Re: garden report - critters

You wrote:
>Rick Tasco to the west *used* to have a problem with gophers until he
>took measures to control them.  Like a barrier around his 2 acre garden.
>No gophers in his garden for 5 years.
>
>Rick Tasco
>Superstition Iris Gardens
>Central California
>Zone 8


I found Rick's old email with the description of his barrier method. I've
forgotten now who wanted to know.  Hope it helps

Anne
>>Depending on your situation there are a number of solutions.
>>
>>1. If you are trying to protect a garden full of iris or other plants
>>then I would suggest surrounding it with wire.  Don't laugh...hear me
>>out.  Dig a trench 2 feet deep around the perimeter.  You can hire
>>someone to do this or rent a trencher.  Most gophers will not tunnel
>>deeper than 2 feet.  Buy 3 foot "Aviary" wire, not chicken.  Insert this
>>wire into the 2 foot trench and replace the dirt.  The top few inches of
>>the 1 foot of wire remaining will be turned over at the top, facing
>>outwards.  This will prevent the varmints from coming over the top. 
>>This is foolproof.  I have done this around my two acres, yes two acres
>>and have not had a gopher in my field for 4 years.  Before that it was
>>full of them.      
>>
>>2.  If the above is too ambitious then an easier method is poisioning. 
>>If you have pets then this is not a solution.  Pets can get second hand
>>poisioning from eating dead and poisioned gophers.  If you can poision
>>then use Cooke's gopher bait (strychnine laced grain).  You can get this
>>at Wal-Mart, Target and others for 6 or 7 dollars per pound.
>>
>>3. Trapping is another alternative.  I did this for years but it takes a
>>lot of time.  I trapped over 300 gophers and they kept coming and
>>coming.  I used Macabee traps and found them to be the best.  Cost is
>>around $5 dollars at various garden centers and hardware stores.  BTW,
>>the gophers I caught that were still alive I set free on another part of
>>my property well away from the garden.
>>
>>4. Gopher babies just kicked out of mothers runs can be flushed out of
>>their new runs by using water.  You know these are new young gophers by
>>the enormous amount of soil being mounded in a new location.  I bet you
>>thought it was a huge adult.  Anyway, the hose will only work if you
>>don't let the young one make an extensive tunnel.  If you notice it
>>early, stick a hose in the hole, turn it on and flush it out.  What to
>>do when it comes out.  Grab it by its tail!  It can't get to you to bite
>>and it will if it can.  Or use a trowel and guide it into a bucket. 
>>Take the bucket with its occupant, drive a few miles and release it. 
>>
>>5.  I have never tried this but others have mentioned it.  Get a shotgun
>>and sit at an open gopher hole.  Wait for Mr. gopher to stick his head
>>out to feed and blast.
>>
>>I would not suggest #5 but hope 1-4 helps!
>>
>>Rick Tasco
>>Superstition Iris Gardens
>>Central California
>>Zone 8
>

#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%
Anne Savannah, Alberta Canada, zone3b (mintemp -40C)   savannah@cadvision.com
Spuria irises now blooming,  fingernails clean for a change
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