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donttread
08-19-2016, 08:29 AM
So a couple of days ago I was practically met at the door by a fat groundhog literally chewing on leaf lettuce. LEAF LETTUCE from MY GARDEN! I reached for the non-lethal deterant ( BB gun to sting him) but found myself unable to fire at him even with that. At the risk of having to turn over my guy card he just looked too ( I can't find another word ) "cute" sitting there as if to say "thanks for the lettuce, it's really good!"
So I fired off a couple of shoots missing on purpose , but hopefully making enough racket to deter him in the future. He ran under our shed and I went and banged on that and yelled to reinforce the message. I'm seen him once since, without any of my garden in his mouth.
Truth be told he could have some lettuce, hell I'd grow him a few square feet of it . But he's started to attack my squash and tomatoes ( just 1 or 2 squash so far) , If that continues , the "nice man growing the groundhog salad" will have to get tough and send a much clearer message.

Cigar
08-19-2016, 08:35 AM
I use this ... and they stay away

http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/6367225/Sweeneys-Mole-and-Gopher-Repellent-Granular-10-pounds-L13984432.jpg

Cigar
08-19-2016, 09:12 AM
Never say getting soft and old in the same sentence :laugh:

Private Pickle
08-19-2016, 09:28 AM
Oh. I read the title and was going to suggest Viagra.

donttread
08-19-2016, 05:20 PM
I use this ... and they stay away

http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/6367225/Sweeneys-Mole-and-Gopher-Repellent-Granular-10-pounds-L13984432.jpg


We were wondering about something like that. Do you just place in in a circle around the garden? That would be easy since I only have 165 square foot garden, plus some sunchokes just outside the garden and a few pots.. The garden produces a great deal for it's size due to modified square foot gardening and some really good organic soil.
Anyway that's for the advise, if I can find some I'll try it.

donttread
08-19-2016, 05:21 PM
oh. I read the title and was going to suggest viagra.

lol

donttread
08-19-2016, 05:21 PM
never say getting soft and old in the same sentence :laugh:

lol.

waltky
08-19-2016, 06:28 PM
Yea...

... Uncle Ferd got the same problem...

... or so his g/f says.

donttread
08-22-2016, 06:41 AM
Well he has struck again, a minimal raid but I shoveled his entrance under the shed in. Now I can see if he is using it consistently or not. More deliberate miss BB pellets were fired. I'm going to try to find some of the repellant suggested by Cigar. If that doesn't work Mr. Gopher might have an "unfortunate accident " like Mr. crow did this spring. I can already see myself plotting against him like Bill Murry in Caddy Shack!

donttread
09-02-2016, 06:36 PM
So I am slowly becoming like "Bill Murray's" role in Caddy Shack. LOL. I sprayed the perimiter of the garden and even tried appeasement with kale leaves. He took spermint I thought might bother him under the shed and then pushed it back out a couple of days later. I fill in his holes where he digs under the shed and he digs more .
At one point I thought we had a truce and briefly considered him a quasi "pet".
But he has struck again , a cuke and some marks on the winter squash. I can almost see him dancing to "I'm alright" LOL

Chloe
09-02-2016, 06:51 PM
So I am slowly becoming like "Bill Murray's" role in Caddy Shack. LOL. I sprayed the perimiter of the garden and even tried appeasement with kale leaves. He took spermint I thought might bother him under the shed and then pushed it back out a couple of days later. I fill in his holes where he digs under the shed and he digs more .
At one point I thought we had a truce and briefly considered him a quasi "pet".
But he has struck again , a cuke and some marks on the winter squash. I can almost see him dancing to "I'm alright" LOL

have you considered changing your garden to a raise bed with a wire flooring and a protective fencing for your food and have a side garden with easy to grow and inexpensive vegetables that could satisfy the gopher if he strikes but if not you can still benefit? At least you both win.

DGUtley
09-02-2016, 06:58 PM
have you considered changing your garden to a raise bed with a wire flooring and a protective fencing for your food and have a side garden with easy to grow and inexpensive vegetables that could satisfy the gopher if he strikes but if not you can still benefit? At least you both win.
Have you considered that in most states varmints may be killed as a nuisance?

decedent
09-02-2016, 07:01 PM
have you considered changing your garden to a raise bed with a wire flooring and a protective fencing for your food and have a side garden with easy to grow and inexpensive vegetables that could satisfy the gopher if he strikes but if not you can still benefit? At least you both win.

I built one out of redwood for my mom after seeing her hunched over her plants. She loves it.

Chloe
09-02-2016, 07:05 PM
Have you considered that in most states varmints may be killed as a nuisance?

not everything needs to die. It's just trying to eat.

Dr. Who
09-02-2016, 07:43 PM
Since you have a groundhog (aka woodchuck) and not a gopher, this article may be helpful:
http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/4683/protect-your-garden-from-woodchucks

Newpublius
09-03-2016, 06:03 PM
As a humorous aside my colleague at work laid out a trap for a nuisance groundhog and lo and behold he wound up catching a skunk.