7 Most Common Garden Pests in Cupertino (And How to Control Them)

Gardening in Cupertino is pretty ideal—mild weather, rich soil, and a long growing season make it a dream for plants… until the pests show up.

At Smith’s Pest Management, we’ve seen it all when it comes to garden pests in Cupertino, and we know what you’re up against.

In this blog, we outline what critters might be causing the damage—and how to deal with them.

Cupertino’s Most Common Garden Pests

1. Aphids

These tiny sap-suckers cluster on tender growth and multiply fast.

Left unchecked, they’ll curl leaves, stunt the growth of plants, and attract ants with the sticky honeydew they leave behind.

Control Tips:

• Wash them off with water in the morning, using just enough pressure to avoid harming plants.
• Introduce beneficial bugs like ladybugs.
• Use neem oil or insecticidal soap, but reapply regularly. These only kill aphids present at the time, but they wash off easily with rain or irrigation.
• Use horticultural oils to suffocate them.

2. Snails and Slugs

These guys are nighttime feeders and will mow down leafy greens and seedlings like tiny bulldozers.

You’ll usually find them hiding under boards, rocks, or mulch during the day.

Control Tips:

• Handpick them in the evening or early morning.
• Set beer traps or shallow dishes with yeast water— it will lure and drown them.
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth or crushed eggshells around plants—sharp edges help deter slugs and snails as they crawl.
• Welcome natural predators like birds, toads, and even some beetles—they’ll happily snack on slugs if you give them a good habitat.
• Use slug baits carefully—look for iron phosphate-based options, which are less harmful to pets and wildlife than traditional metaldehyde formulas.

3. Gophers

Gophers tunnel underground, feeding on roots and creating mounds across your yard.

They’re a huge problem in Cupertino’s raised beds, lawns, and landscapes.

Control Tips:

• Use traps in active tunnels—they’re the most effective and humane way to get a confirmed catch.
• Avoid poisons in gardens—they’re risky for pets, wildlife, and can do more harm than good.
• Dig a trench and fill it with rocks or mesh to block gophers from tunneling into specific areas.
• Install exclusion fencing with ½” x 1″ wire mesh buried 24″ deep to keep gophers out of beds, lawns, and root zones.
• Use castor oil-based repellents by soaking the soil near burrows, though results are hit-or-miss and require frequent reapplication.
• Install barn owl boxes to invite natural predators and keep gopher populations in check over time.
• Remove food and shelter by clearing weeds, mowing regularly, and picking up fallen fruit and veggies.

Check out our blog for more info on how to get rid of gophers.

4. Voles

Voles may be small, but voles can do a surprising amount of damage.

They leave shallow runways in lawns and chew the bark off young trees and shrubs.

Control Tips:

• Clear out dense groundcover, weeds, and debris—voles love thick, brushy hiding spots and hate being exposed.
• Wrap young tree trunks with wire mesh guards to keep voles from gnawing the bark and killing your trees.
• Use commercial repellents with castor oil or peppermint to nudge voles out of their runways, but expect to reapply often.
• Set snap traps in runways—no bait needed, but a dab of oatmeal helps; secure traps so they don’t move when voles hit them.
• Use poison baits only in tamper-proof stations to avoid putting pets, birds, or helpful wildlife at risk.
• Avoid methods ultrasonic devices, repellent plants, and flooding—they sound good but don’t actually work.

For more info, check out our blog on how to get rid of voles.

5. Moles

Moles don’t eat plants—they eat earthworms and insects—but they still mess up your garden with their tunneling.

You’ll spot raised ridges or small volcano-like mounds in lawns and beds.

Control Tips:

• Set traps in active runways—they’re the most reliable way to catch moles and don’t risk poisoning anything else.
• Use worm-style baits with bromethalin if you go the poison route—just be sure to insert them deep into tunnels and keep them away from pets.
• Reduce their food supply by treating your lawn for grubs with beneficial nematodes, milky spore, or a targeted insecticide.
• Dig a barrier trench and line it with hardware cloth or rocks to block moles from tunneling into garden beds or lawns.
• Keep your yard trimmed and dry—short grass and less water mean fewer grubs, less cover, and fewer moles.
• Fill in old tunnels quickly to discourage reuse and make your yard less inviting.

Check out our blog for more info on how to get rid of moles.

6. Ground Squirrels

Ground squirrels chew through plants, dig under patios, and cause serious structural damage.

They’re common around fences, retaining walls, and compost piles.

Control Tips:

• Spray plants with homemade pepper spray (capsaicin + dish soap + water) to make them less appetizing—just reapply often.
• Use predator urine (like fox or coyote) to create a scent barrier that makes squirrels think danger’s nearby. You can buy it in most home improvement stores.
• Apply thiram-based repellents around the garden to keep squirrels at bay—just follow the label and reapply as needed.
• Bury ½” hardware cloth under new beds to stop squirrels from tunneling up into your garden.
• Fence off individual plants with mesh that goes 30″ above ground and at least 6″ below—it’s a bit of work but it holds up.
• Cover seedlings with bird netting or floating row covers, and stake them down tight so squirrels (and birds) can’t sneak in.
• Destroy burrows on large properties using deep soil ripping—only practical on open land, but very effective.
• Clean up woodpiles, rocks, and brush to take away squirrel shelter and make your yard less appealing.
• Skip ultrasonic devices, motion sprinklers, and “repellent plants”—they sound good but don’t actually work.

For more info, check out our blog on how to get rid of ground squirrels.

7. Spider Mites

These nearly invisible pests suck the life out of plants—literally.

You’ll spot pale speckling on leaves, fine webbing underneath, and leaves that drop off way too early.

They thrive in dry, dusty conditions and multiply fast.

Control Tips:

• Rinse leaves with water regularly to knock mites off and keep populations in check.
• Use insecticidal soap or a miticide made for spider mites, and reapply as needed—these pests bounce back fast.
• Water deeply once a week to prevent drought stress—dry, dusty plants are prime spider mite targets.

Don’t Let Pests Take Over Your Garden

Tried DIY and still dealing with damage? Call Smith’s Pest Management.

We help Cupertino homeowners take back their yards from gophers, moles, rats, ants, and more.

Our team uses eco-friendly, long-term pest control solutions—no toxic quick fixes.

Whether it’s rodents or insects, we build custom plans that target the root cause without harming your garden.

Give us a call at (408) 871-6988 to get a quote.

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