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Cottontail Rabbits: Garden Pests?


© Diana Pederson
Page 3

May 1, 1998


Rabbits often injure shrubs or young trees by their winter feeding habits. If they to girdle (chew completely around) the shrub's main trunk or lower portion of the branches, nutrients are not able to travel to the upper branches and leaves thus killing the shrub.

We have several choices. If living in rural areas, perhaps hunting rabbits will lower their population levels on your property. However, in the city, this option is not available. You may resort to traps (talk to your humane society or cooperative extension office) to live trap them and release in another area. Another option is to provide enough food that they don't need to eat your treasured flowers. Several other control options are discussed in this article.

Since rabbits are among the few wildcritters that don't mind living in my townehouses, I am reluctant to do anything intended to harm them. Putting up with a little damage is much more humane and I enjoy spotting them in the early mornings or at dusk.

Various methods of discouraging rabbits in your garden have been recommended in this article. What has worked for you? Please share your success story in the discussion section below.

Until next week, good gardening to you!

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