Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are common in many North American gardens. These stout rodents are primarily herbivores, meaning their diet consists mainly of plant matter. Their presence often raises concerns among gardeners due to their significant appetite and ability to cause considerable damage to cultivated plants. Understanding their dietary preferences and habits is a first step in managing their impact.
Groundhogs and Tulips
Groundhogs do eat tulips, often causing significant damage to these popular spring-flowering plants. Tulips are particularly appealing due to their tender foliage, vibrant flowers, and especially their bulbs, which are a rich source of carbohydrates. Gardeners may observe cleanly bitten stems, indicating their presence. When groundhogs target the bulbs, they excavate holes in the soil, leaving signs of their foraging activity where the bulbs once were. This type of feeding can quickly decimate a bed of tulips.
Beyond Tulips Common Groundhog Foraging Habits
Beyond tulips, groundhogs eat many other garden plants, vegetables, and fruits, showing a strong preference for tender, succulent vegetation. Common garden vegetables include beans, peas, corn, carrots, celery, and leafy greens such as lettuce, cabbage, and kale. They also enjoy fruits like berries, apples, pears, and cherries, along with grasses, clover, and dandelions. An average adult groundhog eats up to 1.5 pounds of vegetation daily. They typically forage within 150 feet of their burrows.
Protecting Your Garden from Groundhogs
Protecting a garden from groundhogs involves using physical barriers and deterrents. Fencing is highly effective, but it must be constructed correctly to prevent both climbing and burrowing. A sturdy fence made of heavy poultry wire or 2-inch woven-mesh wire should be at least 3 to 6 feet high. To prevent groundhogs from digging underneath, the bottom 10 to 12 inches of the fence should be buried, with the lowest 6 to 12 inches bent outwards in an L-shape away from the garden. Angling the top 12 to 15 inches of the fence outwards at a 45-degree angle can deter climbing.
Various repellents can be used, though their effectiveness varies and reapplication is often necessary, especially after rain. Commercial repellents are available, and some natural deterrents include strong-smelling substances like garlic, cayenne pepper, castor oil, and predator urine. Placing human hair clippings or soiled kitty litter near burrows or around the garden can create an unpleasant scent for groundhogs.
Modifying the habitat around the garden makes it less appealing. This involves removing tempting food sources, such as fallen fruit, and reducing overgrown areas where groundhogs might hide or establish burrows. Keeping grass mowed and trimming dense vegetation around structures makes the area feel less secure. For more intensive situations, trapping and exclusion funnels are options, but consult local wildlife services or extension offices for guidance on legal and humane practices.