Last night Jon and I were working on a computer about 2 am. My little dog runs over to our front door and starts sniffing at the door. Two minutes later the strongest skunk stench I had ever smelled hit us. Of course Jon goes to the door to let the dog smell and I said you better let me look first cause that is strong enough to be right on the balcony. Sure enough I peep out the glass in the door and it was right on the balcony. The guy in the apartment around the corner had left his garbage on the balcony and I guess the skunk was after that. A few minutes later I hear my herb pots of the balcony scoot and Ill be dang if I didnt check today and something had eaten the tops off of some of my basil :mad: Must have been that skunk. Evidently it didnt care for oregano or cilantro. I have had herbs out there for several years now and I have had stray cats ruin them but never had a skunk stop by for a nibble.
There was a small birds nest on the balcony near that guys apartment where the garbage was. I noticed today she is gone and her eggs are missing. I guess the skunk got to them. She was in the margolia tree which branches over the balcony and the skunk could have climbed right to it.
I hope it stays out of my herbs.

AGGGHHH, janie! I feel for ya! Skunks are true pests- and they can be terribly harmful and dangerous too. Also, for what it's worth... if ya ever get sprayed by one- the old wives tale of bathing in tomato juice does not work! It's just that- an old wives tale- I know, as I've been on the receiving-end of it! Only thing that works is special shampoo that ya can buy at farm-supply stores like Farm and Fleet. It's made for pets and prize live-stock, etc., but works pretty good on humans too. YUCH! be careful, hon!

I had an outside dog who got sprayed by a skunk once. I tried the tomato juice and it helped but didnt take care of it by a long shot. Boy when that skunk came back around all you could see was the tip of his tail sticking out of his dog house. He was no interested in round two lol.
I read once that coating the dogs fur in a certain female hygiene product will make the dog feel and smell like a Summer's Eve :o
Thankfully that skunk didnt return last night.

sweet basil. Apparently he was digging for peanuts. My husband feeds the squirrels peanuts during the wintertime. Poor baby went in for lunch and while doing so ruined my beautiful basil.

I've never had and encounter with a skunk and that is just fine with me.

Little stinker never came back last night. It took the tops off of about a third of my basil that had just started to get some good size on it. It left the stems but took off the tops. I have tons of herbs down at my father in laws in the garden but it will be ages before they are big enough to use. That is if they dont get washed away. Fresh basil is my favorite thing to use when I can get it. Nothing better in pasta or with tomatoes.