Berndoodle, you struck a nerve. Those darn gophers! I watched a whole chrysanthemum plant vanish before my eyes last week (right before annual bloom season). The gophers just pulled it under in broad daylight. I, like you, have a location where the population is huge in a vast area. I am trying something new this year with my beardeds since I do not have a huge collection yet (maybe never if the gophers continue to invite their family & friends to my place). I will be planting them in clay pots, submerged, rim level to the ground. I am concerned about the hole in the bottom of the pot...don't know if they can sqeeze through. I know the plants won't have a lot of room to spread. I'll just divide them again next year.

Gophers are back .... I now have around 110 containers that I have buried in the ground. It seems that the gophers are pretty much not bothering the plants in the buried containers (yet ...). The gophers are even pulling down the California Poppies! I think this is the first time they have bothered the California Poppies, but I really don't mind, if that will keep them from completely destroying my best plants. My funds are extremely limited, but I do plan on laying down chicken wire, and if possible laying some rocks over the chicken wire. I will only be able to do this with very small plots (2x3 feet, or 3x4 feet), one at a time. My health is not good, so I work very slow, sometimes extremely slow ..... I'm also experimenting with allowing some wild plants to spread naturally, like Stinging Nettle, Chickweed, Henbit, and whatever else comes up as volunteers (Tomatoes, Oregano, Thyme, Calendulas, Radishes, Mustard, Chinese Cabbage, Garlic, Onions, Potatoes). I'm hoping that by allowing the Stinging Nettles to grow wild and spread everywhere, perhaps the gophers will stay away from the Nettles mixed in with almost everything ... ??? I have not yet seen the gophers stealing any nettles.

Information taken from website: You can buy road flares very cheaply too, at an auto parts store. They will usually come in several lengths and the longer ones burn longer and are more effective. At any rate road flares of any length work pretty well. Dig out the gopher mound and open up the tunnel. Light the road flare by twisting off the cap and then striking the tip of the flare with the end of the cap. Point it away from yourself so you dont get burned. Shove the lit end of the road flare into the gopher tunnel and then shovel some dirt back over the top of the opening. Stamp it all shut tight with the sole of your shoe. Youll see some of the smoke escaping up through the dirt. If you spot smoke coming up from another hole in the lawn, quickly go over there and plug up that hole. The smoke from road flares is sulfur smoke and it will stink out the entire tunnel Here is a link that might be useful: Gophers and smoke from Red Road Flares

After awhile, some people get over their aversion to killing rodents. Especially after those rodents destroy several years worth of your hard work in the garden, not to mention some very expensive plants. I've never seen any non-lethal gadget that worked permanently on any pest animal, whether birds, coyotes, or gophers. They all get used to mechanical & electronic devices after awhile. For a truly permanent cure, lookup a gadget called the Rodenator. Even if you never use one, the video is a hoot! Here is a link that might be useful: Rodenator underground rodent exterminator