[GPI]

Rabbits (garden pest) - Oryctolagus cuniculus - coiníní
by GPI

Also hares

Plants affected
Most plants, especially those newly planted.

Season(s) present.
Year round, but a cold frosty/snowy winter will result in more attacks due to scarce food sources.

Wild rabbit, photo / picture / image.

Appearance of damage.
On established trees, shrubs and hedging, bark may be eaten away from the base of trunks right up to a height of 50cm (20in).
New young plantings are often grazed down to ground level.
Vegetables, especially the leafy varieties are eaten.
Holes may also be dug in lawns, beds and borders.

Cause
Hungry rabbits and hares, who are especially attracted to new plantings due to their inquisitive nature.

Trouble?
If bark is removed all the way around the trunk of a tree, shrub or hedging plant it will die, so big trouble if attacks are regular.
The grazing of young plants to the ground can result in misshapen regrowth or plant death/disease due to energy loss.

Organic or cultural control.
Erect a rabbit proof fence with a mesh size no wider than 25-30mm (1in) around your property or vulnerable plantings. Something similar to the one shown below.......


The lower vertical 6 inches of fence may be classed as overkill be certain gardeners. Whether you go to this extreme all depends on how determined your rabbits are to get into your site.

If fencing is in place, ensure gates are kept closed as often as possible.

Get yourself a dog and let it roam the garden to scare the bunnies off.

Install plants that rabbits have very little interest in, such as aromatic plants, prickly/spiney plants, and those with tough leaves. Examples of which would be.....
Taxus baccata (yew)
Euonymus europaeus (Spindleberry)
Buxus sempervirens (Box
Cornus (Dogwood)
Choisya (Mexican orange blossom)
Rosmarinus (rosemary)
Sambucus (elder)
Aucuba (spotted Laurel)
Aconitum (Monkshood)
Digitalis (foxglove)
Ligularia (Leopard Plant)
Helleborus (Hellebore)
Nepeta (catmint)

Look into your neighbors garden to discover what has survived rabbit attack for them.

The base of young trees can be protected by spiral tree guards to prevent bark feeding. These can be shop bought or you can attempt to make your own using lengths of piping.

For short term protection many gardeners have reported good success tying up bundles of dog hair with thread and leave them around the perimeter of their property and strewn through the vulnerable beds and borders. You will require lots of dog hair, or alternatively you can also use barbers hair, so ask to take yours home with you the next time you visit. This works on the rabbit picking up the scent of another animal, so is not as effective in wet weather.

Other Control.
Similar to the hair idea, there are many chemical scent products available which can be applied around the garden to repel rabbits. Again these are for short term protection and are not as effective in wet weather. many gardeners will use homemade versions of these such as mothballs or teabags soaked in olbas oil spread around the site.

Nature notes.
Please note that Irishgardeners.com does not advocate the removal of animal life, instead, this forum encourages wildlife preservation. However, there are occasions where a wildlife becomes a problem within the garden for certain people. Be aware that wildlife is a link in the chain of life, benefiting something or someone down the chain. Please at least think about this before you remove wildlife from your site.

DISCLAIMER: The control methods are suggested here as a matter of general information. Under Irish and EU law it is illegal to use any preparation as a pesticide/fugicide/herbicide that is not approved for such use. The author and the website accepts no responsibility for how a user may mix, use, store, or any effects the mixture or its elements may have on people, plants or the environment. The information here is for reference only and does not imply a recommendation for use. If you disregard this warning and make any of the preparations, you do so entirely at your own risk.

Any queries or comments on Rabbits (garden pest) - Oryctolagus cuniculus - coiníní, please post below.

Back to Pests of the Garden in Ireland - Prevention and Control.
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[Rach]

I've found that if the weeds, especially nettles, are let grow up around newly planted trees the bunnies don't really get at the bark.

Don't know if this is because they can't smell/see the bark of that they don't like nettles.

Also, I wanted some wood stripped of it's bark so I left it out for the bunnies (you need to rotate it for them) and they did a fine job!!

Rach