Rabbits Eating Gerber Daisies

Wild cottontail rabbits are cute, fuzzy, and fun to watch until you discover they have mowed more than your clover and have moved on to your daisies or other prize flowers. There are natural and chemical deterrents available to keep these uninvited guests away from your flowerbeds and gardens.

Smell Deterrent

• Wild rabbits avoid the scent of blood meal. eastern cottontail rabbit (sylvilagus floridanus) image by Bruce MacQueen from Fotolia.com

  Ohio State University suggests using blood meal around your plants to ward off hungry rabbits. They do not like the odor of blood meal and may leave your flowers alone. Blood meal is also an excellent organic source of nitrogen fertilizer, according to the Organic Gardener.

Taste Deterrent

• Apply liquid or powder bitter deterrents to plant foliage. spray bottle nozzle image by Kathy Burns from Fotolia.com

  Commercial repellents are available to apply directly to the leaves of your daisies. This is called a taste deterrent and gives the foliage an unpleasant taste without harming the plant.

Motion Sensors

• Motion sensor sprinklers startle uninvited small animals. sprinkler image by Joann Cooper from Fotolia.com

  Motion sensor sprinklers work well on rabbits and stray cats. They give off a short burst of spray that scares unwanted guests away.

Fencing

• Raccoons are good climbers and easily scale most fences. racoon up a tree image by Kenny L Gillett from Fotolia.com

  In addition to taste and smell deterrents for the garden, you may want to consider a 3-foot-high barrier of low-cost chicken wire fencing that will not allow a rabbit to squeeze through. This type of fencing will not deter raccoons that can easily climb over most fences.

Habitat

• Rabbits like to hide in brushy areas. rabbit image by Piter Pkruger from Fotolia.com

  To prevent a rabbit from setting up housekeeping near your gardens, remove any brush piles or mow down thickly weeded areas where they like to hide or make their nest.