If you're going to try to coexist with a woodchuck, plant things they're less likely to eat, like tomatoes and garlic.
When I was a kid, I would repeat this rhyme just for fun: “How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” Little did I know I'd be cursing this rodent later on in life.
The woodchuck, groundhog or whistling pig lives in burrows near open fields or woody edges. They also can take up residence under a porch, wood pile or deck. Out in an open field they won’t cause much damage, but if they find your garden, watch out.
When my daughter was younger, we had a baby woodchuck in our yard and she begged me not to bother it. I didn’t, but as it grew fat, our summer garden grew thin. If you’re going to try to coexist with a woodchuck, plant things they're less likely to eat, like tomatoes and garlic.
To control the occasional visitor, try repellent sprays such as cayenne and garlic. However, to really prevent woodchuck damage you’ll need a good fence.
Build a fence three feet tall and buried one foot into the ground before you see signs of woodchuck activity. Curve the in-ground portion of the fence to an L shape pointing away from the garden and bury it. Above ground, don’t attach the top 1 foot of fence to the poles.
When the woodchuck tries to dig under the fence, they’ll hit the buried apron. If they climb up, the wobbly fence top will drop them back to the ground outside your garden.
Live trapping is illegal and not encouraged, because often a new woodchuck will just move into the area where your trapped woody lived.
Next week on the Connecticut Garden Journal, I'll be talking about sweet peppers. Until then, I'll be seeing you in the garden.
