We always laugh when the whimsical creature of Beatrix Potter ’s world gorge themselves in Mr. McGregor ’s garden , but it is another affair altogether when these shaggy-haired chase after wight invade our Cucurbita pepo patch and eat our descent store .
We often remember of rabbits eating carrots and shekels , but they can be just as devastating to our pumpkin plants . They will eat all parts of the pumpkin plant life , and while they may have a preference for tender seedling , they will also devour the mature vines , and even the gourd themselves .
gratefully , there are a act of ways to keep rabbits from eating your pumpkins . While nothing is as efficient as a good fence ( a rabbit - proof fence can be build quick and stingily ) , you may also discourage them with sound , wink Light , a blast of H2O , bogus creature , or disgust them with nebuliser or plant .
Killing them surely is n’t an alternative in my books , so here are ethical ways to keep rabbit from eating your pumpkins .
Do Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Plants?
Yes , rabbits will merrily banquet on your autumn pumpkin patch . All parts of a pumpkin flora are comestible for these beast and rabbit will eat the leave-taking , stem , flowers , young gourd , and fledged pumpkins including the skin , frame , and seeds .
They will also eat any motley of pumpkin vine ( or any wintertime crush for that topic ) , and will do so throughout the year .
Why Rabbits Eat Pumpkins?
Rabbits eat pumpkin vine very well , so why do most internet site for domestic rabbits suggest only feeding them in pocket-sized quantity and very infrequently ?
The reasoning is that autumn pumpkin are full of cabbage and carbohydrates , both of which can make your favorite rabbit sick or obese in large quantity .
However , this does n’t make a lick of sense , since most carrot contain equal amounts of carbs , and evenmoresugar than the same weight of stark naked Cucurbita pepo . In the natural state , rabbit will eat through your Cucurbita pepo without a care in the humanity .
From a wild coney ’s level of survey , your pumpkin vine are a good source of food :
Signs Of Rabbit Damage On Pumpkin Plants?
Many unlike types of recollective - earedlagomorphswill eat your pumpkin patch . There are29 rabbit speciesand30 different haresand each one can cause a problem for your garden depending on where you live .
Of course , there are countless other creature that will also eat your pumpkins , so it is important to check that you are in fact dealing with rabbits so you’re able to properly protect your squash .
If you catch them in the bit it is clear enough , but most of the time we do n’t see rabbit eating our garden as they avoid moving about midday and are most participating in the early dawn or recent evening .
Here are some ways to identify that you are conduct with hare :
If you suspect coney are in your garden but the signboard are inconclusive , inquire your neighbours if they have seen rabbits in your area . Or maybe they know of a burrow nearby ( think of , not all rabbits jab burrows , but will often sleep in shallow depressions in asheltered area .
11 Ways to Prevent Rabbits From Eating Your Pumpkins
If rabbits run rampant in our country , it is best to put up preventive measures before you even imbed your pumpkins . But even if they move into your garden once your plant life are turn , here are the most reliable manner to keep rabbit from eat your pumpkin plants :
TIP : While each of these methods can be effective on their own , they go much better when combined together to give your autumn pumpkin maximum protection !
1: Erect A Fence Around Your Pumpkin Patch
Only sure as shooting fire way to keep out rabbit is with solid fencing . Here are unsubdivided steps to raise a rabbit fence around your pumpkin :
2: Cover Your Pumpkin Plants With Netting Or Row Covers
If you only have one or two pumpkin works , consider putting a profit over them rather than building an intensive fencing . Of course , netting is not as effective as a profit , but it can still be enough of a deterrent to keep rabbit away .
The problem with pumpkins is that the sprawling vines can be difficult to compensate , but there are many horticulture and agriculture nets that would work quite well .
Floating row coversare an first-class option , but check out your garden nub or contact a local wildlife organization for more alternative . Whichever mesh you use , ensure it is “ wildlife friendly ” .
3: Use Rabbit Repellents That Are Safe For Edible Crops
lapin have a strong sense of smell , so they are pretty leisurely to deter will strong smelling merchandise . In many case , you’re able to use Cartesian product you have consist around your home .
spatter or spray these repellants on your pumpkin works and the surrounding land . They will have to be reapplied after a heavy rain as they are well washed away .
Here are some of the most popular rabbit repellant you’re able to use to keep them away from pumpkin plants :
4: Plant Rabbit-Resistant Flowers And Herbs Near Your Pumpkins
Why not try and repel rabbits by growing other plants ? Some strong scented plant life will repel or confuse coney with their fragrance , and some works will keep rabbit aside because they do n’t like wipe out them . Unfortunately , no works is sincerely rabbit - proof and they will try out eat even toxic works as a trial .
While this is certainly not the most assure method acting of keeping lapin away from your pumpkins , grow some of the following plants that rabbits do n’t like will aid keep them away .
5: Use Live Traps To Catch And Relocate Rabbits Away From Your Garden
There are a number of humane traps that you may use to catch and release the rabbits somewhere else . There are many regulations around trapping and releasing furious brute , so check with the local self-assurance as to what you could , and can not do , and where you could eject them .
When relocate animals , it is very important to take into account the time of year . For example , relocating an grownup rabbit when there are kit need to be feed is an unethical agency to reduce the rabbit universe . Also , relocating a rabbit to a new area too late in the twelvemonth could sentence them to a slow death from exposure and famishment .
6: Hang Strips Of Reflective Tape Or Aluminum Foil Near Your Pumpkins
There is an age - old fable that says rabbits are afraid of their own darkness and reflexion . Whether they are or not , putting mirrors , pondering surface , or glass jars filled with water around your garden can fox and fright the rabbits and keep them out of your garden .
These can be incorporate in a very decorative means to improve the esthetics of the garden while protecting your pumpkins at the same clock time .
you could also try lights or strobes hold by a motion sensor to give them an extra ocular scare .
7: Set Up Motion-Activated Sprinklers
Hook a motion sensor sprinkler up to your garden hose , put it near your pumpkin patch , and when a lapin add up closemouthed it will get a sudden clap of piss . These are very safe , efficient , and humane and will also work against dogs , cats , raccoon , and other garden raider .
ensure to move the sprinkler to a fresh spot every now and then , otherwise the wily cony might get used to them or find a blind spot in the sensor .
8: Propane Boom Cannons
You should only use these if you live in the country or your neighbors will belike kick . Propane boom cannonsare hooked up to a stock propane army tank .
The cannon slow fills a bedroom with gas , and then on the spur of the moment lets out a loud boom sound that scares all animals nearby ( and your phratry if you are not expect it ) .
They are not a good idea with a small garden close to your house , but they would be very in effect in a larger grocery store garden .
9: Play A Radio Or Music In Your Garden On A Low Volume
A more pleasing way to keep coney away with sound is to grow on a radio in your garden . Put a stereo in a sheltered spot to protect it from the elements and turn it on so the lapin thinks that masses are around .
Talk record commonly work best since this sound most like people are in the garden , but flash or startling euphony is also effectual .
Of course , your neighbours might still be annoyed by music and talk show playing all hr of the mean solar day , so talk to them first , or regard putting the stereo on a timer so it wo n’t melt all night and only turns on at eyeshade rabbit hours ( early morning and late evening ) .
Make certain to commute the television channel every few days and move the stereo to dissimilar positions every so often to discombobulate the hare .
10: Eliminate Hiding Places
Another way to keep out rabbits is by create an unfriendly rabbit environment .
I care create an esthetically pleasing garden , that is full of flora , trees , shrub , and ornamental feature . Unfortunately , these are places where rabbits can shroud as they sneak in to eat the pumpkin .
Most rabbits do n’t like to allow for cover if they do n’t have to , so remove anything that can hold back them by removing brushwood , rake leaf , report holes under shed , or filling in old burrows .
11: Install Realistic-Looking Predator Dummies In Your Garden
Rabbits are pretty much at the bottom of the nutrient range which means they are frightened of somewhat much everything . Putting pretend predators around your garden makes your garden look like it is being guarded by fearsome puppet and this can keep the rabbits away .
There are a turn of predator dummies you may apply such as owls , mortarboard , CT , dogs , or even rubber snakes .
In rescript for predatory animal dummies to be even remotely successful , they have to be moved every couple of days otherwise the bully - eyes prey will agnise they are just a statue .
11: Start Pumpkin Seedlings Indoors
It is often suggested to begin your seedlings indoors rather than straight in the garden . In my experience , this is n’t a very practical pick . Pumpkins do not generally transpose very easily , and you will still have to worry about coney eating your transplants once you set them out .
If you do require to protect your pumpkins during the delicate ( and delicious ) seedling stage , start your seeds indoors and transplant the pumpkins outside 6 to 8 weeks later , or when the plants have 3 to 5 exercise set of true leaves .
Pumpkin Pillagers, No More!
I bang pumpkin . Not only are they one of my favored squash to deplete and broil with , but there is nothing more enchanting in the garden than a pumpkin patch .
The short and cool season in my Zone 2 garden poses a challenging , but not insurmountable , problem and I certainly do n’t need to see any of the pumpkins that I do manage to maturate being eat by rabbits ( or anything else for that matter ) .
Not only do rabbit threaten the scrumptiousness of Thanksgiving dinner , but they disparage our year - long struggle that bring the vine to realization .
I hope you will have some ideas on how to ethically contain rabbits from eating your pumpkins so you may still enjoy a delectable , and hard - earned , pie .
Written By
Amber Noyes was comport and raised in a suburban California township , San Mateo . She have a master ’s academic degree in horticulture from the University of California as well as a vitamin B complex in Biology from the University of San Francisco . With experience working on an constituent farm , weewee preservation research , Farmer ’ markets , and plant glasshouse , she sympathize what makes plants thrive and how we can better understand the connexion between microclimate and plant wellness . When she ’s not on the domain , Amber loves inform citizenry of new ideas / thing related to horticulture , especially organic gardening , houseplants , and develop plants in a small space .
