topic Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden? in Garden

How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

elainemasey — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 20:24:28 GMT

I think it's a rabbit that sleeps at night in my flower garden. It smooshes everything down and breaks stems. I've tried the repellent pellets and even the Irish Spring soap. I don't really want to trap it. I have even tried to tie up the base of the plants and wrapped with a light mesh but it just isn't working.

What do you suggest?

Thanks,

Elaine

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

Kachina624 — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 20:35:44 GMT

Build a fence around it a couple of feet high using chicken wire or something with very small holes that a rabbit can't get through.

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

pattypeep — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 20:37:43 GMT

@elainemasey Is whatever that's sleeping in your garden also munching on the plants? If it were a rabbit, I would think you would notice your veggies and flowers being chewed. We have a couple rogue rabbits in our neighborhood, but I have no idea where they sleep. They disappear somewhere at night. They prefer to burrow rather than lay out in the open. Good luck. It's so frustrating no matter what the culprit is.

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

Kachina624 — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 20:49:11 GMT

Could a neighborhood cat be prowling in your garden? If nothing is eaten, I'd be suspicious. Maybe using it as a litter box.

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

RedTop — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 21:28:05 GMT

Only a tight fence, or a predator will keep a rabbit out of a garden. Rabbits will come there to eat, not sleep. Even tho we don't have cats, the neighbors cats used to stroll thru our yard, and use our garden as their litter box. It doesn't take many visits before the garden reeks of cat.

Pellets have to be spread thickly and reapplied often. Soap does not deter deer or rabbits. Spraying a solution like fox urine at the edge of your yard may be helpful in stopping rabbits from entering your territory, and protect your garden----but that solution will also pull in any curious fox, or the larger predator such as coyote or bear that's looking for a fox.

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

DiAnne — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 22:00:56 GMT

Boy I would love to find an answer to this. I don't want to build wire fences around my plants. My dog brought in a baby bunny yesterday that had been chewed on - you could see its back legs and tail. Since there is no way my old dog could catch a bunny I think an eagle or a crow dropped it.

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

fthunt — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 23:19:08 GMT

A Hawk will catch - eat part of the catch - and leave the rest on the lawn or wherever. And.......No bunny is sleeping in your garden - or he/she would become dinner for a hawk - fox - or whatever. How large is the area where you think some animal is sleeping.? Size should give you a clue.

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

alicedee — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 23:22:07 GMT

When I gardened, my yard backed up to woods, so deer and rabbits were a problem. I planted marigolds around the perimiter of the garden each year, and interspersed marigold plants every 3-4 vegetable plant in the garden itself. I never had big problems with rabbits or deer eating my veggies.

I had read somewhere that critters didn't like the smell....not sure why it worked, but it did for me.

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

Rockycoast — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 23:24:51 GMT

Try some coyote urine. Sprinkle it on the edges of your garden or wherever you are having pest problems. We had woodchucks and chipmunks in our raised veggie garden. That stuff worked wonders. They haven't been back. It is in powder form. You will have to reapply after it rains. You can get it at your local garden center.

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

elainemasey — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 01:29:54 GMT

Thanks for your thoughts. I am new to gardening. It is just a flower garden. Whatever it is, it's not eating the plants, it just looks like it's sleeping there. The plants are getting matted down and/or pushed over. I have a butterfly bush, yarrow and some other perennial with tall pink flowers- kinda funky looking.

I can't imagine what this is if you don't think it's a rabbit. I think it's about that size. Too small for a deer. The turkeys are usually in a group. Haven't seen a coyote or fox in a long time. I don't think cat. It doesn't smell and I haven't noticed any around.

I had this same problem last year. At this point I'm thinking of putting some kind of tube/open ended bucket around the base. I put my sons Can Jam around 2 of the plants the other night but that's not the answer.

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

elainemasey — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 01:34:48 GMT

I have thought about marigolds. I think I'll get some, can't hurt. Would coyote urine bring in bigger animals - more coyote, fox etc?

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

pattypeep — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 02:28:32 GMT

@alicedee wrote:
When I gardened, my yard backed up to woods, so deer and rabbits were a problem. I planted marigolds around the perimiter of the garden each year, and interspersed marigold plants every 3-4 vegetable plant in the garden itself. I never had big problems with rabbits or deer eating my veggies.

I had read somewhere that critters didn't like the smell....not sure why it worked, but it did for me.

I was fascinated by your post. I found out quite by accident many years ago, that planting marigolds around certain plants kept the aphids away.

Re: How can I keep rabbits out of my garden?

sandraskates — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 04:11:06 GMT

@pattypeep wrote:
@alicedee wrote:
When I gardened, my yard backed up to woods, so deer and rabbits were a problem. I planted marigolds around the perimiter of the garden each year, and interspersed marigold plants every 3-4 vegetable plant in the garden itself. I never had big problems with rabbits or deer eating my veggies.

I had read somewhere that critters didn't like the smell....not sure why it worked, but it did for me.
I was fascinated by your post. I found out quite by accident many years ago, that planting marigolds around certain plants kept the aphids away.

Yes, marigolds are great companion plants - especially for tomatoes. And you can easily collect their seeds to use the following season, or they will re-seed themselves.