Q: I have a big groundhog on my place in north Georgia. What can I do to keep him out of my garden?

A: We don’t think of groundhogs as common pests but they are numerous in the northern part of the state. They’re not small and they’re always hungry. A garden or a flower patch can be devastated in just a few days by one of these marauders. If your garden can be surrounded by a fence, that’s the easiest way to keep them out. The fence should be constructed from sturdy wire 36 inches aboveground and should be buried 18 inches belowground. They work best when fence posts are slanted ten degrees away from the garden. Your other option is to have a professional trap the pest and remove it.