Rabbits pose a persistent challenge for gardeners, often treating vegetable patches and ornamental beds as readily available food sources. They can cause significant damage quickly, especially to new and tender growth. Fortunately, several humane, non-lethal methods focus on exclusion and deterrence to protect plants. These solutions involve applying topical repellents, installing physical barriers, and making long-term adjustments to the garden environment.
Applying Scent and Taste Repellents
Topical repellents work by appealing to the rabbit’s strong sense of smell and taste, making the treated plants highly unappetizing or signaling danger. Rabbits rely heavily on their olfactory senses, making strong odors an effective deterrent. For these products to work consistently, they must be applied directly to the plants being protected.
Commercial repellents frequently contain ingredients that elicit a fear response, such as sulfurous odors from dried blood, putrescent egg solids, or predator urine. Other active components include capsaicin, which creates a burning sensation in the mouth, or garlic oil, which has a strong and unpleasant scent. Always check the product label to ensure its suitability for edible plants, as not all formulations are safe for consumption.
Gardeners can also create homemade mixtures, though these often require more frequent reapplication than their commercial counterparts. A common do-it-yourself spray combines crushed garlic or hot pepper wax with water and a small amount of dish soap to help the solution adhere to the foliage. The dish soap acts as a sticker-spreader, increasing the contact time of the active ingredients on the plant surface. Repellents must be reapplied regularly, especially after rain or overhead watering, and after new plant growth emerges, to maintain a consistent barrier. It is also beneficial to rotate different types of repellents, as rabbits can eventually become accustomed to a single scent or taste.
Protecting Plants with Physical Barriers
When scent and taste repellents prove insufficient or impractical, physical barriers offer a reliable method of exclusion. Fencing stops rabbits from accessing entire garden areas by blocking their path both above and below the soil surface. The fence material should be a small-mesh wire, such as galvanized hardware cloth or chicken wire, with openings no larger than 1 inch.
For a perimeter fence to be effective against cottontails, it needs to stand at least 24 to 30 inches above the ground, as rabbits generally do not jump higher than two feet. Because rabbits are prone to digging, the fence must extend below the ground level to prevent burrowing underneath the barrier. Burying the bottom edge of the wire 6 inches deep, or bending the bottom 6 inches outward and securing it with stakes, creates an underground barrier.
For high-value individual plants, such as young shrubs or newly set seedlings, a cage or cloche made from small-mesh wire can provide targeted protection. These individual barriers should be secured firmly to the ground and extend well above the plant. A simple cylinder of chicken wire, secured around the base of a sapling, is often enough to protect the tender bark from being girdled during the winter months.
Long-Term Habitat Modification and Plant Selection
Addressing the environmental factors that attract rabbits to a garden offers a long-term, preventative approach to damage control. Rabbits seek out areas that provide both a reliable food source and safe cover from predators. Removing potential hiding spots, such as dense brush piles, tall weeds, and debris near the garden perimeter, makes the area less appealing.
Blocking access to sheltered spaces, like the areas underneath decks or sheds, removes secure havens where rabbits can rest and breed. By reducing the available cover, the area becomes less hospitable and increases their perceived risk of remaining there. This modification encourages them to relocate.
Choosing plants that rabbits naturally avoid can also significantly reduce grazing pressure. Rabbits tend to steer clear of plants with strong aromas, such as many herbs like rosemary, mint, and oregano, or those with milky saps, thorns, or fuzzy leaves. Incorporating less palatable varieties into the landscape can help to divert their attention away from more vulnerable, preferred food sources.