Foxes

The European red fox is now a common visitor to both rural and urban gardens, where they mainly scavenge for food. They are usually more of a nuisance than anything else, knocking over and chewing garden ornaments, but they do trample on plants, eat fruit and dig holes in the ground in their search for food. Their excrement and pungent urine can also be problematical.

Foxes mainly live solitary lives, apart from during the breeding season, so you are unlikely to have more than one visit your garden at any one time. They usually live for about three or four years.

Young fox cubs are born in spring in a den, which is usually dug in the ground or may be located under a building. They remain with their parents until the end of summer, when they then go off on their own.

Foxes have a very varied diet, which includes discarded human food, birds, small mammals, fruit and even earthworms and chafer grubs.

• Beds and borders
• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Lawns

Foxes often damage low-growing plants by trampling over them. They will scavenge for anything they think could be food. This includes fruit, vegetables and bulbs.

They dig around in the soil looking for insects and other food, often digging up plants in the process. They are attracted to the smell of organic plant fertilisers – such as bonemeal, dried blood and chicken manure pellets – and will dig wherever these have been used. They dig large holes in the lawn, often ripping it up, looking for grubs.

Male foxes use their excrement and strong smelling urine as territory markers, and often leave their excrement in prominent places.

They will chew through and damage anything plastic, including hosepipes and they push over and break or damage statues and just about any other freestanding structures.

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In many circumstances, you may simply have to tolerate foxes visiting the garden.

Although not always effective, ultrasonic scaring devices may deter foxes, but they do tend to get used to the noise and soon ignore them. A radio left on all night, at levels that don’t offend neighbours, may be successful.

Motion-activated water sprayers, which are connected to a hosepipe, may also be effective. They send out a burst of water accompanied by a hissing noise when activated by an animal walking past.

Treat lawns to control leather jackets and chafer grubs.

Fill in any holes they have dug promptly, to discourage further digging.

Scented and smelly animal repellents may discourage foxes, but need very regular applications. If they do work, they generally only provide short-term protection, as the foxes often get used to them.

Sadly, once foxes start visiting the garden, it is more-or-less impossible to keep them out. Most fences are unlikely to provide an effective deterrent, as foxes can climb over or dig underneath them.

Always clear away any food from barbecues or anything else that could be a possible food source, including fallen fruit.

If foxes start to become a problem, replace organic fertilisers – especially bonemeal, dried blood and chicken manure pellets – with other plant feeds.