Rabbits are tiny, ferocious creatures that like to burrow deep into the ground. They often create tiny rabbit holes that pop upward and tend to live deep under the ground.
Rabbits are firmly herbivores, so they only feed on plants that grow in different areas. They are incredibly fast runners, and are usually much smaller than your average hare.
If rabbits enter your garden, it will take a little bit for you to figure out their presence. But, if you have plants growing around the yard, you should know that rabbits are going to cause significant damage.
They are going to eat on the plants and are going to shred many plants to nothing.
The Tomato Plant
One of the most popular plants that people like to grow in their backyard or their garden is the tomato plant.
The tomato plant is often regarded by many as the impetus to starting a vegetable garden. Growing tomato plants is pretty easy, and there’s nothing better than picking up a tomato from the vine and eating it.
However, while it’s a great choice for you to grow some tomato plants in your garden, you should know that there are certain plants that are prone to problems. Tomato plants are susceptible to a number of different problems over time.
Tomato plants require a considerable amount of direct sunlight and you will also need a fan in the area to provide a bit of cool air.
Because of their exposure and the location where they are planted, you should know that tomato plants are often exposed to rabbits and other animals.
What Damage Can the Rabbit Do?
The rabbit is capable of causing quite a bit of damage to your plants. Rabbits are incredibly neat eaters, and can eat through chunks of leaves without leaving behind any jagged edges.
Therefore, you will have difficulty in just figuring out whether the plants are being eaten or not. Rabbits tend to feed during the evening, the early morning, or the night.
Moreover, if you have other plants in your backyard, you should know that it’s going to turn into a prime destination for rabbits.
Over the passage of time, you will notice the soil often dug up and certain leaves gone missing completely. Rabbits also tend to eat on the tomato plants and can easily cut down the entire vine.
If you want to protect your precious tomato plants, you need to take action right away. The first step is to figure out whether there are rabbits in or around the area.
The best way to spot a rabbit is to put a camera with night vision in a corner of the garden. You will be able to identify rabbits moving around the yard easily if you have a camera. Other animals such as deer, raccoons, and squirrels also eat these plants.
Once you are sure that there are rabbits eating up your tomato plants, you need to take timely action. Keep in mind that rabbits are incredibly fast eaters, and are going to cut through your plants within a few days only.
Therefore, you need to take action as quickly as possible. So, here are a few things that you can do to get rid of the rabbits trying to eat your plants.
How to Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden
1 – Controlling the Habitat
The best thing that you can do to reduce the population of rabbits is to try and make the property much less attractive to the rabbit populace.
For instance, rabbits prefer properties that have piles of brush, so if you want to make the property less attractive, you should remove the shrubbery, the brush, or piles of junk that are ideal for rabbits to hide.
If there are raised buildings on the property, the base should be surrounded with a mesh barrier. This will prevent the rabbits from nesting beneath the building.
3 – Repellents
There are a wide range of repellents available that you can use to get rid of the rabbits. There are a bunch of homemade repellents that you can use to get rid of the rabbits.
If you can tolerate the smell, you should consider making a rotten egg mixture and just spray that on the tomato plants. Just the taste and the disgusting smell is going to keep the rabbits away. Rotten egg mixtures will usually be washed away within a few days.
You just need to mix three eggs in a gallon of water and spray it on your plants. A garden sprayer is enough to hose down the plants properly. Dried blood is also a great choice, and you can easily get it at a garden center.
3 – Fencing
Another excellent way to keep away rabbits from your garden is to add some fencing. As mentioned above, rabbits tend to burrow and tunnel under the ground. As a result, the fencing must go deep under the ground as well.
You will want to bury the fence at least 12 inches under the ground so that certain rabbits can’t get into your tomato plant bed.
4 – Traps
There are a bunch of humane traps available in the market nowadays. You can use those traps to capture the rabbits and then release them in a safe and secure location.
Traps can be set at different places around the tomato plant, and you can use different kinds of foods to attract them.
Apples, for instance, make for excellent bait. However, it is best if you check the legality of this in your area. In some countries, it is prohibited to release trapped animals elsewhere, so you will only have to let the rabbits go.
These are just a few things that you should know about rabbits eating your tomato plants, and how you can prevent them from doing so.
You will want to keep a careful eye on your tomato plants to make sure that you can take action as quickly as possible. Make sure you take only humane measures to control the population.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.
Before you go: Now is the perfect time to start tracking your gardening progress, and I created a garden journal to do exactly that. Click the image below to see it in action and to get your own copy.
