This Simple Trick Helps Keep Groundhogs Out of Your Yard

Groundhogs can be a real nuisance for homeowners. They often make a home in yards, damaging lawns, and garden beds. They can also cause structural damage if they choose to extend their tunnel system under foundations, sheds or decks. And since they can consume up to 1.5 lbs. of vegetation each day, they can quickly lay waste to gardens. Luckily there are ways to safely and humanely get rid of a groundhog. Here's how. 

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Confirm Groundhog Activity

First, make sure it’s a groundhog you’re dealing with. Groundhogs create larger holes that are about a foot in diameter, according to Hearn. “You'll typically see a big entrance hole with a dirt mound around it,” he says. Other signs of groundhog activity typically include chewed up plants in your garden, trails in the grass, and chewed bark. You may also find oval shaped droppings under decks and sheds where ground hogs often take shelter. 

How to Prevent Groundhogs

Prevention is the best way to approach ground hog issues. 

Protect Your Gardens

Eliminating food sources is one of the best ways to deter groundhogs. If you have a garden, sealing it off is key. Build a fence that is at least 3 feet tall to keep ground boughs. Ground hogs being ground hogs, they can burrow their way into your garden, so you'll need to extend that fence at least a foot into the ground with mesh or hardware cloth to keep ground hogs out. Angle the cloth or mesh outward when you bury it to prevent the groundhog from digging past it. 

Use Repellents 

Along with physical barriers, you can also use scent deterrents to drive away ground hogs. Spread epsom salt, red pepper flakes, or ammonia soaked rags around the perimeter of your garden to deter groundhogs. You can also use a commercial spray, such as Liquid Fence or Tomcat Repellents, which are effective. 

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Eliminate Food and Shelter Sources

Ground hogs like to set up shop with easy access to food and plenty of cover to protect them as they move around. You can make your large less attractive ot ground hogs by using the following tactics:

• Get rid of brush piles and stacks of wood that they can use for cover. 
• Keep your yard neatly trimmed and don’t allow areas of tall grass where groundhogs can hide
• Harvest garden crops as soon as they’re ripe so they don’t serve as a food source for groundhogs. 
• Enclose the open space under decks and sheds to prevent ground hogs from using them as hiding spots. 

Fill Burrows

Once you’ve successfully driven away a ground hog, fill up the burrow with gravel or soil then cover the hole with wire mesh. This will discourage other ground hogs from moving into your yard and taking up residence. Keep in mind that ground hogs typically have two to five entrances to their burrows. 

When to Call a Professional

If all of your above efforts fail, you’ll need to call in a pro to take care of the issue. Professionals will typically set live traps that are baited with food that ground hogs like. Once they catch the groundhog, they will relocate it to an area that isn’t your yard. Professionals also know how to close burrow systems to ensure no new ground hogs move in. 

Conclusion 

Groundhogs can do a number on your yard, garden, and even your home if you’re not careful. By using a combination of fencing, natural repellents, and by removing food and shelter sources, you can often convince a groundhog to move on to a more hospitable yard. If all else fails, you may need to foot the bill for a professional pest control service.