We know for best results use in the early morning when gopher's tunnels are open. In the afternoon the gophers have plugged their tunnels. In the morning when they are active the tunnel is more likely to be open and Tunnel Fill will reach the bottom most section of the den.
Tunnel Fill Step 1
Be sure you have all the things you need by reading the steps below and getting everything nearby so you have the best success getting rid of your gophers. Basically Tunnel Fill, a hose, and a small hand shovel to open gopher holes, but make sure your hose reaches to all areas so you can quickly get the product down the gopher holes.
Tunnel Fill Step 2
To begin doing your own gopher control open all gopher holes with your shovel - this includes the gopher mounds and any small gopher holes that are flush to the ground called feeder holes. Often times the flush feeder holes can be opened by simply pushing down on the plug and it will fall into the gopher's tunnel. Leave all the holes open to make is easy to see Tunnel Fill filling up each hole. If the gopher pops out while filling the burrow it is Caddyshack time while you chase the gopher around your yard but they don't run far because they are not used to being above ground and are confused. Sometimes gophers pop out of the ground and simply sit there inches from the gopher's hole. If you have a dog they may enjoy the chase and do the work for you. Often times we use the garden hose to give them a little tap on the noggin with the hose end or with a hand shovel. They are very easy to kill. However, if you net them they can be relocated to other areas where they can live out their lives.
Tunnel Fill Step 3
Start at one end placing product in the gopher hole and flush down with a hose for a few minutes starting on high pressure for one minute and then reducing to medium pressure for two more minutes. Immeadiately move to the other end and repeat same process. Then go back to the orininal hole and slowly add more water, usually hose at a medium flow for a few minutes, then repeat at second end. This makes the product swell by obsorbing the available water and traps the gopher in between the holes. Make sure to watch all exits including the one you are filling with water so the gopher does not come above ground without being seen. Sometimes gophers will pop out of the grass where no visable hole is, they seem to just dig their way out in a panic so be watching all immediate areas. Your gopher control will be most sucessfull if you not only flush the gopher out of it's hole but either dispatch or relocate the gopher far from your yard.
Sloped areas: You will do all the same steps above but start at the highest point and allow gravity to take the product to the lowest points. Since you have opened all known holes you can easily see if the water and Tunnel Fill are reaching all areas. Always make sure to open the lowest hole and make sure product is filling into the void. Once the lowest gopher hole is filled you need to back fill it with dirt so the product swells towards the upper holes and not spill out the lower hole as it expands. If a lower hole is not filling with water and Tunnel Fill then the gopher has blocked it's passage upstream. Looking in all the holes you opened with the shovel, add Tunnel Fill and water to the highest hole with no product in it and continue to watch all holes to make sure they all fill with Tunnel Fill.
Tunnel Fill Step 4
Wait 8 minutes to allow the product to absorb and observe if the hole you filled has Tunnel Fill swelling into it. If not put a small amount of product down the hole and add more water waiting about eight minutes between applications. 1 way to tell if the product is close to filling is to put the hose on high and see if the tunnel fills with water, if not you have a ways to go. Once you see Tunnel Fill coming into the hole you added water through back fill the hole with dirt and flatten out. This will force the product to find it's way through the rest of the tunnel system as it continues to swell. Do not overfill with product or when it rains the product will swell above ground, although not going to hurt anything, it is wasting Tunnel Fill. Any product that swells above ground can be added to your garden or thinned out with a rake. Do not spread on concrete due to slip hazard when wet.
Tunnel Fill Step 5
Identify another location to add product as needed. If the system is small two locations may be all that is needed. If there are 7 or 8 holes in the system you may need to add product in multiple locations to continue to squezze the gopher tunnel down to give the gopher a choice - drown or come above ground. Make sure you have a something like a shovel ready to smack him. Do you remember Whack-a-mole?
Tunnel Fill step 6
Observe your holes. Make sure Tunnel Fill is coming up from each gopher hole. If not place a small amount (you can always add more) of product and flush down those holes. Continue this process until every gopher hole has product in it. It is very important when adding water you run the water for several minutes starting on high and then to a medium flow rate to get the product to the bottom of the burrow system. Do not continue to run on high after a minute, you may cause erosion. You only need to keep water flow so Tunnel Fill continues to swell and it can only swell so fast so a medium/low water supply is perfect.
Tunnel Fill Step 7
Cover all gopher holes with dirt. Backfilling gopher holes makes them look better and more durable. Tunnel Fill is squishy with an applesuauce consistancy and not something to step in - it is designed to be below ground with dirt above it. Make sure dirt sits on top of the gopher tunnel and goes down at least 3-4 inches below the surface so you will have a strong hole filled.
Tunnel Fill Step 8
Make sure no holes are left unfilled regardless if they are recent gopher mounds or old gopher tunnel systems. You want to fill anywhere you know gopher tunnels or gopher holes exist. Watch the area frequently for several days. If any gopher new holes pop up repeat the process immediately - do not let them build a new system. If you run out of product and a gopher is still in a treated system you may be able to use just the hose to fill the tunnel because the system will be so small and will fill up very quickly as long as you treat as soon as a new hole pops up.
Very important - YOU MUST FINISH THE JOB COMPLETELY. This means checking the area for a day or two after applying. ANY new holes means a gopher is alive and treating as soon as you see it means the tunnel system is very small and easy to fill with Tunnel Fill and/or water. Often times if you catch it right away the tunnel is only a few gallons in size and will fill with a garden hose on high in about 20-40 seconds and gophers will come out of the hole you are filling without having to add any more Tunnel Fill. If you wait and "get to it later" the gopher will continue to work all day and before you know it have a whole new tunnel system built and you are back to square one.
Tunnel Fill Step 9
Continue to monitor area for the next few days. If you are out of Tunnel Fill we recommend having at least one container on hand for future infestations. If you get right to new activity you will greatly reduce the amount of Tunnel Fill needed to treat.
Tunnel Fill Gopher Control
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