Gopher wire, often referred to as hardware cloth, is a specialized metallic mesh designed to create a physical barrier against tunneling rodents like gophers and moles. These pests can rapidly destroy lawns and garden beds by consuming plant roots and creating extensive tunnel systems just beneath the surface. Installing a permanent wire barrier provides a long-term defense mechanism for protecting vegetation, unlike temporary solutions such as chemical repellents or traps.
Essential Materials and Pre-Installation Planning
Selecting the correct material requires galvanized hardware cloth with a mesh size of no more than one-half inch, which prevents gophers from squeezing through. The wire should be 19-gauge or stronger, offering durability to withstand burrowing pressures and resist rust.
Tools needed include heavy-duty wire cutters or tin snips for shaping the mesh, and gloves to protect hands from sharp edges. Measuring tape and securing landscape staples or U-pins are also necessary.
Pre-installation planning involves accurately measuring the area to determine the amount of hardware cloth needed. The planned barrier must extend at least six inches deep into the soil to prevent pests from tunneling underneath. Before laying the wire, clear the installation site of debris, large rocks, or dense root masses that could interfere with the mesh lying flat.
Method 1: Securing Large Areas and Lawns
Installation for large areas, such as a new lawn or the base of a raised garden bed, begins with preparing the perimeter. A trench must be dug around the entire area, extending downward at least six inches to form a secure subterranean boundary. The trench should be wide enough to comfortably maneuver the hardware cloth and allow for backfilling.
Laying the mesh involves unrolling the hardware cloth across the cleared foundation, ensuring it lies flat against the ground. When multiple rolls are required, the edges must be joined with a minimum overlap of four to six inches to eliminate gaps. Secure these overlapping sections using hog rings, zip ties, or by twisting the cut wire ends to maintain a continuous surface.
Anchor the mesh firmly to the subsoil using landscape staples or U-pins driven through the wire every few feet to prevent shifting during backfilling. If installing under a raised bed, the mesh should extend up the inside walls and be fastened using a staple gun.
For ground-level installations, the mesh should extend horizontally into the perimeter trench. Backfill the trench with soil, ensuring the wire is completely buried, except for a small lip that can extend slightly above ground level to deter surface entry near the edge.
Method 2: Building Protective Baskets for Plants
For protecting individual plants, shrubs, or young trees, a localized method involves constructing custom wire baskets for the root balls. This technique requires cutting a square piece of hardware cloth large enough to accommodate the mature root ball. Cut out the corners of the square mesh to create four flaps that can be folded upwards.
Bend the sides upward to form a cube or cylindrical basket shape. Secure the vertical seams using the cut ends of the wire or small pieces of wire woven through the mesh. The basket must be large enough to allow for future root growth without becoming restrictive.
Set the root ball inside the prepared wire basket before placing the plant into its hole. Lower the plant into the ground, ensuring the top edge of the wire basket sits slightly above the surrounding soil line. This elevated rim prevents gophers tunneling near the surface from climbing over the edge and accessing the plant.