Do Gophers Eat Cilantro

Gophers do eat cilantro, and it can actually be one of the more appealing plants in your garden if you’re dealing with these burrowing critters.
 
Cilantro’s tender leaves and fragrant roots make it a tasty target for gophers, especially when other food sources are scarce.
 
So if you’ve been asking yourself “do gophers eat cilantro,” the short answer is yes, and they may go after it more aggressively than you’d expect.
 
In this post, we’ll look at why gophers eat cilantro, how to tell if gophers are the ones munching your crop, and what you can do to protect your herbs.
 
Let’s dig in.
 

Why Gophers Eat Cilantro

Gophers eat cilantro for a few simple reasons, and once you understand them, you can plan your garden accordingly.
 

1. Cilantro Is Tender and Easy to Chew

Gophers have sharp incisors that are built for gnawing through roots, tubers, and soft plant stems.
 
Cilantro leaves and stems are soft and low in tough fibers, which makes them an easy meal for a hungry gopher.
 
That tender texture is one big reason gophers eat cilantro so readily when they come across it.
 

2. The Roots Are Just as Tempting

Gophers spend most of their lives underground, so they often feed on whatever is within reach of their tunnels.
 
Cilantro has a taproot that grows straight down, and that root is fleshy and moist.
 
When a gopher tunnels near your cilantro patch, that root system becomes an easy snack without ever having to surface.
 
This is why gophers eat cilantro from below as often as they nibble the leaves above ground.
 

3. Cilantro’s Scent Doesn’t Repel Them

Some gardeners assume that strongly scented herbs naturally repel pests, but that isn’t always true.
 
Cilantro has a bold, citrusy aroma that humans either love or hate, but gophers aren’t bothered by it at all.
 
In fact, the smell may help gophers locate cilantro in a crowded garden bed.
 
So the idea that cilantro repels gophers is mostly a myth.
 

4. Gophers Eat a Wide Variety of Plants

Gophers are opportunistic feeders, and their diet includes grasses, roots, bulbs, and many garden herbs.
 
Cilantro fits right into that menu, especially in spring when the leaves are fresh and full of moisture.
 
If you’ve planted cilantro alongside other herbs, gophers may sample it simply because it’s there.
 

Signs Gophers Are Eating Your Cilantro

Before you blame gophers for every chewed leaf, it helps to know what gopher damage actually looks like.
 

1. Sudden Wilted or Missing Plants

If your cilantro plants wilt overnight or vanish entirely, gophers are a likely culprit.
 
Gophers eat cilantro roots from below, which cuts off the plant’s water supply and causes it to collapse quickly.
 

2. Crescent-Shaped Mounds of Soil

Gophers push dirt out of their tunnels, creating fan-shaped or crescent-shaped mounds on the surface.
 
If you see these mounds near your herb garden, there’s a good chance gophers are feeding on your cilantro nearby.
 

3. Soft, Spongy Ground

Feeding tunnels just below the surface can make the soil feel soft and springy underfoot.
 
If the ground around your cilantro sinks slightly when you step on it, gophers may be working right underneath.
 

4. Chewed Roots and Stems

Carefully lift a struggling cilantro plant and check the roots.
 
If the taproot has been gnawed or is completely missing, gophers have been eating your cilantro.
 

How to Stop Gophers From Eating Cilantro

If gophers eat cilantro in your garden, you don’t have to give up on growing it.
 

1. Plant Cilantro in Raised Beds

Raised beds with hardware cloth lining the bottom keep gophers from tunneling up into your cilantro.
 
Line the base with sturdy wire mesh before adding soil, and gophers won’t be able to eat your cilantro roots.
 

2. Use Underground Barriers

Burying wire baskets or mesh cages around cilantro plants stops gophers from reaching the roots.
 
This is one of the most reliable ways to protect cilantro from gophers long term.
 

3. Try Container Gardening

Growing cilantro in pots keeps it completely out of reach of gophers.
 
Just make sure the containers sit on a hard surface or have protection underneath so gophers can’t tunnel up through the drainage holes.
 

4. Set Traps or Use Repellents

Trapping is the most effective method for removing gophers that keep eating your cilantro.
 
There are also castor oil-based repellents that can make the soil less appealing, though results vary.
 
Combine repellents with physical barriers for the best protection.
 

5. Encourage Natural Predators

Owls, hawks, snakes, and barn cats all help keep gopher populations down.
 
If gophers eat your cilantro every season, inviting predators into the yard can reduce the problem naturally.
 

So, Do Gophers Eat Cilantro?

Gophers do eat cilantro, and they’ll go after both the tender leaves and the roots if given the chance.
 
Cilantro is soft, fragrant, and easy for gophers to reach underground, which makes it a favorite in many gardens.
 
The good news is that raised beds, barriers, containers, and trapping can all keep gophers from eating your cilantro.
 
So with a little planning, you can protect your cilantro and keep gophers from turning your herb patch into their next meal.