Foxes are a common pest in gardens across the UK. If you have frequent fox visitors to your garden, you’re likely sick of their screaming and the mess they leave behind. Home maintenance expert Martin Dooley at MD Carpentry Workshop says these animals can cause more damage than people realise if they are left unchecked in the garden.
He said: “Foxes are curious by nature, so they’ll always check out sheds or corners of the garden that seem sheltered. If they start digging or nudging at a weak patch of wood, it doesn’t take long before you’re dealing with loose panels or damaged soil around the base of a building. It’s the kind of thing homeowners only notice once the problem has already grown.
“Freshly planted beds, compost areas and raised vegetable patches all carry strong scents, so foxes see them as interesting spots to rummage around. Even one night of digging can undo the time and money people put into growing things.”
If you’re struggling with the late-night visits of foxes, there is one great way to discourage them from your garden. You don’t have to pay lots of money or buy special deterrents – all you need is coffee grounds.
Martin said: “Most people make a coffee in the morning and throw the grounds away without a second thought. Instead, let them dry out and then sprinkle them around the garden; they can do a great job at putting foxes off. There’s no big effort involved, and you’re making use of something you already have.”
Make sure you keep regularly topping up the coffee grounds, especially after rain, to keep them effective.
If you don’t drink coffee, don’t panic. There are a couple of other low-cost cures for your fox problem. Similar to coffee, foxes despise the strong scent of citrus oil, so scattering leftover lemon, orange or lime peels around sheds, borders and veg beds can make these areas less attractive to them.
You can also create a spray of white vinegar and water and lightly mist around fence lines and common entry points to discourage foxes from exploring.
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