Last Updated on January 25, 2023 by Griselda M.
While rabbits may be cute and lovely creatures, they are not at all friendly to your garden plants. Rabbits especially the ones who live in the wild, tend to cause a lot of havoc in the garden. So, what is the best homemade rabbit repellent?
Leaves and fruits are a good source of food for them to munch on. This is why it can be difficult to get them out of your garden. But, what smells deter rabbits, or better still, what keeps rabbits away from your garden plants? Let’s find out effective ways to repel rabbits in the article below.
What is the Best Homemade Rabbit Repellent?
We know how seriously you take your gardening. This is why in addition to sharing with you the best products available to repel rabbits, we will also be highlighting some effective ways to get rid of them from your garden, using homemade strategies.
Without wasting more time, let us dive right in to answer a few of your questions regarding the best rabbit repellant using basic homemade ingredients.
Does Epsom Salt Keep Rabbits Away?
If you are thinking, what can I sprinkle in my garden to keep the rabbits away, then Epsom salt is a cheap yet effective method that you can use. This is because these little intruders resent the smell and taste of Epsom salts which aids in keeping them out of your yard. For this reason, this salt is amongst the best homemade rabbit repellent and is highly recommended as a deterrent. Not only will it keep the rabbits away, but it will also be beneficial to your garden plants. All you need to do is sprinkle Epsom salts on the plant’s foliage which will prevent rabbits from chewing on them.
Does Irish Spring Soap Repel Rabbits?
We have often been asked, does Irish spring soap repel rabbits? Well, yes it does and is therefore amongst the best homemade rabbit repellents! This soap is great to keep mammal pests at bay if they have become a bother. Irish spring soap is not only good for repelling rabbits, but it also works well with mice and deer that invade your garden. Here’s how to use it to get rid of rabbits ruining your lawn and garden.
– To begin, make sure you have a sharp kitchen knife and a few drawstring pouches.
– Thereafter, cut up the Irish spring soap into cubes that are about a 1/2 inch in size. Keep in mind that you don’t have to slice them to the exact size for effectiveness. However, cutting them into smaller pieces will enable you to distribute the soap throughout the garden.
– Use about two pieces in each pouch and tie them up securely before strategically placing them at the base of each affected plant. You can also tie the Irish spring soap pouches on your plant as rabbits are deterred by their potent smell.
Does Vinegar Repel Rabbits?
When it comes to the best homemade rabbit repellents, vinegar is amongst the most effective deterrents that you can use. Not only is it affordably low priced, but it is potent enough to keep rabbits from stealing veggies from your garden.
- The procedure to use vinegar in your yard to deter these little hoppers is quite simple. Soaking a few cotton balls in white, brown, or apple cider vinegar is the first step. Thereafter, you can place the vinegar-soaked cotton balls in small jars that have perforated lids. The benefit of holes in the lids is to let out the vinegar smell in your garden as rabbits resent it. Make sure to place these homemade rabbit repellents around the garden to deter them.
Will Coffee Grounds Repel Rabbits?
If you’re wondering, will coffee grounds keep rabbits away, then yes, they definitely will. Coffee can be found in most of our homes and has several essential benefits. Aside from warding off rabbits with their potent stench, coffee grounds are also quite beneficial to plants as they naturally compost as time goes by. That’s like a two-in-one deal when using coffee granules in your garden.
Rabbits will steer clear from your yard because of the strong smell of coffee while your plants can enjoy additional nutrients. For effective results when deterring rabbits, sprinkle coffee grounds throughout your garden. It may not be the best homemade rabbit repellent but it is quite effective.
Best Rabbit Repellent: Are They Effective?
Repellant spray, when used properly, is effective in eliminating pesky rabbits from garden plants. We have given you a list of the best rabbit repellent you can use to safeguard your garden but what about effective sprays that are made for this purpose? Rabbit repellent is a good way to provide young plants with all the time they need to grow.
Rabbits love to nibble on the leaves and flowers of young plants. Therefore, using the best rabbit repellent on your plants may be the most effective method for keeping them away from your garden.
If there is one thing in particular about these invasive hoppers, is that they sniff around a lot. This means that using sprays with an offensive odor on your plants can deter them from feasting on your crops. Therefore it is good to know, what smells will deter rabbits, especially when they have become a nuisance.
Best Rabbit Repellent: Shopping for a Rabbit Repellant?
Finding the best homemade rabbit repellent is easy because most people have the ingredients in their kitchen cupboards. However, it can be difficult to find the best rabbit repellant to use in your garden when shopping for one. Especially if you haven’t purchased one in the past before. Finding the best product for you depends on a lot of factors. But we find these three to be the most important of them all…
- The type of plants you have in your garden
- Do you have an Organic or inorganic garden?
- Does the best rabbit-repellent product fit into your budget?
Before you decide on a product, you need to first check that it is safe to use on the plants in your garden. You also want to decide whether you want to buy an organic product or if you are comfortable with using chemical-based products on your plants. Once you got this figured out, you can now settle for the one that fits into your budget with the other two criteria.
The Best Rabbit Repellant
Finding the best rabbit repellant can be difficult due to the multitude of products available to choose from. This is why we have taken the liberty to review three of the most popular rabbit-repellant products according to online ratings.
Plantskydd Organic Rabbit Repellant
If you are in the business of using only organic products on your garden plants, then you can opt for this one. In addition to being effective in eliminating pesky rabbits from your garden, it also works wonders with deer, beaver, porcupines, moose, and voles.
When used in the growing season, it can stay effective for up to three months. But you will need to apply it continuously with every new growth.
Enviro Pro Rabbit Repellant
This is equally an effective rabbit repellant you can apply in your garden. No mixing is required before use and it is equally non-toxic to pets and humans. So, you have nothing to worry about when it is applied to your garden.
Just like all other rodent sprays or granular repellants, you will need to apply the product regularly for the best results.
PredatorGuard Deer and Rabbit Repellant
This deer repellant is made in the USA and contains all-natural ingredients. It also has a pleasant spice smell and is long-lasting. This is because it is available in pouches that are resistant to rain.
It is easy to use; all you need to do is to stake or hang the repellant pouches close to the plants you need to protect.
Best Ways to Repel Rabbits
Now that we have looked at some of the best rabbit repellants, we have made your choice of choosing the best one for your garden quite easy. So, let’s discuss some of the best ways to repel rabbits from your garden using other methods.
Build a Fence
Building a fence around your garden can be an effective way to solve the problem of rodents in your garden. With a fence installed, you get to eliminate rabbits, deer, and other animals from eating your plants.
Rabbits can’t dig deep, and nor can they jump very high. So, with a wooden or barbed wire fence around your garden, you can also be certain that you wouldn’t have to deal with rabbits anymore.
We understand that building a fence might be quite expensive, but it is always a good investment in the long run.
Use a Plant Cage
Placing a cage over your prized plants can be an effective method to prevent pests from ravaging them. This could also serve as a cheap method compared to building a cage.
You can purchase a few cages to protect your plants from rabbits and squirrels.
Best Rabbit Repellent: Natural Repellants
Apart from branded rabbit repellants, there are other natural methods, as mentioned above, that you can employ to get rid of them. Remember that we also mentioned earlier that rabbits sniff around a lot and can’t stand the pungent smells of certain ingredients.
Natural repellants such as coyote urine and blood meal can also be sprayed around your garden to keep rabbits out.
Consider raising a Dog
You can also consider having a pet dog to help with the security around your garden. The mere presence of a dog in your garden can scare rabbits and other rodents away from your plants.
Although, compared to other methods, it can be an additional expense to take care of a dog. But, if you don’t mind having a pet dog, you can definitely explore this option to keep rabbits at bay.
Conclusion
Rabbits are a menace to your garden plants and they need to be taken care of in the most effective way possible. This, you can easily do by making use of any of the three best rabbit-repellant products we reviewed.
You can also try any of the methods we outlined in the best ways to repel rabbits from your garden. Not only do you have a choice of effective ways to repel rabbits using any of the products listed in this blog post, but you can also opt for the best homemade rabbit repellents mentioned above. They all work well in safeguarding your plants from unwanted invaders.
How do you deal with rodents in your garden? We will like to hear from you.
FAQs
What smells deter rabbits?
Some unnatural substances can deter rabbits from entering your yard or garden, like ammonia and peppermint. However, natural substances like cinnamon bark and clove oil work just as well as the artificial ones do and are much safer for you and your home.
The odor that rabbits detect is a combination of two chemicals, which are thiols and phenols. Thiols are found in decaying vegetation, whereas phenols are found in flowers and plants.
How do I stop rabbits from pooping in my yard?
The first step to ensuring that you deter rabbits from pooping in your yard is to use scents and repellents. However, these methods are often ineffective. The second step is to make sure that your home smells like prey. If you have no other option, you can use a motion-activated sprinkler that will spray water at the rabbits when they enter the range of the water's spray.
It’s very important for homeowners to make their yards less desirable for rabbits because they don’t just poop on your lawn, but also dig holes and leave droppings all over your property which can cause diseases and damage plants and trees.
Deterring rabbits from pooping in a yard does not have to be complicated or expensive, but it does take some effort on the homeowner.
Does Irish Spring soap repel rabbits?
Irish Spring soap is a brand of soap that is primarily marketed in the United States. It was first introduced to the market in 1882.
The most successful advertising advertisement for Irish Spring says that it is the “best for tough jobs” and it has a “long lasting tough-as-nails formula.” The ad also says, “You know what they say about Irish Springs: they don't stop, they don't quit and they never give up."
In recent years, many people have noticed that rabbits seem to have a strong aversion to Irish Spring soap. They will run away when given a chance and if you put any pieces of soap in their vicinity, they will drop whatever they are eating and run away as fast as possible.
The oils used in the soap disrupt the rabbits’ sense of smell and this makes them change their behavior towards other foods that might be near the soap.
In conclusion, Irish Spring soap is an effective way of deterring rabbits from entering your garden without harming them or your plants.
How do you repel rabbits naturally?
There are a few things that you can do to prevent rabbits from invading your garden. One thing is to make sure that you get rid of any fruit tree leaves, because they provide cover for rabbits and they will nibble on them. Another thing is to plant area-of-effect plants like dandelions, which the rabbits find unpalatable and won't eat them.
There are many ways in which humans have tried to repel rabbits from their gardens over the years. The most popular method has been using a rabbit trap or snare, however these methods often don't work as well as we would like.
Tony Manhart is a passionate gardener who has been tending to gardens for over 20 years. He takes pride in creating beautiful outdoor spaces with plants, trees, and shrubs that can thrive in any environment. He loves to share his knowledge with others and has taught classes on gardening basics and advanced techniques. He is committed to sustainability, using natural and organic methods to create and maintain gardens. He also works with local organizations to create green spaces for communities. When he’s not gardening, Tony enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with his family.
