How to Stop Rabbits in Gardens

Rabbits enjoy feasting on garden salad -- young plants and flowers.

Rabbits are cute as they frolic outdoors -- until you discover they're dining on your garden plants. These cute critters will naturally gravitate toward tender leaves, flowers and other plants throughout the growing season. Sparing your plants from the hunger of rabbits often requires the use of chemical products. If you prefer not to use chemicals that could harm your garden and the wildlife, you can keep rabbits out of your garden with natural products and techniques.

Things You'll Need

• Food processor
• 3 jalapeno peppers
• Jar
• Cheesecloth
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 drops dishwashing detergent
• Spray bottles
• Human urine
• Aluminum foil
• Twine

Instructions

1. 

   Jalapeno peppers are spicy enough to keep rabbits away without causing harm.

   Place three jalapeno peppers into a food processor. Pour a quarter cup of water into the food processor, then pulverize the ingredients until they liquify; plant cells break down and release their moisture and volatile oils.

2. Hold a piece of cheesecloth over a jar and pour the contents of your food processor into the jar, through the cheesecloth. Discard jalapeno s that remain in the cheesecloth.

3. 

   Olive oil helps your pepper solution last longer and "stick."

   Mix 2 tbsp. of olive oil and 3 drops of dishwashing detergent with the jalapeno liquid. Create a jalapeno spray to deter rabbits by mixing 1 part jalapeno mixture with 10 parts water. Spray the spicy solution along the borders of your gardens and around the bases of plants.

4. Fill another spray bottle with human urine. Spray or pour the urine around plants and garden containers to repel rabbits.

5. Tie twine around pieces of aluminum foil and suspend the foil from trees and bushes. The movement and shine scare rabbits out of the area.

Tips & Warnings

• Protect young trees and shrubs with rabbit-proof wraps. Hardware cloth and fine chicken wire can also protect plants from nibbling.

• Cuttings of human hair repel rabbits with the smell.

• If you have a dog, allow it to remain out in the yard when possible. Rabbits won't come into the yard when the dog is present.

References

• North Dakota State University: Question on: Rabbits
• Humane Society: Solving Problems With Wild Rabbits