[andrewc24301]

I've noticed ground hogs off and on over the six years I have lived here.

This is my second year however having a vegetable garden, and it would appear the groundhogs have figured out it's there. Every single greenbean plant I have has been chewed down to the stalk, only about 2" sticking up out of the ground.

This has been puzzling me ever since I started seeing the plants grow. They would come up, and suddently, it's like something bit the end off. Only about 5 plants have made it to foiliage. And that won't even produce enough to bother canning.

They haven't messed with the tomatoes yet, however I have my tomatoes on the other side of the fence where the dogs roam. That in itself has gotten to be a bit of an issue, but anyway...

I live in town, and it's unlawful to shoot a gun. I've never dealt with a groundhog problem before. I have found the hole, they are coming from under the minibarn next to the garden.

What can I do, with little expense to drive them away?

I've heard of mothballs, has anyone had any luck with that?

My current budget is about $10. I will have more later on in June, but by then it would be to late to get anything started.

[zippit]

I'm going to post my two cents but hopefully you will get an expert anyway this is my way to see if I'm on the right track.I have heard but not tried, that you take salt and pour in the hole,so stay posted I kind of have the same prouble they just haven't got to the garden yet

[andrewc24301]

Well, since they were only $2 for a box, I purchased a box of mothballs and spread them around the mini barn, and put some down the hole. They are very potent, and I personally could not stand to be near them for to many minutes. So we'll see if that helps. I've got nothing better to do until I get paid on Friday.

I'm really bummed about what they did to my beans.

I had great success with mothballs pertaining to snakes when I first moved into this house. We had snakes all over the place, and I went around the house with mothballs and haven't seen a snake in six years.

[Catsmine]

You've started with the mothballs, so you'll want to wait a week to see if you get any results.

Since you're on a limited budget, one old fashioned way to run them off is flooding. You'll need to find their secondary exits and plug them as well with dirt, then run the hose down a couple of feet and let it flow. Can you afford the water bill?

Another method that may or may not work is stuffing rat bait blocks down the hole and cave it in so they'll have to get into the poison to get out.

After that everything I can think of gets more expensive.

[andrewc24301]

Yea, I can't even replace the beans until Friday, plus a few are still coming up and I want to separate the good plants from the dead ones. Next weekend, I should know whether it's safe to replant some of the killed beans.

Some locals have suggested trapping, but my concern with that is, we seem to have quite a multiplication of ground hogs this year, I'm afraid I will be trapping and trapping and trapping, like trying to exterminate cockroaches by stepping on them one at a time. What I can't figure out is they are not attacking the corn, I think they may have gotten into some of the pea's, and a couple of the cucumer plants.

They sure as hell ain't attacking the weeds, they are doing quite well!

[Catsmine]

Your Grandma told you to plant mums and marigolds around your garden plot. I know she did, everybody's Grandma did. I know mums contain a natural insecticide (pyrethrum) so I assume marigolds have some sort of mammal repellant.

[kaybrb]

Although I have not tried this, I understand playing a radio at their home will drive them away. I assume it would be from the vibrations in the voices/music.

[ballengerb1]

How did the moth balls work? I have another thing to try but it usually runs $19 at Menards and Home Depot. Looks a bit like a large thumb tack and can be solar powered or battery. The "thumb tack" gets pressed into the soil nearly all of the way down. The unit vibrates once every 15 seconds. Does bother you but annoys the heck out of the critters. Doesn't kill them but you neighbor will start having your old problem ina few days.

[Catsmine]

How did the moth balls work?? I have another thing to try but it usually runs $19 at Menards and Home Depot. Looks a bit like a large thumb tack and can be solar powered or battery. The "thumb tack" gets pressed into the soil nearly all of the way down. the unit vibrates once every 15 seconds. Does bother you but annoys the heck out of the critters. Doesn't kill them but you neighbor will start having your old problem ina few days.

A ground wave repellant? That may be the first sonic device that works. Heaven knows I get enough customers with those plug in sonic things that bugs love to hide in.

[ballengerb1]

Not sound, just a vibration and you can hear sa slight buzzing noise but it's the vibration that drives the critter to leave.

[Catsmine]

Exactly, a ground wave.

[ballengerb1]

I stand slightly corrected after reading the promo on this unit, they do call it sonic http://www.fuzing.com/qrx/solar-rodent-repellent

[andrewc24301]

I spread the mothballs and waited for payday to try replanting some seeds. One day last week, I accidentally hit one of the groundhogs with my car. I replanted the seeds last Monday, and hopefully they should start sprouting out of the ground any day now. I will update once this happens.

[Catsmine]

Please do.