You’re thinking of installing artificial grass in your home, but you’re worried about gophers sabotaging your investment. This is a legitimate issue, and there’s no guarantee that you won’t have to fight a creature you can’t see. Understanding the problem and doing a little extra preventative work will help you get the most out of your investment.
We have streets and freeways… gophers use a system of burrows and tunnels. This network might cover up to 700 square yards or 200 yards. Keep in mind that the network may be more extensive if the soil is poor. The mounds and “gopher holes” you see in your yard can move up to 14 tons of earth in a year, and one gopher can make up to 300 mounds in a year, averaging 1-3 per day. The system is normally 4″ to 18″ deep, but it can exceed five feet depending on the temperature.
What Are Gophers Look For?
Dinner! Vegetation and roots make up their food. They come across the roots they eat while digging tunnels that are usually the breadth of their body or 3 inches long. Gophers may come to the surface, but they will only venture a few body lengths away from their burrows. Another common trick you may have seen is your plants or vegetation being drawn into the tunnel and disappearing. Pocket gophers enjoy alfalfa and dandelions as well as other nutritional plants.
Gopher Mesh
It’s critical to pick the right Gopher Mesh. A normal chicken/poultry wire or aviary fence is not designed to be buried and will break down quickly. Chicken wire can be utilized, but why spend money and time installing something that won’t last? It’s best to use galvanized gopher mesh with a 1/2″x1/2″ mesh size. The openings are small and strong enough to prevent gophers from obtaining access to the surface. They will hit their heads on the wire and move ahead if they opt to travel to the surface.
Please keep in mind that the Gopher Mesh will not prevent gophers from burrowing and tunneling beneath your fake grass system. It just serves as a deterrent to them penetrating the surface. In some circumstances, gophers have been reported to chew through the mesh. It has happened, but infrequently. As a result of the tunnels dug by the gophers, your artificial grass may experience undulations, dips, or sinkholes.
Don’t Ignore The Problem
You are the expert on your yard, so if you’ve had problems with gophers in the past, please inform your design and estimating consultant. If you’ve seen moderate activity, the usual demo of your old grass, as well as the preparation and installation of compacted class 2 road base, should help.
Gopher Mesh isn’t necessarily required for a long-lasting, resilient artificial grass installation. If you’re worried about gophers, it’ll add to the durability of your investment and provide you peace of mind. Contact U.S. Artificial Grass at (800) 674-TURF and we’ll have one of our trained professionals answer any questions or concerns. We’ll be able to assist you with your gopher problem and come up with the best installation plan for your artificial turf.
