This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Yes, gophers do eat lavender roots, and it’s a frustrating reality for many gardeners.
These burrowing rodents are notorious for nibbling on underground plant parts, and the roots of your lavender can become a tasty target.
If you’ve noticed your lavender wilting or dying without an obvious cause, gophers might be the culprits beneath the soil.
Understanding whether gophers eat lavender roots is the first step to protecting your aromatic plants.
In this post, we’ll dig into why gophers are drawn to lavender roots, how to spot the damage, and practical ways to keep these pests away.
Let’s get our hands dirty and explore this common garden dilemma.
Why Gophers Eat Lavender Roots
Gophers eat lavender roots primarily because they’re opportunistic feeders that rely on whatever succulent plant material they find underground.
While lavender isn’t their absolute first choice, these pests won’t pass up a tender root system when they’re tunneling through your garden.
The roots of lavender are relatively soft and moist, making them an easy snack for a hungry gopher.
Let’s break down the reasons why gophers might target lavender roots in your yard.
1. Gophers Are Herbivores With a Broad Diet
Gophers are strict herbivores, meaning they eat plant material all day long to survive.
Their diet primarily consists of roots, tubers, bulbs, and sometimes the above-ground parts of plants they pull from below.
When gophers eat lavender roots, they’re simply adding another plant to their long list of food sources.
They don’t have the ability to be picky, especially in areas where food is scarce.
So if your lavender is in their path, those roots become part of their daily foraging routine.
2. Lavender Roots Provide Moisture and Nutrients
Gophers need moisture just like any other animal, and plant roots are a great source of hydration.
Lavender roots are packed with water and nutrients, which is a big reason why gophers eat them.
During drier months, when surface vegetation is tough and dry, gophers dig deeper to find juicy roots.
Your lavender’s root system could be a reliable water source for these underground critters.
This makes lavender a tempting target, especially when other options are limited.
3. Gophers Eat Lavender Roots Because They’re Easy to Reach
Lavender is often planted in well-drained, loose soil, which is exactly the type of ground gophers prefer to tunnel through.
These pests love sandy or loamy soil because it’s easier to dig and less likely to collapse on them.
If your lavender is thriving in perfect conditions, you’ve essentially created an inviting habitat for gophers.
They can easily burrow right up to the base of the plant and munch on the roots without much effort.
So the easier it is for them to reach, the more likely they are to eat your lavender roots.
4. Gophers Eat Lavender Roots Even if the Plant Smells Strong
Many gardeners assume that lavender’s strong scent repels gophers, but that’s not always true.
While some animals avoid aromatic plants, gophers are more driven by hunger than smell.
If gophers eat lavender roots in your yard, it’s because they’ve become accustomed to the scent or the food source is too good to ignore.
The essential oils in lavender might deter some insects, but they don’t stop a determined gopher.
In fact, a single gopher can wipe out several plants in one night if the roots are accessible.
Signs That Gophers Are Eating Lavender Roots
How do you know if gophers are the ones destroying your lavender?
There are a few telltale clues that point to gopher activity rather than other pests or diseases.
Keep an eye out for these signs so you can act quickly before more damage happens.
1. Sudden Wilting Despite Proper Watering
If your lavender looks healthy one day and then collapses the next, gophers might be eating the roots.
When the root system is severed or consumed, the plant can’t take up water anymore.
This leads to rapid wilting that doesn’t improve even when you water the soil.
Check the base of the plant for any signs of tunneling or loose soil.
If the plant pulls up easily from the ground, the roots are likely gone.
2. Mounds of Fresh Dirt Around Your Garden
Gophers create distinctive fan-shaped mounds of dirt when they dig their tunnels.
These mounds are usually found near the plant they’re feeding on, including your lavender.
If you see fresh soil piles around your lavender bed, it’s a strong sign that gophers are nearby.
Gophers eat lavender roots and then push the excess soil out of their tunnels, creating these telltale mounds.
Acting early can prevent them from destroying your entire crop.
3. Plants That Are Pulled Down Into the Ground
In some cases, gophers don’t just eat the roots; they might pull the whole plant down into their burrow.
If you notice lavender stems disappearing or getting shorter near the soil line, gophers are likely at work.
This is a clear indicator that gophers eat lavender roots and the above-ground stems too.
The plant may seem to sink into the ground as the gopher creates a cavity beneath it.
How to Stop Gophers From Eating Lavender Roots
Once you confirm that gophers are eating lavender roots, you need a game plan to protect your plants.
There are several effective methods that range from natural deterrents to physical barriers.
Here’s what works best for keeping gophers away from your lavender.
1. Install Wire Mesh Barriers Underground
The most reliable way to protect lavender roots is to install galvanized wire mesh before planting.
Create a basket or cage using 1/4-inch hardware cloth and line the planting hole with it.
This physical barrier prevents gophers from reaching the roots while still allowing water to drain.
If your lavender is already in the ground, you can dig it up and replant it with the mesh in place.
This is a bit of work, but it’s the surest way to ensure gophers don’t eat lavender roots again.
2. Use Natural Repellents Like Castor Oil
Castor oil is a popular natural repellent that gophers find unpleasant.
Mix a solution of castor oil and water and pour it into the gopher tunnels near your lavender.
The smell and taste of the oil drive gophers to relocate to another area of your yard.
You’ll need to reapply this treatment after heavy rain or watering to maintain its effectiveness.
While it won’t kill gophers, it can convince them to stop eating lavender roots.
3. Plant Lavender in Raised Beds or Containers
Raised beds with a solid bottom can protect lavender from gophers entirely.
If gophers can’t tunnel up into the bed, they can’t access the roots.
Line the bottom of your raised bed with wire mesh too for extra protection.
Growing lavender in large containers or pots is another simple solution.
Since gophers primarily live underground, they won’t climb into a pot to eat the roots.
4. Trap Gophers to Remove Them Permanently
If you have a bad infestation, trapping is the most direct way to get rid of gophers.
Set traps inside active tunnels that run near your lavender plants.
Use fresh bait like apple slices or lettuce, which gophers can’t resist.
Check your traps daily and dispose of any captured gophers humanely.
Remember that gophers eat lavender roots because they’re hungry, so removing them is the best long-term fix.
So, Do Gophers Eat Lavender Roots?
Yes, gophers do eat lavender roots, and they can cause serious harm to your plants if left unchecked.
These rodents are opportunistic feeders that will gladly snack on the tender, moist roots of lavender.
While they might not prefer lavender over other plants, they won’t hesitate to eat it when it’s available.
The good news is that you can protect your lavender with the right strategies and a little persistence.
Whether you use wire barriers, natural repellents, or traps, you can keep gophers from destroying your garden.
So now you know the truth: gophers eat lavender roots, but you don’t have to let them win the battle.
Take action today to safeguard your fragrant lavender and enjoy its beauty for seasons to come.