Compost fit for a Skunk

by Carol
(U.S.)

When I first started composting, I didn't have a clue how to do it. I picked an area in the back of the garden, and just started dumping what ever I thought would compost there.

Being a veggie lover, I had lots of vegetable scraps. I also had lots of egg shells and coffee grounds (thanks to my friend who was a waitress at a local restaurant)

Every time I headed out to the "pile" I would notice the scraps spread out farther than the pile. I figured some animal was having a nice treat, but I thought, Oh well,this is an easy way to "turn the pile" which I never got around to doing.

Till the biggest Skunk I'd ever seen found it's way into my breezway, via the open garage door. I guess it figured scraps weren't good enough, and had now graduated to eating out of the cat dish!

My husband convinced me that if I wanted to do the compost pile, I should at least cover it with the dry material, and keep it turned. At the time, I just gave up... not wanting any more uninvited guests to my house!

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Skunks - Cute but Stinky
by: Leslie

Thanks for your story. I've never had this problem though I have sniffed the faint aroma of skunk in the vicinity of my yard. I think it's because my food scraps are in one of those smaller plastic compost bins and I suspect the skunks can't get into it.

By the way, in my research for this site I discovered a cure for the aftermath of being skunked, something called EM or effective microorganisms. It comes as a liquid and you spray it either at a 1/10 dilution or full strength on whatever was sprayed - usually your dog's nose. There is a link for them in the Bokashi section on the EM page.

So are you composting again yet. If you really fear skunks and are still wanting to do it try Bokashi. Once your scraps go through the fermenting process they are more or less pest proof. Not even a hungry bear seems to be tempted.

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