Q. I divided some large hostas last spring and moved one to a bed at the foot of my driveway. It did well for several weeks, then something ate it. It grew back but was eaten down to the ground again. This happened two more times before the fall die-back. The plants near the house have never been eaten. I don’t live anywhere near woods, so I can rule out deer. We do have a lot of bunnies, but I’ve seen them in the other bed with the uneaten hostas. What can I do to prevent this plant from being eaten this year? I don’t want to use anything that will hurt the bunnies. — D. Jorgensen, Chesapeake
A. Bad news and good news. First, the bad news: I am not a rabbit expert. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen a rabbit in my yard. The rabbits took some interest in the lettuces in my garden a couple of times but didn’t do much damage or stick around very long. The plants were well along and there was plenty to share with them. I got a kick out of watching them. Anyhow, so much for my experience.
I expect there are a few folks out there with your problem, and I invite them to share their advice on how to control rabbits. I’ll be sure to pass along. For now, I’ll offer some suggestions I’ve seen:
— Habitat modification, reducing the availability of protective cover. Rabbits will proliferate when they have an environment that offers protective cover. Add a buffet of garden delights to feast upon, and you have trouble. Take away protective cover and they will not feel comfortable exposing themselves to predators, of which they have many, while grazing on your plants. Mowing regularly, keeping weeds removed and leaves raked, and trimming excess vegetation will minimize their cover. Removing debris, brush and woodpiles and blocking access to under outbuildings and other structures will discourage their habitation.
— Fences and physical barriers. These can be effective, but probably not applicable in your situation.
— Dogs can be effective deterrents. How about a good beagle hound?
— Chemical repellents. There are numerous chemical repellents on the market. Your options are granular, liquid ready-to-use and liquid mix-your-own concentrate. Most of these have to be re-applied after a rain. Listed below are just a few of the ones that I found. Note: I have not used any of these, so this not an endorsement.
— Granular repellents. Among the choices are Liquid Fence, Rabbit Scram, Rabbit Mace, Safer Brand Critter Ridder.
— Liquid repellents. Choices include Nature’s Mace Deer & Rabbit, Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit, Fend-Off Deer & Rabbit, Enviro-Pro Rabbit Scram, I Must Garden Rabbit Repellent, Safer Brand Critter Ridder Ready-To-Use.
— Old-time remedies. Using dried blood or blood meal is one. But, forget that if you go with the beagle hound. One homemade concoction I found was 2 tablespoons cayenne and 2 tablespoons garlic powder plus a couple drops of dish detergent in 20 ounces of water. Again, not an endorsement. I haven’t tried these.
A few years ago, the rabbits were giving my dad’s garden a fit. He’d plant beans, and as soon as they came up, the rabbits would cut them down immediately. He noticed them going underneath his nearby shed. He tried a cayenne product his horticulturalist son found for him; they ate more. Finally, it took a chicken wire fence around the perimeter of the garden, and a few slats of wood, to seal off access to their hideaway under the shed, to do the trick. He still sees a rabbit in the yard now and then, but they don’t give him a problem. And he still has a gallon of cayenne pepper spray in the shed.
Send questions to wkspen@gmail.com.
