They can damage sheds, foundations, driveways, and retaining walls.
The Spruce / Xiaojie Liu
What Are Groundhogs?
These four-legged creatures look similar to gophers or beavers in body shape.
The Spruce / Xiaojie Liu
They eat a wide variety of garden vegetables.
They can also climb, so fruit on trees is also within reach.
Their burrows, where groundhogs spend most of their time, can be 50 feet long.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
The burrow’s architecture is the biggest reason why groundhogs are so hard to get rid of.
You might also notice chew or claw marks on your garden plants.
How to Humanely Get Rid of Groundhogs
Predator Urine
Cats are natural groundhog predators.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Gardeners have had the most success using cat-urine-soaked kitty litter as a groundhog repellent.
The urine smell works to drive away groundhogs.
You’ll have to reapply the litter as the smell fades and it gets washed away.
Jenny Thompson / EyeEm / Getty Images
It is a safe, effective, and inexpensive way to eliminate groundhogs.
Epsom Salt
Epsom salt is one of the cheapest ways to eliminate groundhogs without harming them.
While this is a natural and humane method to eliminate groundhogs, it will not be an ongoing effort.
You’ll likely need to reapply to ensure it’s still effective after rainfall.
The repellents come in both granular and liquid forms.
They must be reapplied periodically, especially after rain.
Most granular repellents are based on smell and typically are poured right into groundhog burrows and around the openings.
The liquid repellents drive groundhogs away with their taste.
Apply them around the garden but not directly onto edible crops.
Motion-Detecting Water Sprinklers
Motion-activated sprinklers are a humane and natural way to eliminate groundhogs quickly.
After detecting motion, these devices turn on and spray water at the offender, causing it to flee.
One such product is called the Scarecrow Sprinkler.
The caveat is they don’t only target groundhogs but anythingincluding people and petsthat moves in their vicinity.
You might not want to place one in a high-traffic area you use often.
Likewise, fencingsuch as chicken-wire fencescan provide a more permanent solution.
Bend this uppermost foot outward.
The bottom of the fence should point away from the garden.
Natural Repellents
Groundhogs have sensitive noses, so use that to your advantage with somenatural rodent repellents.
They do not like the smell and sting of cayenne pepper.
Castor oil and apple cider vinegar are also good deterrents.
You should also consider addingplants groundhogs avoid, like daffodils or butterfly weed, into your garden.
Low grass will deter groundhogs from burrowing in that area.
Place the hair in your vegetable garden and near burrow entrances.
July to September is usually a good time to seal off a burrow.
Late winter to early summer is usually the breeding season, so evicting groundhogs with babies can be inhumane.
If not, the burrows are not occupied.
However, it’s best to consult with professional wildlife handlers if you want to trap a groundhog.
Late winter to early spring is the best time for trapping groundhogs.
Poison is a slow and painful death and runs the risk of domestic pets and children consuming it.
Other cruel methods to avoid include using ammonia gas or spreading agricultural lime.
Predator urine, such as that from a cat, is the most effective groundhog deterrent.
The creatures also hate the smell of ammonia, vinegar, and garlic.
Managing Woodchuck Problems in Missouri.University of Missouri Extension.
