Groundhogs are no joke ; when they notice your garden , you could kiss your harvest home goodbye unless you have a solid programme to protect yourself from them .
This year , my in - laws did n’t have a plan , and the local groundhogs eat all of their unripened beans , tomatoes , and courgette . While I do favor Marmota monax over raccoons because they wo n’t kill my chickens , losing your total garden is heartbreaking .
What can you do ? Let ’s dig up in .
What Are Groundhogs?
Sometimes concern to as woodchucks or marmot , groundhogs are a type of gnawer that causes massive hurt to your garden and lawn .
Groundhogs are a relative to squirrels , typically weigh 4 - 14 pounds with long , coarse , grayish - dark-brown coats . you’re able to observe them in nearly every state , include Alaska .
As suggested by their name , these animals are splendid land power shovel ; they can build extensive tunnel scheme with sleeping accommodation , hallways , and several exits . These burrow can be 2 - 4 pes cloak-and-dagger , running up to 30 foot horizontally .
Due to their underground activity , groundhog on your property can sabotage the grime . That might not seem problematic , but it can damage the foundation under your barns and sheds or even your farming equipment . Plus , weakened land is a danger to your livestock .
Groundhogs are herbivores , so while they wo n’t dine on your livestock , they will make your vegetable garden their four - track counter . They can wipe out an entire garden in a issue of a daytime or two , so you have to pay care .
Like many animals , groundhogs hibernate in their lair throughout the winter and emerge as the temperature pop to get warmer . Despite theGroundhog Daycelebration on February 2nd , the eternal rest of his family members are log Z’s in their dens at this point .
They tend to be the most alive in the saltation when they start to match .
Groundhogs are not nocturnal ; they ’re alive during the day , which does help you stop them . It ’s knockout to watch nocturnal creature .
Signs of Groundhog Damage
Despite being alive during the day , if you work outdoors of the home , you might not catch them in the act . So , how do you eff that groundhogs are your perpetrator ?
Here are some of the mutual sign leave behind by Marmota monax .
Groundhogs Eat A Lot
You do n’t get that cunning and chubby – yes , the groundhogs on my property that do n’t nark my garden are fat and endearing – by not eating . These baby sleep with to eat and are n’t picky .
Groundhogs postulate to eat a pound and a one-half of botany each day . So , if you have a kinsperson that found your family , it ’s easy to see how they can destroy a garden in days .
That does n’t mean they do n’t have pet – they do . Here are some of their preferred snacks in your garden .
catch any of these ( or all of them ) in your garden ? It ’s like a blinking welcome sign , advance the local groundhog to stop by for a bite throughout the day .
Without protection , you might as well tell everyone you ’re growing an all - you - can - eat buffet for the local groundhog population .
9 Ways to Protect Your Garden From Groundhogs
Keeping a detent can be helpful to keep out woodchuck , but not everyone wants to own a dog . You also can trap and release , but not everyone has the agency to do so .
Ideally , since you ’re turn with your garden , you want to keep your prevention method as organic as possible . You do n’t want to wound the environment or your family members .
So what options do you have ? If you ’re quick to kick your groundhog problems to the curb , here are some tips that you necessitate to try .
1. Prevention is Key
Just like any rodent infestation , bar is fundamental . You have to take time to place and remove whatever is attracting them . That might be acompostpile that has some of their preferred collation or fruit scattered on the ground under your orchard apple tree tree diagram .
Brainstorm any methods you could retrieve to foreclose them from coming to those areas , but beware it does n’t always work .
2. Fence Your Garden
One of the expert prevention methods is to fence out the groundhogs , but realize that they can jump over myopic fence and tunnel under the relief of them .
If you ’re going to build a fence around your garden to stop groundhogs , you have to do it the proper way .
Here are some backsheesh .
3. Try Relocation
I read that not everyone has the means or desires to catch and release woodchuck , but it ’s a viable choice that does need to be discussed .
entrance and release IS an effective method as well as being a humanist choice . You are n’t kill them – just removing them from your property .
place live traps 5 - 10 understructure by from their burrows and add some bait . Think about what the groundhogs are eat in your garden and toss some of that in the trap .
Finding a place to relocate is the hardest part . Your local humane society or annexe authority can give you suggestions on where to free groundhogs . Some extension function even have maw you may borrow .
4. Harvest Your Garden Often
Something else you could do to monish them from destroying your garden is by harvest often . They love to consume stamp green , like lolly , along with green beans , cucumbers , zucchini , and other tummy snacks .
Do n’t leave them in your garden ! As soon as these crops are advanced , lend them in spite of appearance from the garden .
5. Use Castor Oil
Groundhogs can not tolerate the smell of castor vegetable oil ; I ca n’t blame them ! So , a bare solvent to admonish their presence is to pour castor oil in and around the burrow golf hole . Just make trusted you pour out it in the area when you know that they ’re not in the cakehole .
you could also make a repellent spray using 1 cupful caster crude , 2 cups Murphy ’s Oil Soap , 1 cup of the hottest hot sauce you could get your hands on ( think ghost peppers ) , 1/4 cup human urine , and a gallon of pee .
Spray this on any industrial plant that the Marmota monax wish to chat .
6. Sprinkle Hair Clippings
Whether you require to ask a local barber or trim a few of your kids ’ hair , groundhogs do n’t like the fragrance of world . So , sprinkle the clippings in the surface area that groundhogs frequent the most .
The problem with hair clippings is that they blow away in the lead . So , a solution can be to put clipping in a mesh bag and insure them in your garden . They ’ll smell out the human scent and stay away from your garden .
Keep in mind , however , that you require a lot of hair for this to work . Plus , the groundhogs will eventually get used to the aroma and they ’ll stop hide from it .
7. Use Soiled Kitty Litter
While gross , unclean pussycat litter can be useful as a deterrent . It smell alike to a predator . Pour the used pussy bedding material around one of the den holes , but leave the other one open .
go forth one cakehole open give them the chance to miss rather than staying tunnel . Then you could ensnare them .
8. Strong Scents
Groundhogs do n’t wish strong scents , so taste sprinkle a variety of odour around your garden or near the burrow kettle of fish that is closest to your garden .
Here are some olfactory property to view .
Groundhogs can destroy your garden if they find it . Taking the time to keep their damage is your first line of defense . If that does n’t process , these dim-witted tips help you to protect your garden from them .
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