Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Get Rid of Skunks Digging Mulch
How to Get Rid of Skunks Digging Mulch. Skunk is a five-letter word most homeowners dread. Skunks spray a foul-smelling liquid when they are startled, which clings to clothing and fur and lingers for weeks. Not only are skunks unpleasant to smell, they carry disease-ridden parasites that infest your pets. Skunks are opportunistic feeders, and often...
Skunk is a five-letter word most homeowners dread. Skunks spray a foul-smelling liquid when they are startled, which clings to clothing and fur and lingers for weeks. Not only are skunks unpleasant to smell, they carry disease-ridden parasites that infest your pets. Skunks are opportunistic feeders, and often dig up mulch and garden plants as they search for insects on which to dine. Ridding your yard of skunks keeps your pets, and your family, safe and free of lingering skunky odors.
Things You'll Need
Metal trash can with lid
Lemon dish soap
Lemon oil
Castor oil
Spray bottle
Roll of wire mesh
Metal stakes
Zip ties
Clear your yard of wood scraps, lawn debris and fallen logs. Skunks often hide out under piles of debris, and removing them cuts down on potential nesting sites.
Place pet food and garbage bags in metal trash cans with locking lids. Eliminating the strong scents emanating from these items reduces the number of skunks attracted to your yard.
Pour 1 oz. of lemon dish soap into a spray bottle, and add 20 drops of pure lemon oil. Fill the bottle with castor oil, and spray mulch with this solution. Skunks do not like citrus and stay away from the odor.
Surround mulched areas with a wire mesh fence to keep skunks from tearing up your mulch. Push a metal stake into the soil at one corner of your garden, and add another stake every 24 inches along the perimeter. Unroll fine wire mesh against the stakes, and attach at the top and bottom of each stake with a zip tie. Wire mesh is small enough to prevent skunks from digging through your mulch as they search for bugs.
Tips & Warnings
Move slowly and quietly if you happen to see a live skunk. A skunk stamps his feet and raises his tail if he feels threatened, so stand quietly until he calms down and walks away.
Never attempt to trap a skunk on your own. If you feel trapping is necessary, call a professional exterminator to remove the skunk from your property.
