Rolls of Gopher Wire for Grass

Description

• There are 12 species of gopher native to North America. They grow 8 to 12 inches long and live 3 years on average. They have large claws from digging and long incisors. The fur is brown, gray or yellowish brown and closely mimics their native soil color. They have fur-lined cheek pouches or pockets that are used to store food. The animals have small eyes, closely set teeth and are usually not visible during the day. The best way to identify the presence of gophers is from their mounds, which form around their entry tunnels. They are vigorous chewers and can chew their way through PVC pipe and utility cables. Gopher wire is strong enough that they cannot usually get through it.

Damage and Range

• Gophers eat turf grass roots, which causes dead patches. Their underground feeding activities persist all season long. In the absence of other vegetation, the rodents cause massive damage. The animals are efficient diggers and can 100 to 150 feet of tunnel in just 24 hours. This means their range is large. Young gopher tunnel systems may only be 200 square feet but an older established gopher may reign over 2,000 square feet of tunnels.

Gopher Barriers

• There are chicken wire baskets you can form around the roots of important trees and plants before planting. They are made of a double layer of wire and are installed with enough extra room for future root growth. Entire borders around beds are installed with gopher wire in infested areas. These are labor intensive and have limited effectiveness, as the gophers eventually tunnel farther than the recommended installation depth of 6 inches. They are capable of tunneling deeper than 24 inches if they are motivated. Gopher wire is thicker than 1-gauge chicken wire and lasts longer.

Installing Gopher Wire

• Gopher wire is 19-gauge and rust resistant. Dig down at least 6 but ideally 24 inches in a 10 inch wide trench around the grassy area. Use a 36 inch wide roll of gopher wire and bend the bottom edge out 6 inches at a 90-degree angle. Install the wire with the bent edge out away from the grass. Fill in the bottom 4 to 6 inches with gravel and the remainder of the trench with soil. The gravel should be 1 inch or more in diameter.