We have a bunny problem in our backyard. These pesky little critters sneak into my vegetable garden with a voracious appetite. And if you’re here, you probably have a rabbit problem too. While rabbits are not picky, there are a few vegetable plants that rabbits generally avoid. Through trial and error (and help from the internet), here’s a list of 10 rabbit resistant vegetable plants.
At the end of this post is a one-page free printable guide to print and take to the garden center/ home improvement store to help plot and plan your vegetable garden so that YOU (and not your furry friends) will enjoy your harvest.
6 Ways to Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden
There are several ways gardeners deter hungry rabbits from vegetable gardens. The truth is that some work well in some situations, but not in all. The best ways to curtail wild rabbit damage are:
- Physical Barriers – netting, chicken wire, etc..
- Repellents – strong scent, black pepper, human hair
- Predators – natural predators and pets
- Scare Tactics
- Removing Habitat
- Plant Selection
If you follow my blog, you know that I’m constantly at war with wild rabbits in my yard. I used a variety of these 6 ways to deter rabbit damage. This spring I focused on protecting my flower beds, especially my tulips. We added a physical barrier (i.e. garden fence) as well as sprayed a homemade rabbit repellent with a strong smell directly onto the tulips every couple days. We had varying success.
For vegetable plants, I use a combination of physical barriers and plant selection. For example, we have 3 raised garden beds, one with a mesh cover. The plants that hungry rabbits LOVE to eat (i.e. lettuce and green beans) are planted in the raised garden bed with a mesh cover. [Although from the photo of a young rabbit on its hind legs below, you will see the cover only stops them so much…..] I place the rabbit-resistant plants in the raised garden beds without covers.
My point here is your best way to deter wild rabbits in your vegetable garden is to use more than one method. In addition to selecting rabbit-resistant plants, consider a physical barrier like chicken wire or repellant with a strong scent (i.e. planting marigolds).
“Rabbit-Proof” versus “Rabbit-Resistant” Vegetable Plants
I just want to take a quick moment and answer a question – is there such a thing as a “rabbit-proof” vegetable plant?
Sadly, the answer is no. NO vegetable plants are truly rabbit-proof. Like us, wild rabbits have their favorite foods. BUT if their food source is scare they will eat anything. For example, if food is hard to find, they have been known to chew on usually-avoided tomato leaves.
Like me, I despise green peas BUT if I’m hungry enough….
Think of “rabbit-proof plants” more as “rabbit-resistant plants”.
List of 20+ Vegetable Plants Rabbits Love, Tolerate & Avoid
Relying on my personal experience and online sources (listed bottom of this post), I created this free downloadable and printable pdf to help minimize rabbit damage in your vegetable garden.
This list of plants includes the top 20+ vegetables commonly grown in home gardens, from early spring asparagus to late summer corn. The list of plants are divided into 3 columns by rabbit interest:
- Love
- Tolerate
- Avoid (aka Resist)
Vegetable Plants Wild Rabbits – Love
Spread out the tablecloth and open up the midnight buffet, because these are the vegetable garden plants that hungry rabbits flip for. Plants these out in the open and you will experience significant rabbit damage to your garden.
- Beans
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Carrots (remember the story of Peter Rabbit?)
- Fennel
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Swiss Chard
Vegetable Plants Wild Rabbits – Tolerate
Wild rabbits will “tolerate” certain garden plants. What does that mean? Hungry rabbits will eat these:
- If food is sparse and nothing else is available or
- Eat certain part of the plant. For example, hot peppers. They won’t eat the actual hot pepper, but they will the young, tender greens.
There “tolerated” plants include:
- Eggplant
- Peppers
- Radishes
Vegetable Plants Wild Rabbits – Resist
As mentioned below, there isn’t a vegetable garden plant that a wild rabbit won’t ultimately nibble. BUT here’s a list of plants that rabbits will hop by if other more tasty plants are nearby. If a pesky rabbit is hungry enough, it will eat the young leaves and tender shoots. The rabbit resistant plants listed below tend to be either aromatic, thorny, or members of the nightshade family.
- Asparagus
- Corn
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Onions
- Potatoes
- Rhubarb
- Summer Squash
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
How to Use This Printable List
Download and print this Wild Rabbit Guide for Vegetable Guide that includes a List of Vegetables Wild Rabbits Love, Tolerate and Avoid. Take it to the garden center or home improvement store to help you plan your vegetable garden and create a rabbit-resistant vegetable garden.
But Wait! There’s More….
For added vegetable garden organization, try one of these 7 Amazingly Free Vegetable Garden Planners. Last year I stumped upon the idea of using a garden planner, which I found immensely useful this spring. Why hadn’t I thought of an organizer before?!?!?!?
Sources
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