6 foolproof ways to keep foxes out of your garden

If you’re struggling to keep foxes out of the garden, you’re not alone. Although these animals may look cute, they can wreak havoc on your lawn and flowerbeds, raid bins and create a mess that’ll attract pests, and even keep you awake with their nighttime chattering.

Yes, while we’re all about making our gardens wildlife-friendly, foxes are a slight exception to the rule in the UK, and it’s best to deter them as much as possible. However, it’s important to do this legally and humanely, following expert advice to keep them out of harm’s way.

That’s why I’ve spoken to wildlife experts to determine the 6 foolproof ways to keep foxes out of the garden, so you can rest easy knowing that your garden (and the foxes) remain safe.

1. Clean up any food debris

Like many animals, foxes are natural scavengers, and they’re constantly on the lookout for food. So, one of the best ways to keep foxes out of the garden is to remove food debris. This isn’t just your compost heap or your leftover BBQ scraps, though.

‘Ensure bird feeders are kept elevated well out of reach of foxes, and clear up any seed spillages or fallen fruit immediately,’ says Eric Michels, Head of Pro for Vivara and CJ Wildlife. In fact, employing methods to protect your bird feeder from rats and squirrels will work in this instance, as it will prevent this mess in the first place.

But that’s not all. Eric adds, ‘If you have a pond, make sure it is covered with pond netting to protect the wildlife, and if you grow your own fruit and vegetables, make sure crops are well protected with fruit cages.’

Of course, it should also go without saying that you should throw food out into your garden if you want to deter foxes. Without this food available to them, foxes are less likely to come knocking.

2. Check the integrity of your fences

In most cases, fences will only enter your garden for one of two reasons: food or shelter. And if you take away food debris from your garden, you’re just left with shelter.

Eric states, ‘Gardens with mature trees or shrubs where they can hide and move around without being noticed will also make it more appealing.’ And the best way to remove this opportunity is to check the integrity of your fences and fix them if they need fixing.

‘If foxes are prone to sneaking underneath, fit L-shaped mesh footings to block them. Plant up prickly shrubs to reinforce your boundaries, too,’ suggests pest control expert Walter Murphy at PriceYourJob.co.uk. In fact, leaning fences often open up space for foxes to enter your garden, so knowing how to fix a leaning fence can help you out, too.

Of course, a fox will jump over a fence if it really wants to, but keeping an eye on other escape routes will definitely help your cause.

3. Use a strong-smelling substance

One thing you might not know about foxes is that they have an incredible sense of smell. As natural hunters and trackers, they use their noses to find their prey and even communicate with each other.

And while this strong sense of smell normally points them in the direction of your garden, you could also use this to your advantage. Especially if you use a strong-smelling substance that foxes are known to hate.

‘Foxes have a keen sense of smell, so certain odours can be used to deter them,’ explains Jacob Lloyd, Head of Investigations at Animal Welfare Investigations Project. ‘For example, they are known to dislike the smell of chilli peppers and garlic. You can try infusing these ingredients in boiling water and spraying the solution around the garden as a fox repellent.’

Alongside this, they also don’t like the smell of coffee grounds or citrus fruits, so next time you have a coffee or a satsuma, keep the coffee grounds or use orange peels in the garden to sprinkle around the perimeter of your property.

4. Use sound deterrents

Just as they have sensitive noses, foxes also have very sensitive ears. So, buying a sound deterrent is another way to deter foxes and keep them out of your garden.

‘Foxes are very sensitive to noise, and therefore investing in specialised ultrasonic animal-repellent noise devices can be a quick and effective method to keep foxes out of your garden,’ says Peter McAllister from Household Pets.

‘This is a long-lasting and low-maintenance method to keep foxes away from your house and garden, as, unlike scent repellents, they don’t need to be topped up frequently and are weather-proof.’

These sound deterrents won’t harm the fox, and they are completely inaudible to humans and household pets. Plus, they won’t break the bank.

5. Keep your bins out of reach

While there are many things you should never put in a garden waste bin, you also need to be careful of where you store these bins – as well as your regular wheelie bins. This is because you may be unwittingly inviting foxes onto your property.

‘To be sure that foxes and other animals cannot get to your rubbish and into your garden, be sure to secure rubbish bins,’ says Daniel Steward, Managing Director of Shield Pest Control.

‘You can purchase bins that have locks and bolts attached to them for this purpose, or you could simply weigh down the lid of a bin so that a fox cannot open it. If a fox cannot gain access to the bin, it will likely leave it alone after a short while, going in search of other options.’

If you can, avoid over-filling your wheelie bin, as plastic bags offer no protection where foxes are concerned. And if you’re feeling creative, check out these wheelie bin storage ideas.

6. Use motion-sensor lights

Foxes typically wait until the dark of night to ravage your garden and rifle through your bins as they are typically very timid creatures, and they like to keep themselves to themselves. In fact, they’ll normally flee as soon as they see other signs or sounds of life – which is why installing motion-sensor lights in your garden could work wonders.

‘Installing automatic lights will scare foxes away without causing any harm, and if you spot one, simply making a loud noise will soon send them running,’ says Eric.

This is echoed by pest control expert Walter Murphy at PriceYourjob.co.uk, who explains, ‘A motion-detecting security light in the garden may help to prevent foxes from coming into the garden as the bright light will likely startle them, making them run away. ‘

These lights could be installed on the back of your house, on your shed, or on your fence. And you can even buy solar-powered options if you don’t have electricity running into the garden. Just make sure you understand the things you should know before buying solar lights.

FAQs

What smells will keep foxes away?

Foxes are extremely sensitive to smells, so strong and pungent smells will keep foxes out of your garden if you use them well.

They particularly hate chilli powder, coffee grounds, citrus fruit, and garlic. If you can, try to infuse these smells in water and then spray the concoction around your garden.

Also, sprinkling the likes of garlic powder, coffee grounds, and chilli powder onto your grass could also work well.

What do foxes hate the most?

With heightened senses, foxes hate loud noises, sudden movements, strong smells, and bright lights. Thankfully, there are so many ways to use these things to your advantage and to keep foxes out of your garden without harming them in the process.

When trying to keep foxes out of your garden, we’d suggest trying preventative measures before using deterrents. In some cases, securing your wheelie bin and making sure your fence is in good condition could be enough to keep them at bay.

So, there you have it! What will you be trying to keep foxes out of the garden?