Subject: Gopher digging in my herb garden
Geographic location of the bug: Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California
Date: 09/02/2021
Time: 02:19 PM PDT
Your letter to the bugman: Dear Bugman,
I don’t need an identification and this Gopher is not really a Bug but I see you have a rodent section, so I thought I would send it and tell you how I deal with the gopher. At first I was upset that the gopher was tunneling in my garden, but I realized it was aerating the soil and providing me with nice piles of dirt on the surface that I could use elsewhere in the garden. I am always moving dirt around, and so is the gopher. I made peace with the little critter despite the fact that it ate the roots off two of my marijuana plants.
How you want your letter signed: Constant Gardener
Dear Constant Gardener,
Thanks for sending in your adorable image of a Pocket Gopher. We applaud your stoicism toward this fascinating creature. Most folks would try to rid the garden of a native creature.
Hi again Bugman,
While I am not thrilled to have lost two plants, I believe they were in the gopher’s way and not targeted food. Next year I might try building cages from chicken wire to keep the gophers away from the roots.
FIY, Baby gophers can easily get thru 1″ chicken wire, aka poultry netting. I lost $50 worth of seed garlic one winter thinking I had a great idea!Then I got 50 gal food grade barrels and cut them in 1/2 the long way and put tiny slits in the bottom for drainage, set them on top of the ground and filled them with fabulous dirt. About 1/2 way thru winter I realized the gophers were tunneling thru the snow up into the barrels………. I resorted to digging the snow away from the barrels and it has been the only way i’ve been able to keep them out!