Skunks, Raccoons and Mice

Skunks

If skunks are digging up your lawn or garden, they’re looking for something: grubs. The solution? Get rid of the food source. You can do this by applying nematodes which you can find labelled as Grub Busters at Home Hardware.

Because skunks have a great memory for food, they will most likely return even when the grubs have all but disappeared. Some additional tips include:

• Keeping garbage and compost secured
• Avoid providing them with a home (even accidentally)
• If they are nesting onsite, wait until night and cover the hole
• Feed pets inside and don’t leave any pet food outdoors overnight
• Add a cucumber or marigold border to gardens
• Install motion sensor lights and sprinklers

Raccoons

Freshly laid sod and vegetable gardens provide a feast for a raccoon. Worms and grubs are the main course and they may finish everything off with a garbage bin dessert. A few tricks may save you a headache down the road:

• Apply nematodes to control grubs
• Motion lights and sprinklers
• Put down a protective metal netting over newly laid sod (chicken wire is great for this) and be sure to secure it well
• Again, secure compost and garbage and keep pet food inside

Mice

Field mice tunnel underground potentially wreaking havoc on the bulbs and seeds you just planted. Over the winter they search out shelter in garages and basements often finding your bags of grass seed or where you’ve stored your bulbs. Here are a few tips:

• Store seeds, birdseed, gardening gloves, and other chewable items in metal containers with lids
• Keep an eye on winter-stored bulbs: check the area for droppings and chewed items
• Speaking from experience, do NOT dry out sunflower seeds in a shed or garage
• Keep the weeds at bay – yet another reason to weed
• Keep garbage bags in bins with lids
• Protect bird feeders with squirrel guards
• Peppermint oil has a strong scent that is unappealing to mice
• Attract barn owls with a shelter box