How to Stop Rabbits from Eating Plants

easyGardening30 minutes4 steps

Safety Warnings

Ensure row covers are removed before midsummer temperatures become too hot to prevent plant overheating.

Garden stakes — For securing row covers

Row covers — Lightweight fabric(As needed for garden size)

Rabbit-resistant plants — e.g., Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca)(As desired)

Select rabbit-resistant plant varieties for landscaping, such as Blue Fescue, to reduce the attractiveness of the garden to rabbits.

Tip: Blue Fescue is generally pest-free and resistant to both deer and rabbits.

Install row covers over small plantings immediately after sowing or transplanting to protect young plants from early damage.

Tip: Row covers act as a physical barrier that prevents rabbits from accessing the foliage.

Monitor temperatures throughout the spring and early summer.

Tip: Keep the covers in place until the heat increases.

Remove row covers before midsummer temperatures become too high to avoid overheating the plants.

Tip: Only remove covers once plants are established and less vulnerable.

Physical barriers like row covers are highly effective for protecting small plantings during early growth stages.

Synthesized from 13 verified sources:

Cornell ExtensionView →

GrowstuffView →

Gutenberg: Manual of GardeningView →

Gutenberg: War Gardens GuideView →

Wind River Greens Plant DatabaseView →

GrowstuffView →

Cornell ExtensionView →

Wind River Greens Plant DatabaseView →

GrowstuffView →

Cornell ExtensionView →