What deters rabbits from the garden

This may sound silly, but is there anything that will deter rabbits from the garden, short of a shotgun. I read once that mothballs help. Haven't tried anything yet though. I guess I could eat them, except I don't like rabbit meat. :) Thanks for any help.

This message was edited Tuesday, Apr 10th 2:04 PM

I've also heard that they don't like Marigolds. Anyone else ever hear of this?
If you don't mind a little work, you could get some chicken wire and bury it a foot deep around your garden. Just string it up with your other fence (if you have one already). I fastenend it to my other fence with small hog rings. You can't see the rings unless you look really close, and it keeps the rabbits out.
Also, a hot wire strung 3" and 6" will also redirect them.
Heidi

An electric fence or some dogs. My sis's dog thinks they're just funny looking dogs from down the road and plays with them. Stupid Corgi. ;*)

A shotgun? Think of Elmer Fudd hunting "wabbits".

Since the rabbits started eating emerging plants (mostly columbine), I began taking the cat hair I comb from the undercoat of my aubergine kitty (shape, not name!) and placing it around the plants. Works like a charm. I replenish it after a heavy rain but don't know if I really must. Of course, I have a small garden, and a large cat!
-darius

Lorie, here's some rabbit repellents.:)

To Repel Rabbits:
1. Tree guards: In fall wrap the lower portions of the trunks with commercial tree wrap, burlap, foil, or metal window screen. The wrapping should be 2' above the height of the deepest snow expected, rabbits can walk on top of the snow. Remove wrappings from the trunks in spring.

2. Sprinkle or hang cheesecloth bags of bloodmeal around plants. If sprinkled it must be redone after rain.

3. Vinegar: Soak corn cobs (cut in half) left over from a meal in vinegar for 5 minutes, then scatter throughout the flower or vegetable garden. Two weeks later soak them again in the same vinegar. You can keep reusing this same vinegar again and again.

4. Spray a tea made from cow manure and water as a repellent.

5. Soybean plants will repel rabbits.

6. Onions will repel them. So will bonemeal.

7. Use red pepper, black pepper, cayenne, paprika etc. as a dust to repel. Rabbits are always sniffing so they snort this up and it sends them packing.

8. Mix 1 well beaten egg, 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce, and 1 gal. of water. Paint this on the tree trunks to prevent munching. This will not harm the trees.

9. Plant "Mexican Marigolds" (Tagetes Minuta) and garlic in the garden to repel them.

10. Set old leather shoes (from the thrift shop) around the garden to give it that "humans are here" smell.
11. Garlic Oil Spray may help to repel rabbits.

To make: Combine 3 ounces of minced garlic cloves with 1 ounce of mineral oil. Let soak for 24 hours or longer. Strain. Next mix 1 teaspoon of fish emulsion with 16 ounces of water. Add 1 tablespoon of castille soap to this. Now slowly combine the fish emulsion water with the garlic oil. Kept in a sealed glass container this mixture will stay viable for several months. To use: Mix 2 tablespoons of garlic oil with 1 pint of water and spray.

Terri

I had a friend who lived near a zoo. She got lion dung to use a fertilizer - never had a rabbit!

I just attended a gardening meeting at which a presenter suggested quart jars of water placed strategically here and there in the flower or vegetable beds. This causes reflections of the moving rabbits, and they leave, supposedly. Haven't tried it, but my tulips are being nipped, so I think I'll just spray them with hot pepper solution.....if it would quit raining!

I live with deer and rabbits and have tried about every trick including most of those already recommended. (Haven't tried the lion dung appraoch.) The only solution I have found is fencing.

Good suggestions here. I to have had trouble with a couple of rabbits around here. Ate all 30 of my Lily bulbs that I planted and they ate the buds off of the ones that I do have left. They sure do make good eatin....rabbit that is.
Thanks for all the suggestions even tho I'm not the one who posted this...I thank you all anyway.
All My Best
CoCo

I had some emerging plants getting nibbled by the rabbits.....remembered late at night and had nothing to use at that moment....thought of the cayenne pepper, etc....but I only had dried pepper seeds that the kids like on their pizza.....I thought.......what the heck.....I sprinkled them around the plants and no more rabbits.....and the plus was....I did not have to redo after rain...

Lisa

The cat hair worked for me- I have hundreds of rabbits around my property. I haven;t seen one close- or at least trying to eat anything form the flower garden since I do the cat hair thing.
i also let my dog chase 'em every now and then to remind them who is in charge.
i have also heard that it you put the "wind" decorative stakes ( their real name escapres me right now)- that will work. they don;t like things moving.
_JSS

One thing I've had success with is putting a little dab of vicks-vapo rub on the tips of the leaves the rabbits hate the smell (so do I for that matter!!!) but it does seem to work

How about a little sign that says now serving rabbit stew apply within.

I use pepper to deter lots of things. I sprinkle it on when I plant stuff, because all sorts of critters are curious about newly turned soil. I replenish it after rains. But my favorite way to deter rabbits is to buy rabbit traps and bait them with an apple, place them slightly diagonal just off the "bunny trails." Voila! Hasenpfeffer! ( I don't do this until fall, though, don't want to kill any mama rabbits while nursing babies )