Maintaining an outdoor garden is what many homeowners prefer due to multiple functional benefits (eating fresh fruits and veggies) as well as for aesthetic reasons. However, there are pests that attack the yard to enjoy the fruits of your hard work. Pests tend to eat whatever is grown in the yard and ruin all your efforts. One such pest is non-aggressive and nocturnal, “Skunk,” which gets identified easily with their smell, but it’s not an easy task to keep them away from the yard. This blog primarily highlights the ideas to keep skunks out of the yard.
Why Do Skunks Get Attracted to Yards?
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Skunks get attracted to garbage, left out pet food at night, piles of rock and wood, elevated sheds, opening underneath concrete slabs, crawl spaces, or porches.
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An overwatered lawn also attracts them. This is because wet soil pushes insects close to the surface, and skunks dig soil in search of grubs.
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Skunks are also seen near an open garage or sheds.
Different Ways to Keep Skunks Out of Your Yard
Usually, people dislike the strong odor of skunk and hence, explore options to keep them at bay. Skunks are harmless pets, but when they get terrified, they spray, which is considered harmful for humans as well as pets. Here are some of the methods to keep them away from your yard:
Castor Oil and Dishwashing Detergent
Prepare a mixture of castor oil and dishwashing detergent by diluting it in water and spraying it around the area where skunks are suspected. The best time to spray is at night because they are busy hunting for food at night.
Keep Food Away
Skunks always look for easy food sources, so make sure food sources in any form are made inaccessible to them. Follow simple tricks like buy a trash can with tight lids, keep pet food and water indoors at night, and secure chicken scoops.
Lights
Use of motion sensor lights and sprinklers can be used to deter them. Skunks get startled on seeing motion sensor lights and try to escape. They also dislike it when they get wet from sprinklers.
Seal All the Hiding Places
Skunks build their homes under decks, porches, and in other sheltered areas, so the best way to stop their entry is by closing off all the entry points using fence, rock, and plywood. They also find shelter around log piles or building materials, so the preventive step to keep skunks away is to store log piles and materials in a shed or a bin. Overgrown bushes also give them a safe hiding place, so regularly trim the bushes.
Coffee Grounds
Skunks dislike the smell of fresh coffee grounds, so the natural way to keep them away is to sprinkle fresh coffee grounds around the perimeter of the garden. If it rains right after sprinkling it, replace the ground because rainwater washes the coffee grounds.
Use of Substances That Skunks Don’t Like
There are many substances that skunks hate. The simplest way to keep them at bay is to apply those substances. Here is the list:
Urine of Dog and Fox - As foxes and dogs are natural predators of skunks, the use of any product that contains such substances can deter them. These substances are readily available in home improvement shops or hardware shops. Simply spray it around the perimeter of the garden.
Pepper Spray - It is another effective way to repel skunks from the yard. Simply spray it on trees or any area where you suspect skunks have built their home.
Ammonia - It’s an easy hack to repel skunks. Simply soak an old rag in ammonia and put it under the deck or porch. It will give surprising results.
Citrus Peel - This is another natural repellent. You can scatter orange or lemon peels around the property or under the deck or porch to prevent skunks’ entry.
Treat the Lawn With Insecticide
Skunks prefer to feed on grubs, so using insecticides to prevent grubs is an easy and effective way to keep a check on skunks’ invasion in the yard. The best time to apply insecticide is from late May to early August. Once they invade the yard in late September, it’s too late to use any preventive measures.
Moth Balls
Moth balls, which are easily available in a cleaning supply store or in a hardware shop, are an affordable and simple way to prevent skunks’ entry into the yard. Grab a handful of balls and throw them towards their hideouts. Skunks, being nocturnal animals, come out of their hideout angrily because of the strong smell of the balls.
Maintain a Clean Lawn
One of the basic methods to keep skunks away from the lawn is to maintain cleanliness in the lawn. A dirty lawn becomes the breeding ground for them. Any debris lying in the lawn gives an easy hiding place. Whether it’s a heap of leaves or piled-up tree branches, clean them all on weekends and rule out their hiding spots.
Peppermint Plants
This plant is known to add flavor to food, but it can also be used to deter skunks owing to peppermint's strong scent. The only concern with these plants is that they grow aggressively, so there should be enough space in the lawn. Due to the aggressive nature of the plant, peppermint oil is another alternative. Just soak cotton balls in the oil and throw them along the lawn. The other alternative way is to dilute oil in water and spread it around the perimeter of the house.
Caution: Don’t use oil in concentrated form because it may be detrimental to pets and kids.
Do Skunks Have Rabies?
Yes, skunks are known to carry the rabies virus.
Conclusion
Keeping away nocturnal animals is not a tough task because there are multiple ways to prevent their entry. Use of substances like citrus peel, ammonia, or urine of predators, sensor motion lights, and many other tricks can easily keep the skunk at bay. No matter which method you choose, it’s important to keep an eye on the area where hacks are used to check the effectiveness of the method. This is because you never know the number of skunks hiding in a specific area.