Pest

Rabbit damage

Rabbits nibble low plants and young bark, leaving clean, angled cuts and small round droppings.

What you'll see

• Stems, buds and leaves clipped off cleanly at a sharp 45-degree angle, close to the ground.
• Beans, leafy greens and young plants eaten down, often at dawn or dusk.
• Bark gnawed off the base of young trees and shrubs in winter, with piles of small round droppings nearby.

Why it happens

Rabbits feed mostly at dawn, dusk and night on tender green plants, and turn to bark and twigs in winter when other food is scarce.

How to fix it

1. Fence beds with chicken wire of 1-inch (2.5 cm) mesh or smaller, burying the bottom 6 inches (15 cm) and bending it outward.
2. Wrap young trunks with wire guards or tree spirals through the winter.
3. Use rabbit repellents on ornamentals as the label says, and reapply after rain.

Keep it from coming back

• Keep gates closed and check fences for gaps or digging.
• Clear brush piles and dense cover near the garden where rabbits hide.
• Protect new and young plants first; they suffer most.

Sources

• UC IPM: Rabbits
• RHS: Rabbits
• University of Maryland Extension: Eastern cottontail rabbits in gardens and home landscapes

General guidance, not a diagnosis. For valuable, edible or outdoor crops, check with a local extension service or plant expert. Use any product exactly as its label says, and keep children and pets away while it dries.