Dahlias are celebrated flowers that bloom until the first frost, but they are often targets for local wildlife. Rabbits are common garden visitors whose feeding habits frequently conflict with maintaining flower beds. These ubiquitous herbivores pose a significant threat to dahlias, especially when the plants are young, requiring gardeners to implement protective measures.
Dahlia Palatability and Rabbit Feeding Habits
Rabbits definitely eat dahlias, though palatability depends on the plant’s maturity and the availability of other food sources. As herbivores with a broad diet, rabbits primarily seek tender, easily digestible vegetation. They show a strong preference for the succulent, newly emerging dahlia shoots in the spring because they are soft and high in moisture content.
As the dahlia matures, its stems become tougher and more fibrous, and the foliage is less appealing. However, rabbits will still consume leaves and flowers if other favorite foods are scarce, such as during dry periods or when population density is high. Damage is usually concentrated on the lower portion of the plant, within the rabbit’s reach, often removing entire young plants down to a stub. While mature tubers are protected underground, newly sprouted stems and leaves remain an accessible food source.
Identifying Rabbit Damage in the Garden
Determining the source of plant damage is the first step toward effective protection. Rabbits leave distinct signs that differentiate them from other pests. The clearest indicator is the cut on the stem or leaf, which is a clean, angled slice that looks as if it were made with scissors. This precise cut results from the rabbit’s sharp incisor teeth on both the upper and lower jaws.
Deer, by contrast, lack upper incisors and must tear vegetation, resulting in ragged, uneven edges. Rabbit damage is concentrated low to the ground, typically within one to two feet of the soil level. Deer browsing, conversely, can occur much higher, often reaching up to six feet. Confirming a rabbit presence can also be done by looking for their small, round droppings scattered near the damaged plants.
Practical Strategies for Protecting Dahlias
Effective control requires a combination of physical barriers, repellents, and habitat modifications to discourage rabbits from entering the protected area. Physical exclusion through fencing is the most reliable method for safeguarding dahlias from browsing pressure. Fencing should use chicken wire or hardware cloth with a mesh size no larger than one inch to prevent rabbits from squeezing through.
Fencing and Physical Barriers
The fence must stand at least 24 to 36 inches high to prevent rabbits from jumping over it. The bottom edge requires careful installation to stop them from digging underneath. A highly effective technique is to bury the bottom six inches of the mesh, or bend it outward into an “L” shape and secure it with landscape pins. For individual plants, temporary cylinders of hardware cloth can be placed around the stems until they mature.
Repellents
Repellents offer a non-physical defense, working by taste or odor to make the dahlia unattractive as a food source. Commercial repellents often contain compounds like putrescent egg solids or capsaicin, or odor-based ingredients such as ammonium soaps. These products must be applied directly to the foliage and require frequent reapplication, especially after rain or overhead watering, and to new growth.
Habitat Modification
Modifying the garden environment can make the area less welcoming to rabbits. Removing dense brush piles, low-lying debris, and tall weeds eliminates the safe cover rabbits need for resting and hiding from predators. Strategically planting species that rabbits avoid near the dahlias can also act as a natural deterrent, though this method is less dependable than a physical barrier.