Stop Gophers, Moles and Rodents

Gophers — Weighing approximately a half-pound, gophers subsist on a diet of mostly shrubs and vegetables, that is, unless they can find their favorite snack — plant roots. They have a knack for causing trouble and leave no visible nearby tracks. Folks in the West and South West are more likely to suffer at the little hands of these scrounging mammals.Their mounds will be crescent shaped and they will leave dead patches all over your garden. They can make short work of your garden.

Rodents — some may think they’re cute, some may not, but one thing everyone can agree on is that they can wreak havoc on a garden. Beyond just digging holes and tearing up grass, these pesky little creatures love eating plants and roots (a.k.a. all your hard work). Western Planting Solutions' Grow Master Gopher Basket protects your plants from all kinds of underground pests. By using stainless steel mesh to create a protective barrier around the root ball of the plant, we protect your garden from the underground, up.

Voles — Cousin to the mouse and rat, voles can grow anywhere from three to nine inches in size and have a particular affinity for succulent root systems. They are prolific breeders and produce four to six litters per year. You can recognize their damage in your garden by searching for pointed tips on every stem. In the winter, they’ll eat roots via their tunnels. When they’re present, your plants will die, and when you lift them from the ground there will no longer be a visible root structure left. Voles are very common on the East Coast.

Moles — Infamous for their keen ability to destroy plants from the root, moles actually do not eat roots, they just tear them up to find their favorite foods like worms and other small invertebrates. They are apart of the same family as bats and shrews. Their dens are often under large trees and you probably won’t see them out and about. You’ll be able to identify a mole infestation by observing raised ridged areas in the lawn that are formed from their tunnels, as well as a traditional mole hill. You’ll find these in your yard if you live in the Pacific Northwest.