Pest Rabbits eating up my garden! Please Help!?

Question

I have a few issues with the local wildlife! I live on the edge of a housing estate which has fields surrounding it. My problems is the rabbits eat everything I plant! I love my plants and don't want to stop putting them out.

If anyone had any ideas on how to get rid of the wee blighters, i'd very much appreciate it! (humanely only!!)

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

You can erect wire netting fencing - it  needs only be 3ft high with 6in buried at about 45 degrees angle into the ground outward of the plot.

The netting size must not be larger than 1"/30mm otherwise young rabbits can actually squeeze through it. Hares are another matter and they can clear that height with a couple of feet to spare, but it'll do for rabbits.  You can get it from many places, agricultural merchants often sell it specifically described as rabbit fencing.

Answer 2

You can boil hot peppers (i use habaneros, but anything hot would work), garlic & onions for about 15 minutes & spray on my plants. It keeps bunnies as well as insects away. :) Also, cayenne pepper or regular black pepper on the leaves will work, too. Better yet, combine the 2!

Answer 3

I have heard of several solutions.  The one my parents used was chemical pest control.  I prefer the old rubber snake trick.  I can't guarantee anything, but I have heard that if you get some of the large rubber snakes, it will keep the rabbits out.  

If you are more adventurous, and have some male friends that don't mind peeing outside, have them go at the perimeter of your garden.  It is a bit gross, but the testosterone in their urine is suppose to keep the critters away.  Like marking territory.  This has to be redone periodically, rain washes it away.  

Here are a couple of sites with suggestions:

http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of...

http://www.ehow.com/how_2053958_get-rid-...

http://www.howtogetridofstuff.com/pest-c...

Answer 4

Plant chives, little critters hate them and will not come around an area with them planted. Also they're a good to have in the kitchen.

Answer 5

Best thing to do is surround the whole of your garden with chicken wire this will h**l keep them away. It is what I have done and it worked.

Rich

Answer 6

Leave a dog out in the garden. They will soon chase off the rabbits.

Answer 7

A few friends and I talked about a similar problem recently, only with deer instead of rabbits.

You could try building a fence, with the bottom few inches of it buried in gravel so the rabbits can't dig in. Or you could buy and sprinkle something like fox urine around your garden (smelly, I know!). Another thing you can try is sprinkling cayenne pepper on your plants: The rabbits will avoid it. But it will have to be re-applied after rains.

I've even heard of human hair being used to repel pests- But I imagine that your rabbits are pretty used to the smell of people, so that won't bother them at all.

Good luck!

Answer 8

This always seems to work for me.  Bring a container of water to a boil.  Put a sliced hot pepper in and simmer for 15 min.  Strain this mixture and cool.  Put the liquid into a spray bottle, and mist the plants.  One nibble and yuck.

Two nibbles and they will find better eating grounds.  You may wish to share this recipe with your neighbor as they will probably go there next.

Good luck.

Answer 9

an air rifle