Pocket gophers are burrowing rodents recognized by their characteristic fur-lined cheek pouches. These subterranean animals spend nearly all their lives underground, creating extensive tunnel systems that result in fan-shaped dirt mounds on the surface. For homeowners and gardeners, the pocket gopher is a serious pest that consumes plant roots and disrupts turf integrity. The idea that common garden plants, particularly marigolds, can repel gophers has circulated widely as a natural defense.
Marigolds: Food Source or Deterrent?
The common belief that marigolds (Tagetes species) will deter gophers is a nuanced matter of partial truth. Marigolds are effective at controlling certain microscopic pests; their roots release alpha-terthienyl, a compound toxic to root-knot nematodes, a type of parasitic roundworm. This proven ability to suppress one underground pest is likely the origin of the broader belief that they repel all subterranean threats, including gophers.
However, a gopher’s behavior is driven by opportunity and caloric need, not just strong odors. While the pungent aroma of marigolds may make them less appealing than other plants, gophers are known to be opportunistic feeders and may still consume the roots or crowns of these flowers, especially when other food sources are scarce. The effectiveness of marigolds as a gopher deterrent is highly variable and not guaranteed, meaning a planting strategy based solely on these flowers is an unreliable defense.
The Gopher’s Primary Diet
To understand the challenge of gopher control, it is helpful to recognize their specific dietary preferences. Pocket gophers are herbivores that specialize in consuming the subterranean parts of plants that offer high caloric density. Their diet primarily consists of roots, tubers, bulbs, and rhizomes, which they can access and store from the safety of their burrow system.
Gophers will actively seek out the nutrient-rich roots of many common garden plants, including carrots, potatoes, and ornamental bulbs like tulips and lilies. They are also known to consume above-ground vegetation, pulling entire plants down into their tunnels from below to feed. The presence of these desirable food sources is the primary factor that draws gophers to a location, regardless of any nearby deterrent plants.
Proven Exclusion and Removal Methods
Since relying on marigolds is not a reliable long-term solution, effective gopher management requires a focus on physical exclusion and active removal. Physical barriers are one of the most successful methods for protecting specific areas or high-value plants. This involves installing galvanized hardware cloth or gopher wire with a mesh size of one-half inch or less, either vertically as an underground fence or horizontally beneath planting beds.
For perimeter exclusion, the wire mesh barrier must be buried at least 18 to 24 inches deep to prevent burrowing beneath it, and it should extend a few inches above the soil line. Individual plants, particularly shrubs or trees, can be protected by planting them inside pre-formed wire baskets, which shield the root ball from tunneling rodents. This method creates an impenetrable physical boundary that excludes gophers entirely, offering guaranteed protection for the protected area.
Active removal, primarily through trapping, is the most direct way to eliminate an existing gopher problem. Specialized tunnel traps, such as the Macabee or the cinch-style trap, are highly effective when placed correctly within the main runway of the gopher’s tunnel system. To maximize success, two traps should be set facing opposite directions inside the active tunnel, which can be located by probing the ground near a fresh mound.
Other methods, such as commercially available castor oil-based repellents, can be used to irritate gophers and encourage them to move elsewhere. These liquid repellents are applied directly to the soil and are considered a secondary measure to support exclusion and removal. While unproven methods like ultrasonic devices or planting certain other pungent plants are often cited, physical barriers and strategic trapping remain the most proven and practical methods for long-term gopher control.