If you enjoy gardening, or you just like to have a yard that is clean and nice looking, you want to keep out certain pests. One pest that can be a harm to your garden or yard is the skunk. They can ravage your garden, especially if you have fruit or vegetable plants. There are several home remedies for getting rid of skunks that you can use.
1. Use Bright Lights
One of the best ways to get rid of skunks is to use bright lights. Skunks are nocturnal animals, so their eyes are very sensitive to light. You can add in some motion detecting lights on your property to scare them off. If you notice one particular place in your yard or garden that the skunks likes to hang out in, place a light there.
2. The Smell Of Citrus
A lot of animals do not like the smell of citrus. Skunks are among these animals. Spread citrus peels around your yard to act as a natural skunk repellent. Once the skunk gets a whiff of the citrus, it will think twice about entering your yard or garden. The best way to use citrus as a repellent is to spread the citrus peels along the entire perimeter of the yard or garden, and then place more in specific areas that the skunk likes to hang out in.
3. The Smell Of Other Animals
Another one of the home remedies for getting rid of skunks is to use certain animal scents. The urine from coyotes, dogs, and other predators can be spread around your yard or garden to repel a skunk. If you have a dog, just let him do his business several times a day in strategic areas. Or you can buy the urine. It seems odd, but yes, you can buy animal urine either at a garden store or online. It comes in spray form, or in the form of granules so you can evenly distribute it on your property.
4. The Use Of Ammonia
Take a few old rags and soak them in ammonia. Scatter the rags in specific areas that the skunk likes to be in, and the odor will deter the skunk from entering your property. You can also use cotton balls that have been soaked in ammonia. The one down side to using this method to repel skunks, is that you have to keep the rags or cotton balls soaked. Once they dry out, they won’t repel the skunks anymore.
5. Removing Food Sources For Skunks
Skunks are attracted to food and trash. If you have garbage cans or other attractive items for skunks, you want to eliminate them from your yard and garden, or else make sure they’re covered securely. Unfortunately, skunks are attracted to the fruits and vegetables that you may be growing in your garden. If this is the case, use one of the above methods to get rid of the skunk. If you have other substances that skunks are attracted to, get rid of them. These other substances include the following.
- Pet food
- Compost piles
- Ponds
- Bird feeders
- Grubs
If you have no way of eliminating these things from your yard or garden, you can protect them by covering them, or you can set up a fence around them. Skunks are not able to climb well, so even a low fence will keep a skunk away.
6. Eliminate The Skunk’s Burrow
You can ultimately get rid of skunks by finding out where their burrow is and eliminating it. Once you find out where their burrow is, wait until the sun has gone down to be sure the skunk is out. Fill the hole with dirt so the skunk will have to find a new place to go. If it’s the spring time however, there may be baby skunks still in the burrow.
Skunks can ruin your yard or garden in no time. Not to mention they can leave a foul odor if they get spooked and spray their defensive secretions. The above methods can help deter skunks from invading your property.
Photo by davidhofmann08
