My Groundhog Summer 2006
Posted: Sep 28, 2006 4:11 am
I don't post often, and I did the search of previous encounters with groundhogs in this forum. I'm also a hosta-newbie, so many of my losses were "crappy hostas" that nobody plants or replants, or whatever.
But the amount of devastation done by one groundhog can be astounding, and I found that out personally this Summer. I hope nothing like this happens to any of you.
I have a little side garden that looked like this in July:
Nothing special, nothing even noteworthy compared to the spectacular pics people post here of their gardens. But for the house that I live in, it is a huge improvement over the thistles and stumps that used to be there. I'd also like to take a moment to thank our gas company for putting a giant ugly gas meter on the front of our home.
But I digress...
A big, fat groundhog moved in:
The hole is right at the foundation of the house! Right by where my cat sits in the window... right by where the morning paper is delivered. I live in a city of 300k, one block from a mall (Merle Hay) and 3 blocks from an elementary school. The use of a firearm was not an option. I'm an animal lover and over the course of 6 weeks I tried every humane deterrant I could find on the web. I put the cat's litterbox down the hole, I tried to flood it, and tried every thing I could think of: Hav-a-hart Live trap, castor oil, mole deterrant, moth balls, you name it. It keeps coming back.
Groundhogs can move an enourmous amount of earth in one day. Pictures don't do justice as to what a critter like that can do while you are sleeping.
I believe I may have caught Mr. Groundhog while he was in his hole on Sat Sep 23rd. I grabbed a long hose and hooked it up to my automobile exhaust, and let carbon monoxide do its' work down in the hole (errr... "cavern"). This is not the first time I've tried this so I could be completely wrong... again... or Mr. Groundhog may finally be taking that long, last nap.
I'll keep you updated if there is interest.
But the amount of devastation done by one groundhog can be astounding, and I found that out personally this Summer. I hope nothing like this happens to any of you.
I have a little side garden that looked like this in July:
Nothing special, nothing even noteworthy compared to the spectacular pics people post here of their gardens. But for the house that I live in, it is a huge improvement over the thistles and stumps that used to be there. I'd also like to take a moment to thank our gas company for putting a giant ugly gas meter on the front of our home.
But I digress...
A big, fat groundhog moved in:
The hole is right at the foundation of the house! Right by where my cat sits in the window... right by where the morning paper is delivered. I live in a city of 300k, one block from a mall (Merle Hay) and 3 blocks from an elementary school. The use of a firearm was not an option. I'm an animal lover and over the course of 6 weeks I tried every humane deterrant I could find on the web. I put the cat's litterbox down the hole, I tried to flood it, and tried every thing I could think of: Hav-a-hart Live trap, castor oil, mole deterrant, moth balls, you name it. It keeps coming back.
Groundhogs can move an enourmous amount of earth in one day. Pictures don't do justice as to what a critter like that can do while you are sleeping.
I believe I may have caught Mr. Groundhog while he was in his hole on Sat Sep 23rd. I grabbed a long hose and hooked it up to my automobile exhaust, and let carbon monoxide do its' work down in the hole (errr... "cavern"). This is not the first time I've tried this so I could be completely wrong... again... or Mr. Groundhog may finally be taking that long, last nap.
I'll keep you updated if there is interest.
Uggghhh!! I hope you finally won this battle. 
