Dealing with Rabbits in the Garden
Repelling Rabbits
Rabbits tend to be suspicious of unfamiliar or unpleasant smells and this can be used to your advantage.
There are a number of plants that rabbits tend to avoid, some of the better known include:
- Rhododendron, Azalea, Cotoneaster, Dogwood, Geraniums, Daffodil, Hyacinth, Sedum, Primrose
In the vegetable and herb garden, rabbits tend to steer clear of:
- Onions, Leeks, Tomatoes, Rhubarb and a whole range of herbs such as Mint, Basil, Oregano, Parsley and Tarragon
However, like humans, rabbits can vary in their likes and dislikes so a little trial and error is called for.
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In addition to plants, rabbits are also put off by other strong or questionable smells. Strong smelling wood preservatives such as creosote may be effective. Barriers can be fashioned from heavy string or other absorbent material that is soaked in such substances and then supported on sticks a few inches above the ground.
You can try sprinkling other substances around your plants such as dried blood, fishmeal or even mothballs. Such solutions, however, tend to be short lived and will need to be repeated quite frequently, particularly after rain.
You can purchase specially formulated chemical repellents to spray onto and around your plants to deter rabbits. However, not everyone is in favour of this kind of treatment, particularly if you are an organic gardener.
Dogs can sometimes act as deterrents but rabbits have been known to get used to the presence of dogs and see them more as a temporary distraction rather than a serious threat. Of course, rabbits will feel less threatened if there are plenty of places where they can take refuge, so don't provide convenient safe hiding places, such as piles of wood, long grass or wild areas of the garden.
Electronic and mechanical forms of deterrent can be employed:
- There are ultrasonic sound generators that sense the presence of movement in the garden and then produce a high-pitched noise that is inaudible to human ears but is unpleasant to animals. Some devices can be tuned to be effective against specific types of creatures such as rabbits, dogs and cats, deer etc. How successfully they can discriminate is open to debate.
- Other devices are also sensitive to movement and then use a jet of water to discourage unwelcome visitors.
Whilst these devices may have a degree of success, it must be recognised that they may also work against household pets or other, more welcome visitors to the garden. In addition, their effect tends to be localised and therefore you may need to purchase a number of them to cover a larger garden.
Extermination - the Ultimate Solution
Ultimately you may have no other choice but to get tough with these creatures.
Discounting methods that cause suffering to anything that gets caught in them, traps are available that will catch the animals alive, without causing them any harm. This provides the opportunity to release other, more welcome creatures that are inadvertently captured.
You will need to transport any animals you capture well away from your garden by at least a few miles. Otherwise, they will soon find their way back to their favourite dining areas. It is important to inspect traps frequently to prevent unnecessary suffering from exposure or starvation.
You can purchase ready-made traps or build them to your own design or from plans available on the Internet.
Other options that you may consider are the more traditional farming solutions, such as shooting or ferreting, though these methods are less desirable especially in domestic situations.