What Smells Keep the Fox Away from Your Garden?

Fox, if present in your garden or backyard, is normally on the hunt for food.

A fox by definition would be considered a pest since they often eat the food consumed by livestock and can leave behind viruses and diseases which may harm pets and, in rare cases, humans.

Despite all the temptations that may be on your property, there are natural methods that can help keep foxes away.

The same reliance on the smell that foxes use to find food sources can be turned against them when you use the right ingredients.

Odors that Deter Fox Naturally

What follows are a few items and smells that foxes do not like at all. You can use them to your advantage as they do no harm to you, your garden, or your property.

1- Hot Peppers

The pepper family, especially the plants that contain Capsaicin, creates a burning sensation that may be enjoyable to humans, but predators like foxes cannot stand them.

This is because the olfactory senses of a fox are heightened compared to a human.

Capsaicin from hot peppers gives off the sensation of heat that interferes and drives away animals with sensitive noses, such as foxes.

Chili peppers, in particular, make for an excellent repellent. This not only keeps the foxes away, but other predators such as coyotes may do considerable damage to your property.

Because of the intensity and pungency of peppers, they should be the first line of defense.

Simply mix some cayenne or chili powder with water and spray it on your plants.

You’ll want to cover the plants and any entrances that foxes might seek.

The downside is that rain will wash the concoction away, so you must reapply it after a rain and every week or two to keep the foxes at bay.

2- Garlic

Although garlic has been used in literature to scare away vampires, its effectiveness against foxes is less apparent.

Perhaps garlic has a stronger reputation than it deserves.

But the truth is that if you cut up and boil garlic, it will release a compound known as alliinase which may ward off predators such as foxes.

Alone, alliinase is quite potent. When combined with chili peppers or white vinegar, it can be quite repulsive to foxes.

Just remember that you have to boil and chop the garlic first to get at the alliinase compound before adding it to the mixture.

3- White Vinegar

Although not quite as potent as peppers, white vinegar is still quite effective in driving away foxes and coyotes. White vinegar is also cheap and readily available.

Because of the acetic acid content, white vinegar carries a bad taste and strong odor.

You can spray the white vinegar around your property, dampen cloths with white vinegar that can be left where foxes might tread, and even fill bowls with white vinegar to leave near your garden and food supplies.

The downside is that spraying white vinegar will need to be performed regularly to keep up the bad odor.

Another downside is that you will smell that odor as well, so you may have to get used to it.

4- Human Scent

One of the best deterrents against foxes is you.

That’s right; people are a deterrent to foxes because foxes are quite shy and see humans as a real threat.

This is why the scent of humans can be quite repellent to a fox because it signals danger to them.

The most obvious, though perhaps not very pleasing, the tactic is to simply pee around the areas in which you want to keep the fox away.

At the very least, you will not have to use your toilet as often.

Barring that, perfumes are an excellent deterrent as well. It’s more expensive but no less effective and will have your barn, garden, and other areas smelling really nice.

5- Wolf Urine

If you are reluctant to use your own urine, then the urine of a wolf can be quite effective.

Wolves will eat foxes, so a fox will get the message to leave if they smell the urine from a wolf.

And that is how you can keep a fox away from your property. Remember to be diligent and spray regularly.

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Why is Fox Dangerous to Humans?

Foxes are content to live in the wild and roam in small packs but can become more aggressive as they grow older.

With that said, foxes aren’t dangerous to humans as such.

But, if you run a farm or ranch, you will need to take precautions against foxes because some of the damages they can make include the following…

1- Damage to compost

You may be surprised that foxes will often prowl around compost heaps in your garden in search of food.

When it happens, they can make a real mess of the nest. It is the leftovers that tend to attract foxes, so you will need to build a proper compost bin.

Creating a support structure is helpful as well. It can be anything that makes it more difficult for foxes to enter.

The harder you make it, the more likely the fox will simply look for something easier to get into.

2- Damage to plants in the garden

Because foxes are omnivores, they may find the plants in your garden tempting.

In addition to tasting the part of the plant that is above ground, they may also dig into the ground to find any worms or grubs that might be present.

This also applies to the fruits and vegetables in your garden. Some of the more tempting treats for foxes include apples, berries, fungi, grains, pears, and particularly seeds.

You must protect your garden by fencing it off and covering the top with wire so the red foxes cannot enter.

There is very little found in terms of food that foxes will not try to consume. From the grain you feed your livestock to the livestock itself and the garden which holds your fruits and vegetables, foxes are a major menace.

3- The smell that can be unbearable

Foxes are sleek creatures, but they do put out a musky odor which can be quite offensive to humans.

The odor comes mostly from their tails which give off a unique smell. And there can be many reasons for that stinky smell.

First of all, as with other animal species, the urine of foxes carries a noticeable odor that can last for a long time, depending on the conditions.

Besides urine, you may also catch a whiff of dead animals on foxes. This is because foxes hunt for mice and other small mammals. You may catch the smell of what is left of their prey.

The musky fox smell is also meant to convey the status of the fox along with marking their territory.

Male foxes will often mark female foxes with their urine during mating season. This allows them to mark their mates for mating season.

The Conclusion

A hungry fox is quite motivated, so keeping your smaller animals safe should be of top priority.  

While your horses and cattle are safe from the threat of foxes due to their size, the smaller livestock and pets on your farm should be considered vulnerable.

This means chickens, rabbits, and other small creatures should be considered on the menu for foxes.

Also, because the foxes smell so bad, you will not love to have them near your property.

Just follow the above tips and use the smell that deters them. Hopefully, these will help you stop the foxes from coming again.