Looking for Ways To Keep Rabbits Out Of Your Garden?
Well, look no further, because here are 8 Great Ways To Keep Rabbits Out Of Your Garden According to Experts!
You know, it’s only a matter of time before you go from animal-loving Snow White to a gun-toting Elmer Fudd. And I’ve turned the corner, people.
I just spent $200 for plants what I thought would curb appeal. Instead, I spent $200 on A BUNNY BUFFET.
My lupine is lunch. My begonias are breakfast.
It’s MAKING ME CRAZY.
At first, I wasn’t sure it was little bitty bunnies. But then I knew. Here are the tell-tale signs, according to gardendesign.com
“You’ve spotted pea-sized droppings
Plants look like they’ve been trimmed with pruners rather than nibbled on (rabbits have upper and lower incisors)
Young, tender plants have disappeared
You find tufts of hair or spots where it looks like a small animal has been digging
Drip lines or hoses have been chewed on
Something has been gnawing on bark around tree trunks or woody plants.”
When it comes to your flower, those innocent-looking, floppy-eared creatures may seem harmless. But they can turn into fluffy little terrors.
Here’s why rabbits are the ultimate garden villians:
First and foremost, rabbits are voracious eaters.
They have an insatiable appetite for t your prized vegetables, flowers, and herbs. It’s like they have a built-in radar for the most succulent plants in your garden. They leaved behind a trail of half-eaten leaves and devastated stems.
Secondly, rabbits are prolific breeders.
A couple of rabbits can quickly turn into a bustling bunny metropolis. This means even more damage to your garden as the population explodes.
Plus, rabbits are skilled diggers.
They love to burrow and create cozy homes for themselves. But in the process, they can uproot your seedlings and disturb the soil, leaving a mess in their wake.
Lastly, rabbits are sneaky little ninjas.
They can squeeze through the tiniest gaps and jump over surprisingly high fences. Their agility and resourcefulness can leave you feeling helpless in your quest to protect your plants.
These cute but destructive critters can turn your beautiful garden into a vast wasteland.
Here are 8 Great Ways To Keep Rabbits Out Of Your Garden According to Experts!
1. Fencing
According to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the most effective way to keep rabbits out of a flower or vegetable garden is to erect a fence around the garden 2 to 3 feet high.
“This is best done using chicken wire or hardware cloth (a heavy gauge woven wire mesh fencing material) staked about every 4 feet and buried into the ground at least 8 inches (preferably 12 inches) with a bend at the bottom to prevent animals from burrowing underneath. Chicken wire and hardware cloth can be purchased at most gardening and hardware stores.”
2. Sprinklers!
“Sprinklers triggered by motion detectors can also encourage rabbits
to look elsewhere for their next meal. These devices can be purchased from most gardening stores,” according to the MSCPA.
3. Anti-Rabbit Plants
Although rabbit-proof plants don’t exist, there are some that rabbits don’t like because of their strong scents such as basil, garlic, rhubarb, hot peppers, spicy basil, and mint. Some gardeners say that marigolds keep rabbits out of their gardens, while others say rabbits actually like the marigolds they planted. In fact, as Theresa Rooney notes in The Guide to Humane Critter Control, young rabbits “will sample and eat many plants that their parents would not touch. Baby bunnies just aren’t smart enough, yet, to know which plants they should eat and which plants they should not.”
4. Get Rid of Their Homes
“A female rabbit can have more than 10 babies in a litter, so if you don’t want rabbits in your yard, the last thing you want is to unintentionally create the perfect nesting site for a female rabbit,” according to GardenDesign.com. “They nest in overgrown and grassy areas, so try to keep your garden free from those types of spots. With that said, it’s important to note that if you do find a rabbit’s nest, don’t attempt to remove it. Call your local animal control to find out what to do so that you don’t harm any rabbits.”
5. Visual Deterrents
“Though some gardeners say placing things in your garden to scare rabbits away won’t work, others swear by their success. Here are some to try: Metal pinwheels (their movement, shininess, and even sound frighten some rabbits); rubber snakes; and owl statues,” according to gardendesign.com.
6. Get Creative
“Gardeners are a savvy bunch who have tried a host of ideas to keep rabbits out of the garden, and here are a couple of them: Cut up or shred a bar of Ivory or Irish Spring soap (rabbits dislike the scent), wrap it in cheese cloth, attach it to a stake, and place it around the garden. Lightly sprinkle black pepper, crushed red pepper, or garlic powder in your garden beds, being sure to reapply after a few weeks or after it rains,” www.gardendesign.com reported.
Ways To Keep Rabbits Away From Your Flowers
8. Get a Pet
Seems like a good idea, but a caller said she has a dog who she keeps on a 30 foot leash and the rabbit sits at 31 feet. Rascal!
