Rabbit Guards

[l008com]

If I'm making some screen cylinders to protect some plants from being eaten from rabbits, how tall do they have to be to keep those annoying animals out? There are going to be on otherwise flat ground, so there aren't any slopes around that would let them hop in from a high ground.

 

[Meadowlark]

Minimum of 12 inches but 24 would be better.

 

[l008com]

I have some old chicken wire, I'll have to see how wide it is across. 12 would be more convenient for me of course. Also I suspect that if I'm on the low end, but if the top of the cylinder is very pointy all the way around, from cutting the mesh with some tin snips, that will probably enhance the rabbit thwarting you think?

 

[l008com]

Follow-up:

I went with only 12" tall protection because it was easier based on the shape and amount of chicken wire I had.
Four of the six plants are growing well. One died almost right away, I wonder if the egg crate it was in just didn't decompose quick enough and it was unable to sink roots in?
The other one (not pictured) looks like it got eaten, not by an animal but by insects. It still has some leaves left. It doesn't look like it's dying or growing. It's sort of just holding steady.

Given the terrible timing of my half-assed effort, I'm pretty happy with the result. Next year I'll start much earlier and do 3+3 around the two sunny sides of the shed and that will make me happy.