The groundhog, also known as the woodchuck, is a common North American rodent that frequently becomes a nuisance when its foraging habits intersect with residential properties. As herbivores, they spend the spring and summer months consuming large quantities of food to build up the fat reserves necessary for their long winter hibernation. Groundhogs are primarily driven into yards and gardens by the availability of high-value plant matter.
Primary Plant-Based Attractants
Groundhogs are particularly attracted to cultivated garden crops, which provide a rich source of tender, easily digestible vegetation. They often target young plants and seedlings, which are softer and higher in moisture content than mature growth. Highly favored attractants include vegetables from the legume family, such as beans and peas. Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables are also significant draws, including lettuce, cabbage, and broccoli. Groundhogs can consume up to a pound and a half of vegetation daily, quickly decimating small garden plots.
Secondary Attraction Sources
Beyond the cultivated garden, groundhogs are drawn to a variety of wild and landscape plants that serve as convenient food sources. Common lawn and field weeds, particularly those with broad, tender leaves, are readily consumed. Dandelions, clover, and alfalfa are staples in a groundhog’s diet. Fruit-bearing trees and shrubs also attract groundhogs, as they seek out the high-calorie energy provided by ripe fruit. Fallen apples, berries, and cherries are especially tempting and provide crucial calories as the rodents prepare for hibernation.
Human-Related Food Sources
In suburban and rural environments, groundhogs are sometimes drawn to food sources inadvertently provided by human activity. Accessible pet food, particularly if left outside overnight, can become an easy, high-protein meal. Spilled bird seed, especially oil-rich varieties like sunflower seeds, offers a concentrated source of fat and energy. Poorly secured garbage or compost bins containing food scraps can also lure groundhogs. Although primarily herbivores, the high caloric density of discarded human food provides an attraction because these sources require minimal foraging effort compared to grazing or digging for roots.
Strategies for Eliminating Food Attraction
Reducing a groundhog’s food supply is the most direct way to discourage its presence in your yard. Promptly harvesting garden vegetables as soon as they ripen limits the availability of their preferred foods, and regularly picking up fallen fruit removes a significant high-calorie attractant. Securing accidental food sources involves moving pet food indoors and ensuring bird feeders are placed where dropped seed cannot be easily accessed. All garbage and compost materials should be kept in heavy-duty, tightly sealed containers to prevent scavenging. For high-value crops, installing a physical barrier, such as a sturdy fence buried a foot below ground and angled outward, can block access to tempting food plants.