The Kitchen Ingredient That'll Help Keep Skunks Away From Your Yard And Garden

Finding out that animals have made your yard their home can be unsettling since the animals that often choose to do so are less than desirable. Squirrels, rabbits, mice, and rats can chomp on your garden plants and make a mess of your garbage. However, some pests, like skunks, can be even worse. Skunks are notorious for their foul odor, and it's something you never want to encounter or have hanging around your home. These pungent pests are attracted to gardens and yards for the same reasons that other pests are — to find food, water, and shelter. Thankfully, there is an ingredient right in your kitchen that can help keep them away: coffee grounds.

When you're done brewing your morning cup, make sure to save those grounds. Coffee has a strong odor that skunks find unpleasant and don't want to be around. Best of all, this deterrent is relatively easy to employ.

After your morning cup of joe, simply sprinkle the coffee grounds around your yard and throughout your garden. Make sure you apply a good amount so they form a thick layer and produce a stronger scent. This will also help them stay in place.

If you don't want stray coffee grounds around your yard, you can put the grounds in coffee filters instead. Then, place them in areas where skunks are likely to be or where you have seen them before. This will usually be near garbage cans or in compost piles. They may also hide in enclosed spaces like under decks.

Distribute coffee grounds every few days, and after it rains, as they lose their strength and odor. You can also combine the coffee grounds with other natural repellents, such as vinegar or garlic powder, to provide a double punch of protection. Skunks don't like those scents or tastes either.

In addition to using coffee grounds, there are other things you can do to help deter skunks from your garden. The first thing to do is eliminate sources of food. Don't leave any pet food outside, and keep the lids on your garbage cans tightly sealed. Keep in mind that you won't be able to remove all food sources since they also feed on beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, worms, and yellowjacket wasps. 

Throw away or store any potential shelters they could use. Skunks will use any place to hide, like doggie houses or children's toys. They may even use old boxes or piles of wood. To prevent skunks from hiding out in your home, seal up any holes or gaps in your home's foundation or exterior, as skunks can use these to get inside. Though you may think that keeping lights on at night may be a deterrent, the opposite is true. Bright lights at night can attract skunks. Of course, if you see a skunk in your yard, do not approach it. Normally, skunks will only spray if they sense a threat.