Last year's rose pest was the vole. The twelve voles I trapped after the damage started devoured four to six roses whole. And they swallowed up a large number of other plants.
This year's pest has been the pocket gopher. The clue that the new holes in the ground were not voles came from the fact that the vole traps, which had a pretty good batting averaged last year stopped working altogether this year. So I bought four Gophinator traps.
http://www.traplineproducts.co...
I've caught two pocket gophers in two days. And the daily damage level has dropped way down. Pocket gophers are vigorous, energetic excavators!
I've planted castor bean plants near spots where I've observed pocket gopher activity, hoping to make my garden a little less attractive as a place to colonize.
I also ordered a barn owl house. Hopefully, I'll attract some owls, and they will do the work for me. I'm also hoping that they don't simply feast on the many lizards that live in the garden, because lizards are doing a great job keeping insects at bay.
