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Groundhogs in the garden....HELP!!!

post #1 of 18
6/28/11 at 5:14pm
Thread Starter 
Our garden has become the local groundhog buffet and I'm ready for some groundhog stew! Only problem is, I won't have any veggies to put IN the stew if they keep up!

It isn't big but has a few plants each of tomatoes, peppers, squash, lettace, radishes, cucumbers, carrots, onions and beans. We were late getting it in (last weekend of May) but they left it alone until 2 weeks ago when things started coming through. The cucumbers were nibbled on first, then the squash, then the beans...now it's just open season.

Any advice on how to keep them out? The garden is fenced in, but the fence doesn't go underground. But we only found one hole that we blocked so we think they are climbing the fence. We got on the internet and found suggestions and have tried rags soaked in ammonia, used kitty litter sprinkled around the outside, epson salts, mothballs, none of these work. I think all our groundhogs have stuffy noses and can't smell . I did plant garlic around the edges but that hasn't come up yet. And there are marigolds mixed in but probably not enough. Today, I got a ton of tin pie pans and strung them in pairs along the fence. I know it helps to keep birds out (which we don't have a problem with, thanks to the barn cats) so maybe that will help with the groundhogs? A friend at work suggested pouring animal blood from a butcher shop around the edges. Does anyone think that will work? MIL does have electric wire that we can string from pole to pole on the top, but I'm hesitant to do that because of the cats. Same thing with the ultrasound devices. Many of the barn cats live in the nearby buildings (within 10-15ft) and I don't know if it will scare them out of their homes.

DH wants to just take a .22 and go hunting and I'm about ready to say fine. Don't get me wrong, I like groundhogs and think they're as cute as can be....until they start eating MY FOOD! Times are tight for us right now, and I we made an investment with plants, seeds, fertilizer, time and sweat so we could have some to stock up on, and right now, I don't see it happening.

Any suggestions, before I go completely ballistic????
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post #2 of 18
6/28/11 at 5:19pm
I would let hubby at them with the .22 as it sounds like the lure of food outweighs the stink of old litter, ammonia and mothballs. For what it's worth, I read something about human urine helping deter them, may be worth a try, cant lose anything but your hubby's dignity
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post #3 of 18
6/28/11 at 5:34pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sk_pacer View Post
I would let hubby at them with the .22 as it sounds like the lure of food outweighs the stink of old litter, ammonia and mothballs. For what it's worth, I read something about human urine helping deter them, may be worth a try, cant lose anything but your hubby's dignity
LOL, I actually thought about that! And believe me, when mother nature calls, my hubby has NO dignity. Good thing we live out in the middle of nowhere because he would have been arrested for indecent exposure many times. I'll just pump him full of liquids and tell him to go do his "manly duty" and protect the garden! I'm willing to swat down myself if it would help....just hope no mosquitoes are around.....
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post #4 of 18
6/28/11 at 8:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by calico2222 View Post
I'm willing to swat down myself if it would help....just hope no mosquitoes are around.....
Ummm.... buy a cheap funnel and gas container.... I had to do a 24hr catch after Tressa was born. It's pretty much what I used.

My Grandpa uses moth balls to deter stuff. I thought groundhogs only eat grubs and stuff though? I have pinwheels in my garden too.
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post #5 of 18
6/28/11 at 8:54pm
No wait...I'm thinking of moles. Not sure if the pinwheels help with that.
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post #6 of 18
6/29/11 at 4:01am
Cat pee works.

Or at least drives them elsewhere. My folks had a giant garden muncher one summer and heard that dumping dirty cat litter down their holes gets rid of them. At first they just dig a new hole, but eventually if you are persistent and your kitties cooperate by makeing lots of dirty litter it will convince them to 'move along'. This chuck moved a couple houses down and out neighbor shot him.
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post #7 of 18
6/29/11 at 4:11am
Try Liquid Fence. Sprinkle a bit up and down your rows of crops. And then sprinkle it around the perimeter of the garden. We found evidence of bunny activity in our garden last week; we found the hole under the fence and plugged it up. Then we put Liquid Fence around everything. So far *knock on wood*, no more bunny activity. And we have rabbits out the giggie thanks to our neighbor who is feeding all of the wildfire critters in a two-mile area!

http://www.liquidfence.com/
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post #8 of 18
6/29/11 at 5:04am
There is a liquid fence product specifically for rabbits. I ordered it online as its hard to find in stores. I've used it the last two winters on shrubs but I don't know about using it on food products.

I don't think woodchucks are your problem its most likely chipmunks and rabbits.
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post #9 of 18
6/29/11 at 5:11am
There is a Dual Action Rabbit Repellant from Liquid Fence that can be used on vegetable gardens. I don't know if it will work on ground hogs.

I think next year we're going to put our regular wire fence up like we have this year. But there's a plastic fencing that's about five feet high and about 50 feet long....we saw it at Lowes and it's fairly cheap. I think we're going to buy that fencing, cut it in half lengthwise and then lay it on the ground beneath the wire fence and it will go out from the garden perimeter about 2 to 2-1/2 feet on the ground. We're hoping that most animals do not like stepping on something like that and it may deter them.
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post #10 of 18
6/29/11 at 1:46pm
I'm glad you posted this because I have now found evidence something is snacking in my garden. Yay. lol
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post #11 of 18
6/29/11 at 4:21pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the suggestions guys! I'll have to get some of that liquid fence next payday and hope that helps. I went down to the garden tonight when I came home from work and the pie pans apparently didn't work. More squash leaves were eaten and our beans are completely gnawed to stubs. This means war!

And Gail, we know it's the groundhogs. I'm not saying we're not getting other furry critters in there doing damage, but we've seen 4 of them around our garden. We know where one hole is and poured used kitty litter and stink bombed it, but there's another one somewhere that we can't find. Part of the problem is the only place we have to put the garden is by the woods line so they could be living about anywhere. I have a feeling we'll be going hunting this weekend. Anyone have a good recipe for groundhog stew?
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post #12 of 18
6/29/11 at 5:07pm
I know that Bobbex works.......

http://www.bobbex.com/bobbex_animal_repellent.html

I have used it in several different situations, this stuff works! Check out the link......
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post #13 of 18
6/29/11 at 7:02pm
Our dachshunds take care of any groundhogs/rabbits for friends and family, lol. If you know anyone that has one, if it has ANY prey drive, even if it hasn't been trained, it will do the work for you - just show it where the hole is and it'll go down and get the little buggers out for you. Pretty much any terrier will actually... You could also see if there are any earthdog, terrier or hunting clubs around you that use dogs, they would probably be more than happy to come out and take care of the problem for you - and the meat of the ground hogs won't go to waste because a lot of the people will use it to feed their dogs (we do).

I don't have any suggestions another than that... sorry
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post #14 of 18
6/30/11 at 10:43am
You have my sympathy. I watched my Mom try to raise a garden a few years ago and lost all but a couple of pepper plants to the assorted critters.

Ever hear a tomato hornworm belch? Mom swears one did - before she squished him.

Sis used a solution made from hot peppers to deter garden snackers. Think it might work with the groundhogs? (Yes, very cute to watch but heck on the yard and garden with the big holes they leave.)
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post #15 of 18
6/30/11 at 9:20pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by nerdrock View Post
Our dachshunds take care of any groundhogs/rabbits for friends and family, lol. If you know anyone that has one, if it has ANY prey drive, even if it hasn't been trained, it will do the work for you - just show it where the hole is and it'll go down and get the little buggers out for you. Pretty much any terrier will actually... You could also see if there are any earthdog, terrier or hunting clubs around you that use dogs, they would probably be more than happy to come out and take care of the problem for you - and the meat of the ground hogs won't go to waste because a lot of the people will use it to feed their dogs (we do).

I don't have any suggestions another than that... sorry
I'll have the check into that! My MIL has a terrier but he is so fat now he probably would get stuck. I don't know if there are any hunting clubs around here to contact. I'll search online and see if there are any nearby. Thanks for the suggestion!
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post #16 of 18
6/30/11 at 9:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gemlady View Post
You have my sympathy. I watched my Mom try to raise a garden a few years ago and lost all but a couple of pepper plants to the assorted critters.

Ever hear a tomato hornworm belch? Mom swears one did - before she squished him.

Sis used a solution made from hot peppers to deter garden snackers. Think it might work with the groundhogs? (Yes, very cute to watch but heck on the yard and garden with the big holes they leave.)
Yes, we have a recipe for a solution that calls for hot peppers (2 pints), garlic, dish washing liquid, and vinegar. At least I think that is what is in it. We may try once the paycheck goes in and we can by 2 pints of hot peppers.
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post #17 of 18
7/1/11 at 7:16am
Well I hope one of the suggestions works.

We don't have a garden, but we have a groundhog (the cutest little thing, he/she was born this year) - and I have to say, cat pee doesn't seem to deter him. We've got 10 TNR'd cats, and six of them we see all the time - and they pee all over the place, and "our" groundhog hasn't moved out of this little territory. In fact, he suns himself on the deck and picnic table (I didn't know they could hop and climb so well!) with the cats roaming around or hanging out a few feet away. He built an entrance to his den not far from where we have wood chips down - and the cats love to use that as a bathroom. He was also gathering up bunches and bunches of leaves the other day - using leaves at the edge of the woods where we've seen the cats going.
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post #18 of 18
7/1/11 at 11:36am
I just bought some liquid fence since something is eating the flowers off of my summer squash and zucchini. Walmart had it.

There seems to be an awful lot of ants in my garden too.
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