Do Gophers Eat Basil

Gophers do eat basil, and they can devastate a basil plant faster than almost any other garden pest.
 
If you’ve ever woken up to find your prized basil leaves completely gone or your plants pulled clean out of the soil, a gopher was likely the culprit.
 
These burrowing rodents are herbivores with a hearty appetite, and basil is a tender, flavorful snack they simply can’t resist.
 
In this post, we’ll dig into why gophers eat basil, how to tell if a gopher is the one raiding your garden, and the best ways to protect your basil so you can actually enjoy your harvest.
 
Let’s get to it.
 

Why Gophers Eat Basil So Voraciously

Gophers eat basil because it’s soft, aromatic, and packed with the moisture and nutrients these rodents need to survive.
 
Unlike some pests that nibble a leaf here and there, gophers are relentless feeders that will target basil repeatedly until there’s nothing left.
 
When you understand what drives a gopher to eat basil, you’ll be in a much better position to stop them in their tracks.
 

1. Basil Is Tender and Easy to Chew

Gophers have powerful front teeth designed for digging, but they prefer food that doesn’t require much effort to eat.
 
Basil leaves are thin, soft, and have a delicate texture that makes them incredibly easy for a gopher to munch on.
 
This is why gophers eat basil over tougher plants like rosemary or lavender, they’re looking for an easy meal, not a workout.
 
If your basil is young and tender, it’s even more appealing to these underground foragers.
 

2. Basil Provides Hydration

Gophers live in dry, dusty tunnels and need to get moisture from their food.
 
Basil is made up of a high percentage of water, which makes it a perfect hydration source for a thirsty gopher.
 
That’s why gophers eat basil right down to the stem, they’re trying to extract every bit of juice and nutrition they can get.
 
During hot summer months when water is scarce, a lush basil plant is like an oasis for a gopher.
 

3. The Aroma Attracts Them

You might think strong-smelling herbs would repel pests, but with gophers, it’s the opposite.
 
The sweet, spicy aroma of basil actually draws gophers in because it signals a rich food source to their sensitive noses.
 
Gophers rely heavily on smell to locate food underground, and basil’s distinctive scent travels well through the soil.
 
So the more fragrant your basil, the more likely a gopher will find it and dig right to it.
 

4. Roots Are Just as Tasty as Leaves

When gophers eat basil, they don’t just go after the leaves above ground.
 
Gophers are burrowing animals, so they come at your basil from below and feast on the roots first.
 
This is why a basil plant can look perfectly healthy one day and be completely wilted the next, the gopher has eaten the root system out from under it.
 
Once the roots are gone, the plant can’t take up water, and it dies quickly.
 

How To Tell Gophers Are Eating Your Basil

Before you can fix the problem, you need to confirm that a gopher is actually the one munching your basil.
 
There are many garden pests that might eat basil, so you want to be sure before you set traps or build barriers.
 
Here are the telltale signs that gophers are eating your basil in your garden.
 

1. Fan-Shaped Mounds of Dirt

The most obvious sign of a gopher problem is the distinctive mounds they leave behind.
 
Unlike moles that leave volcano-shaped piles, gopher mounds are fan-shaped or crescent-shaped with a plugged hole off to the side.
 
If you see these mounds near your basil bed, you can bet that gophers eat basil in your garden and are coming back for more.
 

2. Basil Plants Disappearing Overnight

If your basil plants look like they’ve been yanked out of the ground and pulled underground, that’s classic gopher behavior.
 
The gopher grabs the plant by the roots and drags it down into its tunnel to eat in safety.
 
You’ll see small holes near where your basil was planted, with the plant itself completely gone.
 

3. Chewed Stems With a Clean Cut

Gophers have sharp incisors that leave a very clean, angled cut on plant stems.
 
If you see basil stems that look like they were snipped with scissors, and the cuts are right at soil level, that’s a gopher.
 
Rabbits leave a ragged, torn edge, and caterpillars leave jagged holes, but gopher damage is neat and surgical.
 

The Best Ways To Stop Gophers From Eating Basil

Now that you know for sure that gophers eat basil, let’s talk about how to protect your plants.
 
You don’t have to give up on growing basil just because gophers live in your yard.
 
With the right strategies, you can keep your basil safe and thriving all season long.
 

1. Plant Basil in Raised Beds With Wire Mesh

The most effective way to stop gophers is to create a physical barrier they can’t dig through.
 
When building a raised bed, line the bottom with hardware cloth or galvanized wire mesh with holes no larger than ¼ inch.
 
Gophers cannot chew through or dig past this metal barrier, so they’ll never reach your basil roots.
 
Make sure the mesh extends up the sides of the bed by at least six inches to prevent them from digging around the edges.
 
This is the gold standard for gopher-proofing your basil garden.
 

2. Use Gopher Baskets for Individual Plants

If you don’t want to rebuild your entire garden, you can protect each basil plant with a wire gopher basket.
 
These baskets are made of wire mesh and are designed to be placed in the planting hole before you put your basil in.
 
The roots can grow through the mesh, but the gopher’s teeth can’t get through it to munch on them.
 
This is a simple and cost-effective solution if you only have a few basil plants to protect.
 

3. Repel Them With Castor Oil

Gophers hate the taste and smell of castor oil, so it works as a natural gopher deterrent.
 
You can buy castor oil-based repellent granules at garden centers and sprinkle them around your basil bed.
 
When it rains or when you water your garden, the repellent soaks into the soil and makes it taste terrible to gophers.
 
They’ll quickly move on to a friendlier yard, leaving your basil alone.
 
Just remember to reapply the repellent every few weeks or after heavy rain.
 

4. Trap Them Early

If you’ve already spotted active gopher mounds, trapping is the most direct and effective method of control.
 
Purchase gopher traps from your local hardware store and place them in the main tunnels, not the mounds themselves.
 
To find the main tunnel, poke a probe into the ground near a mound and feel for a soft, hollow area.
 
Set the traps in pairs facing opposite directions, because gophers can come from either side of the tunnel.
 
Check the traps daily, and once you catch the gopher, you can fill in the tunnels, and your basil will be safe.
 
 

So, Do Gophers Eat Basil?

Gophers do eat basil, and they will happily destroy your entire patch if you give them the chance.
 
Because gophers eat basil both above and below the soil, they are one of the most destructive pests you can have in a basil garden.
 
The good news is that with physical barriers, natural repellents, and a little persistence, you can keep your basil completely safe from these underground raiders.
 
Now that you know gophers eat basil, you can take the right steps to protect your plants and enjoy a healthy harvest all summer long.
 
So if you’ve been wondering whether gophers eat basil, you’ve got your answer, and more importantly, you’ve got the plan to stop them.