What do gophers hate the most?

Gophers are notorious pests in gardens and landscapes, causing extensive damage to plants and lawns. Fortunately, there are several scents that gophers strongly dislike, making them an effective way to protect your garden from these pesky creatures.

One scent that gophers hate is sage. Sage emits a strong aroma that can be overwhelming for gophers, deterring them from venturing near your plants. You can plant sage around the perimeter of your garden or use dried sage leaves as a natural repellent.

Rosemary is another scent that gophers despise. Its distinctive fragrance not only adds a delightful aroma to your garden but also acts as a deterrent for gophers. Planting rosemary bushes or using rosemary essential oil can help keep gophers at bay.

Eucalyptus is known for its strong scent, which gophers find highly unpleasant. By planting eucalyptus trees or using eucalyptus oil around your garden, you can create an environment that gophers want to avoid. Additionally, the oil can be sprayed on surfaces or used in repellent pouches to enhance its effectiveness.

Lavender, with its soothing and pleasant fragrance, is also a scent that gophers dislike. Planting lavender bushes or using lavender oil can help repel gophers from your garden. The strong scent acts as a natural deterrent, making your garden less appealing to these pests.

In addition to these scents, there are other options you can consider to keep gophers away from your garden. Castor oil, for example, has been found to be effective in repelling gophers. Mixing castor oil with water and applying it to areas where gophers are active can help deter them.

Another natural method is to plant gopher-repellent plants such as daffodils, marigolds, and alliums. These plants produce scents that gophers find unappealing, helping to keep them away from your garden.

It is worth mentioning that while these scents can help deter gophers, they may not guarantee complete elimination of the problem. Gophers are persistent creatures and may find ways to overcome these repellents. Therefore, it is important to use a combination of methods and continually monitor and adapt your approach to effectively manage gopher infestations.

In my personal experience, I have found that using a combination of these scents, such as planting sage, rosemary, and lavender around my garden, has helped significantly reduce gopher activity. However, it is important to note that results may vary depending on the specific situation and the severity of the gopher infestation.

To summarize, gophers hate strong scents like sage, rosemary, eucalyptus, lavender, and more. These scents can be used to protect your garden and irritate gophers, making them less likely to invade your plants and lawns. However, it is important to use a combination of methods and continuously monitor the situation to effectively manage gopher infestations.

Photo of author

Caroline Bates

Caroline is a Miami-based landscaper who specializes in drought-tolerant landscapes. She is the mother of two young children and also enjoys writing for GreenPacks.org in her spare time. Caroline takes great pride in her work, and loves being able to share her knowledge with others through her writing.