How to Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden

How to Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden

Just as the veggies begin to ripen, you notice the tell-tale sign that an intruder’s been creeping through your garden. If you suspect a rabbit has been nibbling away at plants in your yard, there are plenty of safe and easy methods for protecting your plants. While these furry invaders are quite charming from a distance, they can wreak havoc on your hard work as they dine in your backyard. If you catch the problem early-on, you can save your garden and keep the bunnies at bay:

1. Try a repellant.

There are tons of natural repellants on the market designed to banish rabbits from your garden. Your local garden center should be stocked with blood- or urine-based repellants that carry the scent of predators like foxes and coyotes. You can spray these repellants or hang swatches of cloth carrying the scent around the edge of your garden. One thing that’s great about the dried blood method is that it eventually breaks down and provides nutrients to surrounding plants, explains Rutgers University’s “If Plants Could Talk.” If you prefer a homemade repellant, consider spraying vinegar or hanging soap from a rope.

2. Create a Barrier.

“A well-constructed fence is the most effective way to protect plants,” according to the Humane Society of the United States. They suggest using two-foot high chicken-wire supported by posts every six to eight feet. Make sure the bottom of posts are staked securely to the ground so there’s no chance a rabbit will dig its way into your garden from below.