Groundhogs are frustrating pests due to their voracious appetites and extensive burrowing habits. These large rodents consume up to a pound and a half of vegetation daily, targeting a wide variety of plants. Their digging activity creates large holes and complex tunnel systems that damage turf, undermine foundations, and destroy root systems. Protecting plants requires a multi-faceted approach combining physical exclusion, sensory deterrence, habitat disruption, and, if necessary, humane removal.
Building Physical Barriers
Physical fencing offers the most reliable long-term defense against groundhogs, but it must be correctly installed to defeat their strong digging and climbing abilities. A simple vertical fence is ineffective because groundhogs tunnel underneath it to access the garden. The fence material should be sturdy, such as galvanized wire mesh, with openings of no more than two inches. The above-ground portion of the fence needs to stand at least 3 feet tall, and the top 6 to 12 inches should be bent outward to discourage climbing.
The most important feature is the underground barrier, often called an L-shaped footer. This footer is created by burying the bottom of the fence material at least 10 to 12 inches deep and then bending the wire outward horizontally for another 12 inches. This horizontal apron prevents the groundhog from digging straight down at the fence line.
Using Taste and Scent Repellents
Repellents work by overwhelming the groundhog’s keen sense of smell or by making plants taste unappealing, serving best as a secondary or temporary solution. They must be frequently reapplied, especially after rain or watering, making them less reliable than a physical barrier.
Taste repellents are applied directly to plants and often contain compounds like capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot peppers. This unpleasant taste encourages the animal to find food elsewhere after the first bite. Scent-based repellents rely on strong, offensive odors, such as putrescent egg solids, which mimic decay and signal danger, or commercial products containing garlic and sulfur compounds. Blood meal, a natural fertilizer, is also highly offensive to groundhogs and can be sprinkled around the garden perimeter.
Modifying the Landscape
Making the surrounding environment less appealing encourages groundhogs to move their burrows away from cultivated areas. Groundhogs prefer dense cover, so removing potential shelter spots is an effective strategy. Clearing brush piles, low-lying shrubs, and overgrown weeds from the garden perimeter eliminates hiding places and leaves them exposed to predators.
These animals dislike plants with strong odors, such as alliums, foxglove, and French marigolds. Eliminating favored food sources like clover, alfalfa, and dandelions from your yard and focusing on planting unpalatable flowers can shift the odds in your favor. Confirm the burrow is empty before attempting to collapse it, as trapping a live animal underground can lead to further damage.
Humane Trapping and Legal Considerations
When exclusion and deterrence methods fail, humane removal is the only option, typically involving a large, heavy-duty live trap. The trap should be placed directly in the groundhog’s travel path or a few feet from an active burrow entrance. Effective baits include strong-smelling, sweet items like cantaloupe, as well as apples or carrots, which are good, longer-lasting alternatives.
Before setting a trap, check local and state wildlife regulations, as the relocation of nuisance wildlife is often illegal or strictly regulated. Many jurisdictions require that trapped animals be released on-site or euthanized humanely, as moving them can spread disease or simply shift the problem to another area. To ensure the burrow is unoccupied before sealing it, loosely cover the entrance with crumpled paper or sticks. Monitor the entrance for 24 to 48 hours; if the material is undisturbed, the burrow is empty and can be filled with gravel or soil.