How do you keep rabbits out of your garden?

[Marie Stine]

I noticed that rabbits are eating the leaves of my pepper plants. So far they are leaving the tomatoes and green beans alone. Is there any flowers or herbs that I can plant that will detract the rabbits? I don't want to hurt them or use chemicals in my gardens so I am looking for a natural repellant.

 

[firelily99]

The best way is to put an eighteen inch high fence around the garden with it six inches deep. Liquid fence is another alternative or any other type of repellent. I have read that planting mums around the garden edges will help; the leaves of the mum are poisonous to them and they won't go near the mum plants.

 

[Marie Stine]

Thanks for the advice! I have never heard of liquid fence; I'll have to check that out. I didn't know the leaves of mums are poisonous to rabbits. I learn something new everyday!

 

[Rosyrain]

Another thought I had was to put black pepper barriers around your garden. You simply sprinkle some black pepper along the ground and that should help out as well. It is natural and will not harm your plants.

 

[Marie Stine]

Rosyrain, I didn't even think of black pepper! I had read somewhere that you could put cayenne pepper out but that the rabbits got it on their paws and would blind themselves if they scratched their eyes. I enjoy the rabbits but not in my garden. I am beginning to understand why Elmer Fudd was always chasing Bugs Bunny!

 

[IcyBC]

Although we live in the city, but we do have lots of wild rabbits living across the road in a RV parking lot. They used to com over and eat all of my vegetables if I grow them. If it is not the rabbits then it will be the squirrels, (we are exploded with squirrels population around here). So now I only plant flowers!

 

[pixie N.C.]

They only seem to eat asiatic(?) lillys,caladiums and broccoli here for some reason, I tried the hot pepper spray last yr. that didn't work.

 

[ChanellG]

There are some plants that are supposed to be rabbit and deer proof that you can plant as a border around your garden. You can also use chicken wire, etc. The thing is that rabbits tunnel, so you need a barrier that goes down into the ground a ways.

I would also recommend planting a small patch of the stuff they like to eat on the other side of your natural border so they have no reason to venture into your garden.

 

[Sheal]

I had problems with rabbits in a previous garden, they stripped everything except Daffodils and Lupins.

 

[KimmyMarkks]

I guess I’m lucky that I don’t have rabbits in my garden. However, upstate we have deer that eat all our vegetables. Somehow the deer got into our blueberry bush last year and ate every last berry. I started fencing the vegetables in, enough so that the deer aren’t able to stick their mouths through the wired gates. It’s definitely a pain but it’s the only way to keep them out. I suggest doing the same to keep the rabbits out.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

CATS

 

[Corzhens]

I'm just looking around at this thread because we do not have rabbits here except those in cages as pets. I remember the scene in the cartoons Bugs Bunny where Elmer Fudd, the owner of the vegetable garden would get mad upon discovering that his carrots were uprooted by the rabbit Bugs. I believe rabbits are rodents so loose rabbits are destructive like rats. Maybe if that would happen here, I would be using rat poison.

 

[Shape]

This guy tried for years to get rid of rabbits--->Some things you just have to live with...

 

[granjera]

I did a search on rabbits just now and Shape, what you said is what I've suspected. My mother and I live on the perimeter of a very large park/reserve. We're 2 miles apart. I have seen maybe one rabbit in 10 years; she sees them just about every time she steps outside. Her neighborhood is full of them. I guess my part of the park is where the coyotes and bobcats live. I've been telling her for years to start naming the rabbits and making them her pets (they live beneath her deck and in her front shrubs).

If for some reason, rabbits started taking over my area, I'd either quit gardening or I'd build a cage that was a couple feet underground and extended 6 feet above ground (to allow human access). Otherwise, I think it's futile to fight pesky wabbits.

 

[Corzhens]

Last month we had a clan reunion in the province. I learned from one of my cousins that rabbit is a delicacy there. They cook it like caldereta, a hot dish that is sauteed in spices and tomato sauce. That rabbit dish is a favorite in drinking sessions because it goes well with beer and other alcoholic drinks. It just got to my mind that maybe if there are rabbits pestering our garden then I would just call my cousin and he will have a good time.