How To Keep Woodchucks Out Of Garden

How To Keep Woodchucks Out of Your Garden

Living in rural areas certainly has its benefits, but pests, like woodchucks, can disrupt their tranquility. Woodchucks can become a huge nuisance, often damaging gardens and burrowing into small wells, leading to many headaches for homeowners.

Fortunately, there are several proven strategies for keeping woodchucks out of your garden.

Identify All Wooden Structures and Exclusionary Equipment

The first step when trying to limit woodchuck access to your garden is to assess all wooden structures and secure exclusionary items. Start by creating a wire fence around the garden, allowing the fence to be at least thirty-four inches tall and the base must be buried eight inches below ground. The next step is to install woodchuck-proof cages to protect individual vegetables and flowers.

Regularly Prune and Cut Trees and Bushes

Pruning and trimming is an essential element of keeping woodchucks out of the garden. Tall trees and bushes designated in woodchuck-prone areas can offer a place of refuge for the woodchucks and their young. As such, place a safe distance between the garden and trees or cut back the larger trees in order to reduce their height. Furthermore, try to keep all the trees and bushes from encroaching into the garden.

Add Decorative Rocks and Water Gardens

Decorative rocks and water gardens effectively reduce woodchuck access into your garden. Rocks should be spread evenly throughout the garden. These rocks can help minimize soil erosion and give the overall garden a pleasant look. Also, water gardens can also discourage woodchucks from entering the area.

Use Natural or Chemical Repellents

Repellents, either chemical or natural, can be effective when trying to deter woodchucks from the garden. Natural repellents include garlic, vinegar, mothballs, and even human hair. Chemical repellents are more effective, though caution should be taken in order to ensure they are safe to use. These can range from wolf urine to predator-scented sprays.

Live-Trap the Woodchucks

As a last resort, live-trapping a woodchuck is an option if all else fails. Baited live-traps will attract the woodchuck once it detects the smell of food. Once captured, the animal must be respectful of animal rights and released somewhere away from the garden, at least five miles away.

Brief Recap

When done correctly, keeping woodchucks out of your garden is possible with the strategies outlined above. Be sure to construct a fence around the perimeter of the garden, keep trees and bushes trimmed, add decorative rocks, and use repellents. If these methods fail, any homeowner can humanely live-trap the woodchuck and remove it from the garden.

Looking Ahead

Woodchucks are relentless pests but a few simple strategies can make them a thing of the past in your garden. Homeowners will need to be consistent when using repellents and regularly trim trees and bushes for optimal results. With just a few simple steps, gardeners can have peace of mind that their plants will be spared from these pesky critters.