Small areas such as flower beds may be protected by complete underground screening of sides and bottoms. When constructing raised vegetable or flower beds, underlay the soil with wire to exclude gophers. Wire baskets to protect individual plants can be made at home or are commercially available and should be installed at the time of planting. If you use wire, use light-gauge wire for shrubs and trees that will need protection only while young. Leave enough room to allow for the roots to grow.
Galvanized wire provides the longest lasting protection.
Six to 8 inches of coarse gravel 1 inch or more in diameter around underground sprinkler lines or utility cables may deter gophers. Biological Control Predators, including owls, snakes, cats, dogs, and coyotes, eat pocket gophers. In most cases they are unable to keep pocket gopher populations below the levels that cause problems in gardens and landscaped areas because just one gopher can cause considerable damage. Predators rarely, if ever, remove every prey animal, but instead move on to hunt at more profitable locations. In addition, gophers have defenses against predators.