I am so sorry to hear of this. They can be so destructive, and I, for one, have no answers for you. I have voles that burrow everywhere, but my soil is too heavy for gophers. I had them back where I grew up --- sandy loam.

I have been fighting gopher, and moles for years, and 2 weeks ago went to Lowes and they had solar gopher spikes, , they were reduced to $5 each, they had 7 left, and I bought all of them. My husband took them down to the coast, and guess what, they work. I went to the Lowes in Aranasas to buy more, and they are $21.50 each. What a diffrence it makes. Linda, from Rockport told me for years that they worked, but I thought you had to send off to get them. I am really impressed. They say they work for 30ft but even the mounds in the next lot were all vacant, so I think they travel even further. My flowerbeds are full of underground chicken wire baskets that house my bulbs. Its so much work to make those, and then install them, I think I have found my answer, I will have to wait and buy one a month, but it will be worth it, and they are good for 5 years. Problem is I need 45 to take care of my yard, and I now have 9. Barbra,

Thanks for the tip, I checked my local Lowes and they weren't available. Might just order online. BTW, does anyone know if gophers eat Hellebores? I need a shady spot and the tunnel runs right under a prime planting position for this poisonous plant.

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

I totally agree with Hibrick, at first, I didn't want to kill them and they have killed sooo many of my plants, I have fire in my eyes when I see a mound.
I have whirly gigs, the cheapy ones from the dollar store around the perimeter of my backyard and it does help when the wind is blowing, but the wind will not always be blowing.

Hibrick, we have voles, moles and gophers and I am going to order the rodenator right now.
Thank you, jolana

Ha, ha, ha... those boys are having way too much fun blowing things up. Did you notice that you can call "Burrow Busters" if you don't want to do it yourself?

I know, it looks like fun, lol
I sent the info to my son and he thinks he can make something for me
The big one costs over 3g

Well, the gopher is back, having taken a short break. It's a pity that contraption's so expensive, and such an overkill. Much as I'd like to collapse tunnels I don't really want to also blast my garden sky high.

ROFL!!!!! I have clay w/rocks but OMG that's one of the funniest things I have ever seen!!! The white trash heavy metal and bizarre forward and back rolling of the film just added that special something! PJ

Oh man I wanna play with one of those rodenators. Is that wrong?

I had gophers once many many years ago. Our cat decided that their hearts were delicious and one morning we woke to a totally erradicated gopher town. There were a bunch of carcasses belly up on the lawn, chest ripped open, hearts and only the hearts missing. I loved that cat, he rocked. Get yourself one of them carnivores and let them lose!

Those Rodenator videos reminded me of the tough guy advertising defense companies always use. Pretty funny!

Gophers basically made my parents give up on a garden when I was a kid in AZ. They had their garden completely enclosed in chicken wire above and below ground. The critters still got in. My dad got tired of gassing them after a year or two and just gave up.

A cat is probably the best long term solution I think.

Michelle, do you rent your cat out?

I have two mousers, and deposited the first kitty at the tunnel with great expectations. "Ewww," she complained, "they smell like dirt" and stalked away.

The Maine Coone rolled onto his back - Al Bundy style - and said something to the effect that he had enjoyed watching the gopher eat one of the plants ... when was the next performance?

Darn cats are so uncooperative aren't they? Totally unlike our dog slaves. That cat was my cat when I was little and sadly past away decades ago. Oddly he was a city cat too, not some country mouser. The neighbors were totally grossed out, I'm pretty sure they weren't gardeners.