep moist and hope for the best. Ones already wilting and shriveling, so I think it's gone, but the other 3 or 4 look healthy, just sort of bald headed without the roots.

I have a trapper coming tomorrow or Friday to help me get it under control, then hopefully I can maintain myself with some cinch traps.

I have about 1/3 acre, so I thought about spreading some cat poop or other deterrent, but they're just going to move to different part of the yard. Need to take them out. Although I will check out the "Bleeding Plant" lol.

When I observe a gopher attack on my agaves i dig them up, yes even the really big ones and put them in pots. I've nursed several back to good condition that way. When i put them back in the ground i put them in anti goher baskets I make from builders cloth, usually 2 feet in diaameter and 12-18 inches deep. i've got over an acre and probably a 100 or more agaves and i'm always on the look out for those little buggers. If you find their tunnels by digging into a breathing hole mound, road flares are an effecdtive remedy.