How to Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden—Natural & Effective Solutions

If you’ve ever walked into your garden to find your plants nibbled down to the stems, rabbits might be the culprits. While they may look cute, rabbits can wreak havoc on your vegetable patches and flower beds. Fortunately, there are natural and effective ways to keep rabbits out of your garden without harming them.

This post is all about how to keep rabbits out of your garden.

Table of Contents

Signs of Rabbit Damage in Your Garden

Before implementing solutions, it’s important to confirm that rabbits are the ones munching on your plants. Look for these telltale signs:

Clean-cut nibbles

Unlike jagged cuts left by insects or deer that tear and trample plants, rabbits neatly snip plants close to the ground. Although I’ve seen my pansies grow back with more flowers after a trim by rabbits, it’s still no fun seeing them eaten down to the ground.

Droppings

Rabbits poop a lot. They have a tendency to leave poop everywhere. Sometimes it seems like I had at least 20 rabbits in my yard, but it was really just maybe two. Small, round pellets in the garden are a common sign.

Tracks

Rabbit footprints have long hind feet and small front paws. Once you start being able to identify them, you’ll see them everywhere!

Burrows or nests

You might find shallow holes in your yard where rabbits rest or raise their young. If I ever find a nest or burrow, I leave it alone and don’t bother it. The less attention drawn to the nest, the better. There may be babies in there, or there might not be. It’s best not to disturb it.

Install Physical Barriers

How to Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden — our fencing setup

Thankfully, our garden hasn’t had rabbit issues. We made sure to set everything up prior to doing any planting when we first set up our garden. Do our tactics keep them out 100% of the time? No, our garden isn’t rabbit-tight. They can fit through really narrow spaces!

One of the most effective ways to keep rabbits out of your garden is by blocking their access. We installed two different types of fencing – chicken wire and galvanized steel wire fencing. Fencing should be 2–3 foot tall wire fencing. I am not worried about how big the galvanized steel holes are since we cover the whole bottom with chicken wire. The holes in the fencing should be no larger than 1 inch to prevent rabbits from squeezing through. Bury the fence at least 6 inches underground to stop them from digging under. At the bottom of the fence, to ensure no digging, we put up a stone border.

Raised Beds are also a great option, but be aware that they can still jump into the beds. Growing plants in elevated garden beds makes it harder for rabbits to reach your crops. We still put a fence around our raised bed area as well. Be sure to check out my post, “Quick and Easy Guide for How to Make a Raised Garden Bed”.

Use row covers to protect your plants.Protect vulnerable plants with lightweight mesh covers, especially in early spring.

Use Natural Repellents

Rabbits rely on their keen sense of smell and taste, so using natural deterrents can make your garden unappealing to them. Try out the following:

Homemade Sprays: Mix garlic, cayenne pepper, and dish soap with water and spray it on plants.
Predator Scents: Scatter used cat litter, hair clippings, or blood meal around the garden to mimic the scent of predators.
Soap Bars: Hanging strong-smelling soap (like Irish Spring) around the garden can deter rabbits.

Grow Rabbit-Resistant Plants

Some plants naturally repel rabbits due to their scent or texture. I’ve always used marigolds in the garden, along with different kinds of herbs. Marigolds are so easy to grow from seed. Just sprinkle some seeds in the garden and they start growing!

Try out the following herbs, flowers, and vegetables:

Herbs: Basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and mint
Flowers: Marigolds, lavender, daffodils, and snapdragons
Vegetables: Onions, garlic, and hot peppers

Create Distractions

Sometimes, providing an alternative food source away from your main garden can help. Plant clover, alfalfa, or wildflowers in a designated area to attract rabbits away from your crops. I plant tons of wildflowers and clovers around our property. They’re in our front yard, which provides a nice focal piece, as well as in our vegetables garden and side garden area. We haven’t really had any rabbits bothering our plants. Granted we have had issues with birds and chipmunks though! That’s something we have to work on.

Keep Your Garden Tidy

Rabbits love hiding in overgrown areas. Keeping your garden clean and well-maintained can make it less appealing.

Remove brush piles and tall grass where rabbits can nest.
Keep woodpiles and garden debris at a distance from your plants.

The garden should be kept tidy and well-maintained in general, not just for rabbits. By keeping it clean, it helps to keep other pests from finding their home in your garden.

Use Motion-Activated Devices

Rabbits are easily startled, so installing motion-activated sprinklers or solar-powered deterrents that flash lights or make noise can keep them at bay. We’ve never had to use this tactic for rabbits, but we have used motion-activated sprinklers for deer. They’re pretty effective because they just hear the initial movement of the sprinkler and they run away.

Adopt a Natural Predator

If you have space, consider adopting a dog or outdoor cat—their presence alone can be enough to scare rabbits away. Even the smell from a dog or cat can deter rabbits from the area.

Final Thoughts

Keeping rabbits out of your garden doesn’t have to involve harmful chemicals or traps. With a combination of barriers, repellents, strategic planting, and maintenance, you can protect your plants while coexisting peacefully with wildlife. Try out these methods and enjoy a lush, rabbit-free garden!

How to Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden—Natural & Effective Solutions