If you have noticed furry creatures running through your garden, if you have seen tunnels in the ground nearby, or if you have witnessed plants that have been nibbled upon, you may have a groundhog or several of them living nearby. While groundhogs do not pose threats to people or pets, they can cause quite a bit of destruction to gardens. Here are steps to keep these creatures away from your fruits and vegetables.
Keep On Top Of Property Maintenance
Groundhogs will stay in areas where they are able to hide from people and predators. If they do not have readily available nesting areas, they will move on to other locations. Make it a priority to maintain your property so you can see groundhogs if they are indeed present on your land. Trim bushes and shrubbery and keep your lawn mowed. Remove leaf piles and wood storage areas in close proximity to your garden area. Avoid placing trash cans outdoors until your pickup day arrives so groundhogs do not become attracted to any food remnant odor emitting from the containers.
Consider The Use Of Traps
Humane animal traps work well at keeping groundhogs inside of them until they can be relocated to an area away from your garden. These traps can be obtained from a sporting goods store in the hunting section, or via a local animal removal service. Many homeowners prefer to have a professional animal removal service worker tend to the proper positioning of the traps. The worker will monitor the traps regularly so any groundhogs that make their way inside of them can be taken to another area right away.
Flood Tunneling Areas
If you have located a tunneling system in your garden, and you do not feel you are able to use traps to capture groundhogs from within, using water is an alternative to keep in mind. Flooding out the tunnels will cause any groundhogs under the soil to come running out for higher ground. Place a garden hose into one of the openings of the tunnels and turn it on so it emits a slow to medium-paced stream of water. This will allow the groundhogs enough time to run out of the tunnels rather than having them drown from a quick burst of water. If you decide to attempt flooding your grounds, placing traps along the perimeter of your garden will aid in catching any groundhogs that have been uprooted from their homes.
Share2 September 2022
Do you spend your spring and summer months battling the pests that enter your home? There are many ways to prevent the intrusion of ants, roaches, flies, mosquitoes, mice and other pests in your home. I own several rental properties that I have to be sure do not get infested with all sorts of pests and have learned a lot about preventing the intrusion to begin with. You can learn from my personal experiences and keep the pests from ever becoming a serious issue in your home. With a few minor changes to the home and working with a skilled pest control agent, your home can be pest-free forever!
