Rabbits are frequent culprits in the garden, known for quickly damaging young plants. When considering common vegetables like tomatoes, many gardeners wonder if these plants are safe from damage. Understanding the dynamic between the animal’s feeding preferences and the plant’s natural defense mechanisms is key to successfully growing tomatoes in areas frequented by wild rabbits.
Are Tomato Plants a Rabbit Delicacy?
While rabbits are known to be opportunistic herbivores, tomato plants are generally not their first choice when other, more palatable options are available. They prefer softer, less acidic, and more succulent vegetation, such as clover, peas, beans, or young lettuce leaves. However, a hungry rabbit will readily consume a variety of plants, especially if their preferred food sources are scarce.
Young tomato transplants are particularly vulnerable because their stems and foliage are tender and easier to chew. Rabbits often target this newer, softer growth, which results in clean-cut bites taken about one or two inches above the ground. The damage is often concentrated on the lower portions of the plant, since rabbits feed close to the ground.
As the tomato plant matures, its foliage becomes tougher, more fibrous, and develops a stronger, bitter taste. This change deters rabbits from sustained consumption, though they may still nibble on low-hanging, ripe fruit. This consumption is often driven by a need for moisture rather than a preference for the tomato itself, resulting in test-nibbling rather than wholesale destruction.
The Toxic Truth About Tomato Foliage
Rabbits typically avoid consuming large quantities of mature tomato foliage due to its natural chemical composition. Tomato plants belong to the nightshade family (Solanaceae), and their green parts contain protective compounds known as glycoalkaloids, which act as a natural defense.
The specific glycoalkaloids found in tomato foliage are primarily alpha-tomatine and dehydrotomatine, which are related to the solanine found in potatoes. These compounds are concentrated in the leaves, stems, flowers, and unripe green fruit. If consumed in large amounts, these compounds can be toxic to rabbits, potentially causing gastrointestinal upset or more severe issues.
Ripe tomato fruit is generally safe for consumption, but the foliage is not. As a tomato ripens and turns red, the concentration of alpha-tomatine drops significantly, decreasing from up to 500 mg per kilogram in green fruit to around 5 mg per kilogram in mature red fruit. This reduction makes the ripe fruit harmless, but the green foliage remains a potential risk if ingested in large quantities.
Effective Ways to Protect Your Plants
Exclusion methods are the most effective way to protect tomato plants from rabbit damage, creating a physical barrier the animals cannot cross. The most successful strategy involves installing fencing around the garden or individual plants. A rabbit-proof fence should be made of galvanized chicken wire or hardware cloth with openings no larger than one inch.
The fence material needs to be at least two feet high to prevent rabbits from jumping over it, and it should also be secured at the base. To stop rabbits from burrowing underneath the barrier, the fence should be buried four to six inches into the soil, with the bottom edge flared outward. For a small number of plants, individual wire cages or cloches can be placed over the young tomatoes, providing immediate protection until the plants are mature enough to better withstand minor damage.
While physical barriers are the best solution, various deterrents can be used as a secondary line of defense. Commercial granular or spray repellents work by creating an unpleasant odor or taste, which discourages rabbits from approaching the plants. These products must be reapplied frequently, especially after rain or watering, to maintain their effectiveness. Some gardeners also use scent-based deterrents, such as blood meal or predator urine, which signal to rabbits that the area is unsafe.