\u00a9 2022 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. First, make sure you identify all of the openings to the groundhogs burrow. Use a rake or a garden hoe to push the soil long, raised mounds that are about 8 inches (20 cm) tall. Weve developed a unique formula that is completely free from common non-natural petroleum ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate. During the spring, you may see a groundhog slipping under your deck, porch, or shed but not emerging as theyre entering their extensive tunnel system. Make sure you use galvanized steel mesh thats installed well below ground level to keep the woodchuck from burrowing back under the deck. Introduce predatory insects that feed on spider mites, such as lady beetles, praying mantises and assassin bugs. Once a groundhog has gone to the trouble of creating its burrow and it has access to food, its unlikely to move even in the face of annoying vibrations. See the 10 most dangerous bugs to avoid. Test the pH of your soil after you add compost or manure so you can check if you need to make any more amendments. At the top of your fence leave the last 12 inches unattached to the posts and bend the chicken wire outwards to prevent a groundhog from climbing up and over. A hard spraying is sometimes enough to convince the surviving bugs they should go somewhere else. Insects with exoskeletons dehydrate when coming in contact with diatomaceous earth, but pets are not harmed by it. Hi, These tips can help you prevent groundhogs in your yard and other pests like chipmunks: Groundhogs search for soft, loose, and fairly dry soil thats easy to dig through to make their burrows. Youll need to check if you have any municipal watering restrictions in your area as water shortages can force limits on lawn watering in the summer. Dont apply fertilizer to the soil if it already has enough nutrients since you could make your plants weaker. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Here, active groundhogs have brought many artifacts to the surface thanks to their burrowing, including human bones and pottery. If you cant build a fence around your garden and woodchucks are a concern, there are a few other options to consider: Whats one of a groundhogs favorite places to hideout? So, whats the big deal with a groundhog or two living on your property? This includes areas with good cover like dense shrubs, near bushes and fences, and under sheds. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. ", article has helped me to identify why I fail at producing successful crops. By using our site, you agree to our. Groundhogs can get through a fence by climbing or burrowing theyre great at both. Of course, keeping the ground pretty moist throughout the summer may not be possible or affordable. L-footer style fencing is the most effective barrier against burrowing pests like woodchucks and its essentially wire mesh that extends away from the fence under the ground in an L shape. belgian malinois for sale surrey; smu sigma chi. You dont need to spend much money to do this. Thats why we typically dont recommend them. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. 2. how you can keep slugs and snails from running roughshod over your garden, fine silk webs on the undersides of leaves. The soaked rags will give off a pungent odor that helps convince the woodchuck to leave. You can make your fence more secure by digging a small ditch under your fence and positioning these boards partially below the surface of the ground. Luke Miller is an award-winning garden editor with 25 years' experience in horticultural communications, including editing a national magazine and creating print and online gardening content for a national retailer. If you have plenty of land and dont mind sharing some with groundhogs or you live close to a wooded area and just want the groundhogs a bit farther away a possible solution may be planting the woodchucks a garden of their own away from your own. Although camouflaged, these caterpillars are large and easy to spot if youre looking for them (they leave dark green to black droppings on foliage). Food-grade diatomaceous earth is a biosafe mineral that's harvested from the ocean. Sometimes the best or only solution for a groundhog is trapping it. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This option means you wont have a high, ugly fence over your garden and youll still have protection from burrowing. Thats because these 1-inch-long white caterpillars feed from inside the stems. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. These bright-green, heavily striped caterpillars looks like something from a sci-fi show, especially with the horn-like tails. They tend to gravitate toward natural cavities that offer good cover, like a shed, but they will continue to burrow. Males are small flying insects, while larvae are tiny, soft, crawling insects. They eat a varied plant-based diet, consuming everything from apples, carrots, and garden vegetables to dandelions, flowers, and tree bark. If the water drains too quickly, then your vegetables wont receive enough water. The program pays this website advertising fees for products purchased after users click the links to Amazon. You can choose to amend the soil as early as the fall or winter before you plant if you have the time. Clover. 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