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How to keep rabbits from munching on your garden

How to keep rabbits from munching on your garden

Mr. McGreggor chased Peter Rabbit out of his garden, and now a reader, Chris Kaifas of Maumee, writes for advice on what to plant that they won't feast on. Just like Mr. McGreggor's garden patch, your garden could be heaven for them.

Ohio State University experts say they spend their entire lives in an area of 10 acres or less. Sweet little bunnies like to hide in fencerows, brush or junk piles, upland thickets, field edges or landscaped backyards. Anywhere they can hide and eat easily.

A CLOSER LOOK

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If you suspect some varmint is feasting on your garden, get down on your hands and knees to investigate. Look for tracks, paw or hoof prints. Look closely at the end of the damaged plant. Did they rip it off, or is it clipped of clean? How far up does the damage go? Is it just around the base, or does it climb up to your waist?

Rabbits will clip foliage off clean with their sharp front teeth. Deer tend to grab and rip, leaving foliage frayed at the end. Rabbits feed on plants that are within their reach, which would mean their damage would only be low to the ground, while deer have a much higher reach. And if you are still stumped, look for droppings they may have left.

NOT ON THE MENU

Chris asked about annuals they won't feast on. OSU suggests trying these: Mexican Ageratum,Wax Begonia, Pot Marigold, Vinca, Spiderflower, Four O'Clock and Geraniums.

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Research shows rabbits have been known to avoid perennials like spiny bear's breeches, monkshood, bugleweed, hollyhock, lady's mantle, columbine, goat's beard, wild ginger, cactus, bugbane, lily-of-the-valley, tickseed, chrysanthemum, bleeding heart, foxglove, small globe thistle, blanket flower, cranesbill, daylily, siberian iris, red hot poker, lavender, shasta daisy, gooseneck loosestrife, hollyhock mallow, bee balm and forget me not.

In the book, Peter Rabbit goes for lettuce and radishes, but OSU experts say he will stay away from onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, summer squash, tomatoes, rhubarb and potatoes. Some gardeners protect their cabbage and lettuce by planting leeks, onions and garlic between rows.

There are also some herbs they will avoid, like tarragon, marjoram, mint, basil, oregano, parsley and savory.

Many types of ornamental grasses make a good habitat for rabbits, but many won't eat the older, tough blades.

Japanese maple, butterfly-bush, boxwood, dogwood, cotoneaster, hydrangea, dwarf inkberry, rhododendron, azaleas and yew are types of woody plants that could be considered rabbit-proof. Protect the tender bark of woody plants and trees with loosely applied tree wrap, burlap, or wire mesh.

KEEP OUT

Rabbits can be trapped and moved out of the area. If you try a trap, and don't catch one within a week, move it to another spot. You can clear out heavily weeded areas and remove other hiding places like brush piles.

Letting your pets roam around outside will also scare them away. A good mouser-cat will also chase down baby bunnies.

You can keep rabbits out of your planting beds with fencing at least two feet high and buried about four inches deep. You can try protecting your plants by spraying them with taste repellents found at garden centers, but they need to be reapplied after a heavy rain or will wear off after about a week.

Mix up a batch of your own repellent in your blender. Chop two to four hot peppers and three to five garlic cloves and mix with a quart of water. Strain it and put it in a spray bottle. This will also keep aphids, thrips, and grasshoppers away.

Sometimes hitting them in their olfactory senses will make them hop the other way. Sprinkle the area with blood meal, a high-nitrogen fertilizer that has a strong odor. Sometimes old smelly sneakers will do the trick for a while. A sprinkling of black pepper around your plants will keep then away for a while. It's a cheap, safe, and organic way to keep them at bay.

If you can't beat them, join them. Give them something that they can eat and maybe they will leave your other plants alone. Plant a border of clover around your vegetables. Maybe they will be so full, they will leave your tender lettuce leaves alone.

First Published July 23, 2003, 10:51 a.m.

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