How to Protect Fruit Trees From Gophers

Measure around the tree trunk, adding an extra 6 to 7 inches for overlap. Cut a 2-foot-wide section of galvanized hardware cloth according to your measurement.

Dig a narrow, 1-foot-deep trench around the tree trunk, starting a couple of inches away from base. Sink the galvanized cylinder into this trench.

Overlap the edges and seal with a hot glue gun or by lacing together with metal wire. The cylinder should extend a foot above the ground around the tree.

Fill in the trench with soil. Firm the ground tightly around the cylinder. These cylinders are about 90 percent effective in keeping gophers away from tree trunks, as cited by the University of Arizona Extension.

Alternatively, you can apply several scoops of well-used cat litter to create a narrow band around the fruit tree trunk, starting a few inches from the tree base. This will work as a repellent to keep the gophers away.

Spray a commercially available gopher repellent on the lower two to three feet of tree trunk. The smell and taste of the product keeps the pests away from the tree. Put on a mask and gloves before spraying the tree.

Insert a battery-operated, electronic rodent repellent into the ground near the fruit tree. This device emits sound waves every 15 seconds that are supposed to keep 100 feet of diameter area clear of all rodent species. Humans and non-rodent animals cannot hear these sounds.