Foxes dig up lawns for one reason: there is food under the grass. Earthworms, chafer grubs and leatherjackets all sit close to the surface in damp weather.
The holes are small and cone-shaped, and they usually appear overnight. Fix the reason and the digging stops. Chase the fox and it comes back.
Why foxes target your lawn
A ruined lawn is rarely random. It means your grass has become a productive hunting ground.
Foxes are opportunistic foragers. Manicured turf holds a lot of larvae, and in the damp spells of spring and autumn those larvae move closer to the surface where they are easy to reach.
That is when the damage peaks.
Your fertiliser might be part of the problem
This one catches a lot of people out.
Organic fertilisers containing bone meal or dried blood smell like a buried carcass. To a fox, that is a signal that there is something worth digging for just under the roots.
If you have been feeding the lawn with either, switch to a plant-based fertiliser and see whether the digging drops off on its own.
Scent and territory
Foxes use urine and faeces to mark territory, which builds a map of where they feel safe. Once your lawn is on that map, they return to it.
That is why clearing up after them matters as much as deterring them. If the area still smells of fox, it still reads as fox territory.
If fouling is the bigger problem rather than the digging, see our guide on how to stop foxes fouling in your garden.
Is it foxes, or something else?
Several animals dig in lawns, and the fix differs.
- Foxes leave small, cone-shaped holes scattered across the turf, usually overnight.
- Badgers leave similar holes but larger and more numerous, often with turf rolled back. See our guide on badgers digging up lawns.
- Moles leave mounds of excavated soil. No mound means it is not a mole.
- Voles leave neat, open holes with no mound and narrow runways through the grass.
What to do about the grubs
A lot of advice says to kill the larvae with pesticide. That works, but it damages soil life and does nothing about the fox's habit of visiting.
Nematodes are the gentler route. Applied in late summer, they reduce chafer grub and leatherjacket numbers without chemicals.
Improving drainage and aeration helps too, since waterlogged turf suits the larvae.
Either way, expect it to take a season. The fox will keep checking until the food is genuinely gone.
A simple way to help keep foxes away
Revira is a natural, non-toxic deterrent designed to help keep foxes away from lawns and garden borders.
It works on scent. Applied along the route the fox uses to get in, it helps make the area feel less safe, so it is more likely to forage somewhere else.
Revira is:
- non-toxic
- safe for children and pets
- harmless to wildlife
The granules are clay-based, so the scent is released slowly rather than washing off in the first shower. Liquid sprays are the usual alternative, and they rarely survive a British week.
Where to apply it
Treat the boundary and the gaps the fox uses to get in, not the middle of the lawn.
Clear up any fouling first, using a biological or enzyme cleaner. A deterrent applied on top of an existing scent mark has a much harder job.
Reapply every three to six months, and after prolonged heavy rain.
Give it a couple of weeks. You are breaking a routine, and a fox will test the boundary several times before it accepts the change.
Frequently asked questions
Will a fox attack my cat or dog?
It is very unlikely. Foxes are timid and will almost always retreat from a cat or dog rather than confront one. They are scavengers, not predators of pets.
How long does a fox deterrent take to work?
Usually one to three weeks. You are breaking an established routine rather than producing an instant reaction, so consistency matters more than quantity.
Do home remedies like chilli powder work?
For a night or two. Chilli, citrus peel and similar scents break down quickly outdoors and wash away in the first proper rain, so they need reapplying constantly.
Is it legal to use fox deterrents in the UK?
Yes, as long as the method is humane. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering, which rules out poison and illegal traps. Non-toxic scent deterrents are fine.
Why does the digging get worse in autumn?
Damp soil brings earthworms and grubs closer to the surface, so the lawn becomes more rewarding to dig. Spring does the same thing for the same reason.
Written by: Per Arne Reiersrud, CEO, Revira