Little Will Stop the Wily, Determined Gopher
QUESTION: Can you help those of us who garden in gopher-infested areas? Other than narcissus, are there any other plants gophers avoid? I back up to the hills and have tried various means. I’m even thinking of ringing the garden with narcissus bulbs.
--J.M., GLENDALE
ANSWER: I have never seen a list of plants that gophers avoid, although it is known that they will not touch garlic or the toxic narcissus and daffodil bulbs. Gophers don’t like the spindly 5-foot-tall gopher plant, Euphorbia lathyris, the sap of which can also severely burn humans, but there is no proof that it repels them, despite frequent claims.
Macabee and other pincher-type traps are the most reliable controls, but follow instructions closely: They call for using two traps. Living so close to wilderness, though, you will make only a temporary dent in the population with traps. The same is true of poison baits injected into the tunnels, gas bombs and homemade windmills and whirligigs that transmit vibrating sounds into the soil, none of which is as effective as trapping.
You could try protecting the roots of valued plants by planting them in buried homemade baskets of chicken wire. Or you can buy ready-made baskets from the Natural Gardening Co. (217 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo, CA 94960, [707] 766-9303), but that will quickly become expensive. Perhaps other readers can share some tips or suggest plants that gophers ignore in their gardens.
Buyers Like Grass--at Least in the Back
Q: Instead of replacing the lawns in my frontyard and backyard, I am considering planting these two areas with low-maintenance shrubs, perennials and some annuals. I am informed that this type of landscaping is gaining favor, especially in affluent neighborhoods. Would the property value be enhanced by this type of landscaping and would it aid in selling the house?
--A.L., SANTA ANA
A: I talked to several real estate agents, and all said they believe that any attractive, well-maintained landscaping helps sell a home, especially if it includes color. “People are really into landscaping,” said one. They pointed out, however, that people with children are going to want lawns, in the backyard at least, so the pool of potential buyers will shrink if you remove all of it.
Broker Barbara Wynn, with Prudential/Jon Douglas in West Los Angeles, recently had several listings with frontyards similar to what you are describing; even though they were tastefully done, she found them a little harder to sell. But she also finds that bland gardens, with few trees or shrubs and lots of lawn, have little curb appeal. She points out that more affluent neighborhoods are noted for their big trees and shrubbery.
Done well, a leafy and colorful front garden, without a lawn but with a dramatic entry path, might help sell a house, but a lawn in back is important for many buyers. And remember that nothing is easier to maintain than a lawn, because any maintenance gardener can do it, even though lawns require weekly attention and frequent watering and fertilizing.
More varied landscapes, using a variety of plants, especially drought-resistant kinds that could save you lots of money on your water bill, are more fun to garden in, but they can’t be maintained by just anybody. They require much more thought and planning and, although they may not need attention for months at a time, every now and then they require quite a bit, as when it is time to weed, cut back and tidy up.
