WHAT is this wretched beast?!

ARgardener · May 11, 2018

So far, I've lost 1 tomato, 1 tomatillo, 2 peppers, 1 eggplant, 1 datura, and 1 lemongrass...

Whatever it is is sucking the plants completely underneath the ground. There are NO signs of visual distrubance to the soil.. no mounds, piles, etc. No "snake-like" tunnels on the surface/ under mulch like everyone describes with voles.

I don't know what to do considering I don't know what Im dealing with..
I have 2 ultrasonic spike things going for about a week now... nothing changed, I removed all the mulch from the garden.. still nothin.

Any ideas/ advice??

AlittleSalt · May 12, 2018

A hungry neighbor? J/K, but I would like to know what could cause that.

edweather · May 12, 2018

Grounghog/Gopher?

ARgardener · May 12, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by edweather

Grounghog/Gopher?

Not sure how they'd be doing all that without causing so much as a hickup or sign of disturbance with the soil.... Both of those typically cause very noticeable lifts and hills.

brownrexx · May 12, 2018

It really does sound like voles.

Worth1 · May 12, 2018

If you are in sandy soil it is gophers I can almost guarantee that.
I bought ten jalapeno peppers one time.
Then I counted 9.
Okay maybe I was mistaken.
Then it was 8.
What the heck is going on?

I started slowly excavating the sandy soil and found an underground tunnel and my pepper plants.
You need gopher snakes.

ARgardener · May 12, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

If you are in sandy soil it is gophers I can almost guarantee that.

Update: I found tunnels!!! Not large.. maybe 2.5" in diameter.
I do have sandy soil here in AR... I mean, these are some BIG plants getting sucked down.. couldnt imagine it being lil ole voles..

Worth1 · May 12, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by ARgardener

Update: I found tunnels!!! Not large.. maybe 2.5" in diameter.
I do have sandy soil here in AR... I mean, these are some BIG plants getting sucked down.. couldnt imagine it being lil ole voles..

My pepper plants were big too like a foot wide or more and 20 inches tall maybe more.

brownrexx · May 12, 2018

We don't have gophers where I live but voles tend to nibble on the roots of plants. I thought that gophers were pretty big though. Bigger than 2 1/2" like the tunnels you mentioned.

Update: I just Googled it and you have pocket gophers in your state and their burrows are 2 - 3 1/2" in diameter. I'll bet it is pocket gophers.

zeuspaul · May 12, 2018

The gophers I have make smaller holes, anywhere from 1 1/2 inches for the young ones up to 2 or 2 1/2 inches for the adults. 2 1/2 inches would be for well established adults. The last thing I want is for them to get established. I set traps the same day I see evidence. They will eat an entire young tomato plant. Larger plants may take a few days.

They also like my apple trees and just about any fruit tree. They eat the roots first and the tree falls over. Then they are done and follow an underground PVC irrigation line to the next tree and start munching.

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownrexx

We don't have gophers where I live but voles tend to nibble on the roots of plants. I thought that gophers were pretty big though. Bigger than 2 1/2" like the tunnels you mentioned.

Update: I just Googled it and you have pocket gophers in your state and their burrows are 2 - 3 1/2" in diameter. I'll bet it is pocket gophers.

Nan_PA_6b · May 16, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeuspaul

... I set traps the same day I see evidence...

What kind of traps?

Nan

zeuspaul · May 17, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

What kind of traps?

Nan

I use the Victor blackbox gopher traps.
https://www.amazon.com/Victor-Black-.../dp/B000FBMFDO

I think they may be too small for this monster gopher or whatever it is. I have tried several traps and like this one best.

I prefer traps because I get a body count and don't want to risk secondary kill with poison.

You get the best results placing the traps after fresh activity.

Set a hair trigger for whatever trap you use. Gophers can be very gentle with dirt so the trap has to spring with the slightest touch.

Worth1 · May 12, 2018

There are several kinds of gophers maybe 40 or so.

Worth

ARgardener · May 12, 2018

This is certainly not a little "nibble".. it's a full-fledged sucking down of 2'+ tomatos, rock hard lemongrass stalks, etc.. No trace left behind

edweather · May 12, 2018

Ever see the movie Caddyshack? Gophers don't mess around.

May 11, 2018	#1
ARgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: steamy southern Arkansas Posts: 155	WHAT is this wretched beast?! So far, I've lost 1 tomato, 1 tomatillo, 2 peppers, 1 eggplant, 1 datura, and 1 lemongrass... Whatever it is is sucking the plants completely underneath the ground. There are NO signs of visual distrubance to the soil.. no mounds, piles, etc. No "snake-like" tunnels on the surface/ under mulch like everyone describes with voles. I don't know what to do considering I don't know what Im dealing with.. I have 2 ultrasonic spike things going for about a week now... nothing changed, I removed all the mulch from the garden.. still nothin. Any ideas/ advice??

May 12, 2018	#3
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 396	Grounghog/Gopher? __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

May 12, 2018	#9
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	We don't have gophers where I live but voles tend to nibble on the roots of plants. I thought that gophers were pretty big though. Bigger than 2 1/2" like the tunnels you mentioned. Update: I just Googled it and you have pocket gophers in your state and their burrows are 2 - 3 1/2" in diameter. I'll bet it is pocket gophers. Last edited by brownrexx; May 12, 2018 at 05:29 PM.

May 12, 2018	#15
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 396	Ever see the movie Caddyshack? Gophers don't mess around. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

May 12, 2018	#2
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	A hungry neighbor? J/K, but I would like to know what could cause that.

May 12, 2018	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	If you are in sandy soil it is gophers I can almost guarantee that. I bought ten jalapeno peppers one time. Then I counted 9. Okay maybe I was mistaken. Then it was 8. What the heck is going on? I started slowly excavating the sandy soil and found an underground tunnel and my pepper plants. You need gopher snakes.