How to Keep Rabbits out of Garden

[Butterfly]

Rabbits keep eating the leaves off my tomato's, green beans & green peppers. Is there something I can do to keep them away?

[opabinia51]

Try ground pepper and also one of those 1 to 1 1/2 foot fences that you can buy at nurseries and (dare I say it?) Home depot.

I tend to try to get people to support their local nurseries and befriend the owners and staff. You never know what freebies you might get and you are supporting your local community.

Also, ask the experts at your local nursery, not the summer staff but, the local experts. If they should happen to recommend some pesticide, I woud advise not to use it though.

[lovetogarden]

1)Get a dog. My dog keeps them away.

2) Put items of clothing(ie...old shoes or shirts)or cut hair from the barber
around your plants.

3) There are organic products you can buy that create a pherome scent that rabbits do not like.

4)Homemade Animal Repellent

2 raw egges
1 qut water
1 tsp cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce
squirt dish soap

Mix in spray bottle.

[opabinia51]

Cayenne pepper is actually really bad for mammals mucus membranes, I have read of no long term effects but, it is not a humane treatment. We have found an alternative of ground black pepper which is a little less invasive on the mucus membranes.

[NOTagreenthumb]

Hi, in reply to your rabbit problem, I'll tell you what helped keep rabbits out of my garden (and this may seem gross). I have cats, and I sprinkle their used litter around the border of my garden. Since I started doing this I havent even seen a rabbit in my yard. I'm only a beginner though, so if anyone else knows this to be a bad idea, let me know!

[Franco]

My next door neighbor has three cats that roam around my secluded block. I used to hate these cats becuase, hey, I personally hate cats and I didn't want them on my property but it is nice to have because they are always eating rabbits and chipmunks and such. Don't get me wrong I'm a huge animal person especially the little cute ones but hey, that's life ya know.

[opabinia51]

Just so that people know, cats are actually a huge problem in North America and other parts of the world for this very reason. They wreak havoc on local mammal populations and on local bird populations. In some places, they have even been banned.

Anyway, something to keep in mind. I personally love cats and will always have one but, sometimes and in some places it is pertinent to have your cat as an indoor cat.

[webmaster]

How to keep rabbits out of your garden is an important topic. If the garden is being overrun, how much of the problem is the result of a lack of predators? If the reason is because of a lack of predators would it be possible that cats with a limited range be a good way to help the situation? For instance, a semi-rural location that lacks hawks and coyotes?

[rigardengal]

Garlic powder worked around my flower garden! Also, used kitty litter. The granular kind, without the clumps!!! I just sprinkled it around the perimeter. Good luck with those naughty naughty bunnies!

[petalfuzz]

You can also sprinkle hair around your plants. Dog, cat, human, whatever.

Be careful with the spicy cayenne sprays and such. My pet rabbit likes spicy food

[pete28]

For me it is as easy as having my cats. All of my cats are outdoor cats so they keep the vermin away. The biggest problem I have is the GD gopher turtles! I used to have to remove them on a daily basis but now I have the fence up so they cant get in.

the ohter thing I do for the bunnies and other woodland creatures is I plant a bunch of seed that I don't look after in the woods away from my garden that way they get all the veggies that they need. However if they get greedy and come near the garden not planted for them I turn my dog loose whose bred for hunting rabbits and he chases them away. that way no harm comes to the rabbits.

However I will not hesitate to shoot one of the little guys if they don't heed all my countermeasures and throw him in the pot.

[Gardener Don]

Hello all,
Seems we all have the same problem. I live in the country and have to deal with the pests like rabbits and ground hogs. I finally put up an electric fence, it won't kill them, but will get their attention. It seems to work pretty well, but, like Pete, I won't hesitate to get the ole 22 after one if it gets in. Don

[rootsy]

Rabbit is a tasty meal... especially with a side of mashed potatoes

Rabbits are tough critters to control short of putting them on the table. Difficult to live trap. Difficult to deter from eating foliage. Fence is probably the best bet. Fence will not keep out critters such as Raccoons and deer.

I've been playing cat and mouse with a fat woodchuck for a week now... he's been educated a couple of times and is getting smart...

Feral cats are a scourge. They carry disease and are destructive to small wild life... including my chickens from time to time. Shot on sight and I haven't even begun to dent the local population.

[applestar]

Living in a suburban cookie-cutter development with fast-dwindling open area and wildlife habitat, I LIKE having bunnies visit my yard - I'm proud to say I offer a mixed shmorgesbord in my lawn since I don't let my DH use chemicals. That said, I don't want them eating my garden ... so I took the precaution of fencing the veggie garden, and my Fence Row and Sunflower House of corn/sunflowers are staying under the row tunnels until they grow out of them.

BUT !!! Yesterday, I was watching a couple of bunnies (from upstairs window) play in the "Sunny Meadow-to-be" hopping over the low border fence (only intended to delineate the area), sampling tasty morsels here and there... flopping down in the damp path to rest, etc. THEN, one of them, a male, I'm pretty sure, went over to the arbor corner and casually snipped the solitary Moon Flower seedling I had planted there, then SPIT IT OUT! ARRGGH! I didn't fence that corner because I was pretty sure Moon Flower was unpalatable to them, but I should've known better! I sadly reported the loss to the kids.

A few hours later, they came in from playing outside and proudly announced that they CHASED 3 BUNNIES OUT OF THE YARD!

There you go -- I don't have a dog, and only have indoor cats, but I do have LITTLE KIDS.

[JennyC]

Fences are definitely the best things for rabbits, though I have also been depositing used litter along the fence. I haven't made the circumference yet, though, and some of my fence is inaccessable due to trees and dense undergrowth.

However, a friend of mine who's been gardening organically in the woods on the mountain near here for close to thirty years swears by tomcat pee** to keep away both deer and rabbits. Apparently, he's often had a tom segregated from other cats, and that pee works even on deer. He lost almost everyting to deer one year, pefumed the perimeter with tom-dosed litter the next, and had a great harvest.

Now, I have both a tomcat and deer in my garden, but as I said, I haven't made it aroung the perimeter, either. Other food sources seem to work well for distracting critters, even my deer who sleep inside the garden fence. I have hay growing nearby, so it may be that nothing else can compete for their attention.


** Of course, it's much better to spay your tomcat -- mine's young yet, but will get "the treatment" soon. But he's also strictly inside (he gets to play in the yard when he's on a harness and leash) with only a fixed female and two dogs, so he won't be making any little ferals in the meantime.

[opabinia51]

A note on Rabbits: in many places rabbits are actually an introduced, invasive species It is that way in my town. So, it may be a good idea to talk with your local municipality about culling the rabbits as well.

Good discussion going here, I hope you rabbit problem is getting better.

[fargardener]

If you install a fence, make sure it is 2 feet tall or taller. PLUS, it has to go underground a few inches because the critters will dig under! Mine goes about 4 inches under ground into well packed soil.

Cheers!

[sig url edited by mods]

[smokensqueal]

Last year I had problems with rabbits and mixed black pepper and red pepper together to a nice powder. Sprinkled that around and they never bothered my garden ever again that year. This year it appears either the rabbits or something else has been eating my tulip leaves. So I mixed some more together last night and put it around them.

[Snippy]

Hi! It's spring in Southern Ontario and I am back! I read recently that rabbits hate talcum powder. When it rains, apply some more. I could see this being an issue in a rainy area. What a pain.
In a book I have, "1,001 Old-Time Garden Tips" by Roger Yepsen, (Excellent) rabbits do not like the exotic spice 'asafoetida' which is sold in East Indian grocery stores. The book says that one could pulverize some resin with a nutmeg grater, dissolve it in hot water and experiment with the resulting tea. They don't like blood meal but the most effective method is a fence. Old time recipes used a mixture of lime, water and cow manure; they don't like cow manure.
I haven't tried any of these yet because well, I need to prepare a garden first. New old house scenario. I'm working on it.

[DrTom]

Visit your local barber and ask them for their hair clippings

Take the clippings home and sprinkle them around your garden

Wild rabbits (most wild animals) don't like human smell, are afraid of it

If it rains, or you have high winds you may have to repeat

AND - yes it sounds crazy, but it works!

Also this is cheaper than a fence, which they will dig under

Dr Tom from MN

[chefshelle]

How do you get the tomcat pee? Hope this doesn't sound too stupid, but I'm a little confused!

[Snippy]

Libraries are good info centers. Apparently emptying your vaccuum bag of it's contents in a trench on the side of the garden where wild animals venture, will keep them away. It may need to be repeated because of rains washing the "human ordour" away etc.

[Ilovegardening]

This is really funny; because before I got on here this moring, (I'm new on here); I was thinking of what I could do to keep the rabbits from eating all the foliage off of our tomato and other plants. We do have a high fence around the garden; but when we put it up; we didn't have the time then to put it deep enough into the ground; so the cute but pesky little rabbits and probably other critters can still get in and wreak havoc with our food crop. Anyway; to get to the "funny" part; this morning before I got on, as I said; I was trying to think of ways of keeping the rabbits out of our garden; and since we have a male housecat; I thought, "Gee, I wonder if putting some used litter around the garden would help."! And then I got on here and read about people doing that very thing!
Our cat has been fixed; but I assume it will still deter the rabbits from trying to get in the fence...or under it...if I sprinkle some used litter a foot or so away from the fence; around the whole perimeter?
Also I side note. I would ask people who have cats to PLEASE keep them inside. You are not making them "happier" by letting them roam wherever they please.
We have a neighbor who has cats she lets loose all the time; and they might be good mousers; and keep some other "pests" away; but their usefulness ends there.
If they defecate in your garden...which they have done in ours; it's VERY BAD for your food crops; since almost all outdoor cats have parasites and sometimes other diseases which can and will be deposited on or in your food. Yuck! And I have witnessed first-hand the destruction they cause to not only gardens; but to cars...climbing and scratching the paint...sounds minor but is very expensive to fix; and it's not just a "cosmetic" issue either; rust starts where there are scratches. Scratching and clawing posts and other wood items on or around the house, etc. And they kill lots of things like someone else on here mentioned; birds that cause no problems; and other things like chipmunks. The cats themselves are a HUGE nuisance; and I love cats...but if they are your pet; then they are your pet; not the whole neighborhood's. PLEASE don't unleash...literally and figuratively...your pets on everyone else around you.
I'm not saying any of this with any "attitude"; please don't read that into this. I am just trying to help; because most people I talk to that have cats they let wander around wherever they want to think it's O.K.; it's somehow good for their cats. But we've asked every vet we've had over the years about that; and most all have sighed and said, emphatically; No; no; no; it is NOT good for the cats at all; they get hit by cars; they get in sometimes fatal fights with other cats; or dogs kill them; they get lyme disease; ticks; fleas; parasites; (All of which they can and will bring home to YOU and your children if you have any) and of course; are a huge nuisance to everyone around them because of the things they do that I stated above.
I say this with mercy and kindness--just because you love your cat(s) doesn't mean your neighbors do; or have to. So Please; consider keeping your cat(s) healthier by keeping them as tame pets inside your home. Thank you.
I hope I'm not making anyone mad; honestly; but it's a point of contention with a lot of people I know; ESPECIALLY gardeners; they are always frustrated with the people around them who think it's perfectly all right to let their pets walk through other people's property; doing whatever they want; urinating and defecating all over the yards; in the gardens; and doing all the other things they do.
Gee; I really hope I'm not making trouble on here; that is NOT my intention at ALL. I may get "kicked off"; but I hope not. If you knew me in person you'd know I mean none of this with any meanness or self-righteousness; and I hope you can "read" that here without knowing me.
I actually hope this helps some people to understand that although their intent is to do the "right" thing for their cats; and I understand and appreciate that; they really aren't. My cat was a stray; and used to roaming around. We took him in, since he "adopted" us, and had him fixed right away; and we play with him inside; and he's as happy as he can be; WITHOUT going outside again.
Thanks for "listening"; and please don't be offended anyone; I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes. But just trying to offer help...NOT harm.
Take care all. Bye for now.....

[Pikachu1]

We have a large vegetable garden in the middle of a huge herbivore playground. We have deer, an extensive groundhog colony, rabbits, squirrels, etc.

What we did (actually it was my husband) was dig a one foot trench around the garden. Then he put in posts. Then he took three foot tall wire fence, with narrower wire at the bottom and wider at the top, and ran it all around. No gate, we step over it. Then around that he put a taller fence to keep out the deer. He wired the fences together along the top of the groundhog fence. He made a gate with the deer fence. So far no mammals have eaten anything. This is the third year we've had it (picture is from the first year).

I have to say, I could not have done it myself. It was a huge amount of work. It cost a few hundred dollars, but less than the thousands it would have cost to have chain link installed by people who do that for a living.

Cris

It is hard to see in this picture, but the groundhog fence comes up to my knees. The gate is open and behind me. There is a roll of the deer fence on the left side of the picture.

[img]https://img8.imageshack.us/img8/5/crisingarden2007.jpg[/img]

[Nana]

I also use cat litter the clumping kind which holds the cat urine. It really works and won't harm anything....Does keep the rabbits away!!

[gixxerific]

Stupid rabbits are eating all of my stuff as well. So far I have tried a solution of water and hot sauce. I do have have some "Extreme" hot sauces as well, the one drop is too much kind. Not sure if ti helped at all with all the rain we have had.. Funny thing is my sweet potato plants are the main target. The keep getting eating to the ground and than coming back. I'm sure they will be small when harvested, but they are some tough little buggers.

Oh yeah did I mention I have a huge pit bull female that loves rabbits. I really need a doggie door in this house. She was out there tearing up a rabbit hole the other day, which led to diarrhea. But they are everywhere, I have the pellet gun at ready.

[cynthia_h]

Stupid rabbits ...

Oh yeah did I mention I have a huge pit bull female that loves rabbits.

All the terrier breeds, from Cairns to Kerries, were originally developed to find *and destroy* ground-dwelling rodents: rats, ground squirrels, badgers, groundhogs, rabbits, and the like. I'm not at all surprised that a bull terrier loves to find and destroy rabbits! Yucky though it might be...

Maybe, when she finds a burrow, you can take her off of it after a few minutes? That way she won't eat herself sick, or whatever it was that happened.

I'm fortunate w/regard to rabbits (my pestilential squirrels are tree-dwellers, unfortunately). The only rabbit I've ever seen outdoors in this neighborhood was a pet rabbit who had escaped his outdoor hutch. He (?) was petrified with fear and not eating anything. His next-door neighbors knew him and he knew them, so the woman came over with a towel and picked him up, putting him back in his hutch.

Rabbits have high birth rates to support their role in Nature's plan: they are, for better or for worse, primary food sources for many other mammals. They give birth to enough babies quickly enough so that, even if they experience severe predation, there will be (more than?) enough rabbits to continue the species.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[kat hass]

Hi, I have found liquidfence.com's deer spray effective. It is stinkie, but boy does it work!! It works on deer and rabbits. not squirrels tho!

[promethean_spark]

A fence is the only practical solution for a large garden. Mine is a 28" 'rabbit fence' with 7 electric wires above it. This keeps out pretty much everything. I bought a 100 mile fence charger for about $100, it runs at 15kV, arcs over half an inch and is extremely effective. Chargers for dogs at the hardware store don't pack enough punch to teach deer a lesson. The great thing about using electric fence is that animals learn to fear fencing in your yard, all fencing, so even a bit of rabbit fence around a small tree will make the deer uneasy if it's near the electric fence.

[zone9garden.com]

My dogs keep just about every animal out of my garden. Their "Scent" keeps most animals at bay, other than birds, but I don't have many problems with them anyway!

[kat hass]

Hi, I wish my dog would keep some animals out of my garden. I have a greyhound and he is beautiful, but not a good garden guard dog! I am sticking to my liquid fence deer repellent. Maybe I could try to train him to spray it around the yard. I wish I could post his picture!

Oh well. Hope we all get rid of the pests in our garden.

[Jbest]

Rabbits keep eating the leaves off my tomato's, green beans & green peppers. Is there something I can do to keep them away?

From what is being eaten I would think it is a groundhog. In either case a 12 Gage with No.4 shot is most effective.

John

[opabinia51]

Try Cayenne pepper, it seems to do the trick, we tend to try to conserve wildlife here at the HG.

[crobi13]

I don't know if I was just lucky, or if the scent of my 2 male dogs kept the rabbits away, but I did not have a problem with rabbits. I had a pretty good sized carrot crop, too.
I don't remember where I read it, but I read that the scent of a meat-eating animal's urine will deter rabbits. Perhaps it is true? My dogs go potty around the perimiter of my property & my garden is in the center. The rabbits would have to pass by the dog's scent to get to the carrots.

[kat hass]

Hi I have heard the same remedies - give your husband a steak dinner and have him "mark" the yard, and cayenne -- but I didn't want to go either of these ways!

And sorry, but I don't believe in guns.

I do spray liberally with liquidfence deer and rabbit repel.

It works and my neighbor won't call the copy son my husband peeing in the yard.

[zone9garden.com]

Odd that your dogs sent doesnt keep the animals away! Right behind my garden is a wooded area, and I don't even see squirls on the fence! Maybe my dogs have a mean sent! LOL

[Sporthorse85]

I wish I could say my two male dogs keep the bunnies out of my garden.... they urinate all along the perimeter but those dang rabbits are persistent enough to squeeze through the fence between my house and the neighbor's and waltz right into my garden.

I do have a fence up, but because I hadn't seen any rabbits in over a year, thinking the dogs chased them away, it's not really a 'rabbit-proof' fence... looks like I need to fix that.... in the meantime I'll have to get some repellent and see if it works to save my carrots and cantaloupe!

[garden5]

This may sound nuts, but you can actually buy jugs of predator urine (fox, coyote, etc.) and dump it around the perimeter of your garden. The down side to this, of course, is that you must keep re-applying it after the rains. In the end, a strong fence is the best method to keep almost any animal out of the garden.

[JONA878]

I've found over the years that the best control is to place a small piece of lead just behind the rabbits ear.

Then roast, fry or bake in a pie....delicious.

I have never been completely successful in making my garden rabbit proof dispite much fencing and many trials of deterants from human hair to the contents of a foxe's midden.

So, if Brer Rabbit wants to share my table..fair enough...but he becomes part of it as well.........providing I can catch the little rascals.

[bdub653]

Take 6 hot peppers( I used jalepenos on sale) and 6 "bulbs" of garlic. Pop them in a blender with water to make a smoothie. Pour into 1 gallon of water for 1 hour, then strain. Apply over vegetable plants and around perimeter of garden once a week.

I noticed the rabbits and ground hogs suddenly dining on grass instead of my veggie plants.