Leave the bottle in the sun to speed up mixing. [1] X Research source
Be cautious when using spray bottles that once contained commercial cleaning products. If the label warns against reusing the bottle, it may cause harm to the rabbit, plants, or people who eat the plants.
If you know where the rabbits enter the garden, you can spray the plants at that border. They may give up and turn around. Some plants may get “scars” on their leaves from this spray. If this happens, spray on the ground around the plant instead.
If the rabbits are relentless, adjust your recipe to be more potent by adding more garlic. Don’t add more soap, as this could damage the plants.
Five to eight cloves crushed garlic 1–2 tsp (5–10 mL) crushed red pepper A few grinds of black pepper A mixture of the above may work best of all.
This may attract other pests, such as ants.
Blood meal adds nitrogen to the soil, promoting green, leafy growth. Apply only during the growing season, and never to legumes. [4] X Research source Bone meal adds phosphorus to the soil, promoting root health. This is usually not necessary in home garden soil, and may even be detrimental if phosphorus is already high. Do not apply to Protea plants.
You may wish to research the company before buying the product, to find out whether the urinating animals were humanely treated.
Ideally, get specific advice from a local university extension, to find plants that grow in your climate and deter rabbit species in your area. Yarrow, foxglove, digitalis, lilac, elderberry, and yucca have all been described as rabbit-proof plants — but again, this is no guarantee. [5] X Research source [6] X Research source
Bury the fence 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) deep. Not all rabbit species burrow, but better safe than sorry. Bend the base of the fence. Bending the buried end of the fence 90º outward makes burrowing much more difficult. Leave 2 feet (0. 6 m) above the surface, or 3 ft (0. 9 m) if you live near jackrabbits.
Traps work best in winter or early spring, when food is scarce. If you’re using lethal traps to reduce rabbit population, hunting is usually a more effective solution. Check local laws to find out if rabbits are a game species in your area.
