Rabbits And Your Lawn: They Came, They Ate, But You Conquered
Posted on: 2 May 2017
Everyone loves Thumper the rabbit from a popular Disney movie, especially when he bashfully admits he would rather eat the flowers than the greens, which are better for him. Unfortunately, rabbits seem to not mind nibbling on your lawn as well as your shrubs, gardens, and other landscaping. Here's what you need to know about wild rabbits in your yard and how to prevent them from mowing your lawn down to nothing.
Why My Lawn?
Why do rabbits seem to love to eat your grass? Because it's there, and they can, even though there might be other wonderful delights in your yard to tempt them. Rabbits will eat anything that grows, including the bark off of trees and their own pellets if they are hungry enough. Because rabbits don't get a lot of nutrients from what they eat, they need to eat all the time. Your lawn is big enough to attract their attention, short enough to let them graze comfortably, and they already know it tastes good and won't harm them like gaseous vegetables and poisonous plants.
The Damage Is Obvious
If you see a big fat rabbit in your lawn in the mornings or evenings, be aware. Let the feasting begin. But how do you know you have rabbits if you haven't seen them? You might see their little round pellets they leave behind on concrete or bare patches of landscaping. Also, rabbits chow down on the grass all the way to the root. The result is either really short turf, or turf that is turning brown from stress. Also, rabbit urine is very concentrated and will create more brown spots on your grass.
If you notice other plants and bulbs are sheared off neatly as if they were clipped with a weed wacker, this is rabbits. They love new, tender shoots the most. Deer and insects leave a ragged, holey mess behind, while rabbits like to cleverly trim things.
Get Rid Of Them
It can be tough to get rabbits to stop eating your lawn, but not impossible. You can set out some things to deter rabbits like:
- Talcum powder
- Irish spring soap shavings or pieces
- Onion plants
- Dried sulfur
- Lysol and water mixture
- Garlic oil
- Powdered red pepper
You can also purchase commercial granules specifically made for shaking around your grass to repel rabbits.
Some homeowners alter their lawn watering program to coincide with evening and early morning feeding times. Rabbits do not like to get wet. More adventurous lawn owners like to practice target shooting with an air rifle as long as it is legal to do so. Or, you can line your lawn with chicken wire to keep rabbits off the grass. Choose fencing at least two feet high, and make sure it is firmly against the ground to stop rabbits from burrowing beneath it. Check out sites like ExceLawnService.com for more tips.
Share