How To Keep Rabbits From Eating Tomato Plants

If you’ve found your precious tomato plants nibbled to the stem, you’re likely looking for how to keep rabbits from eating tomato plants. These cute but hungry visitors can quickly ruin your garden’s hard work. Don’t worry, though. With a few smart strategies, you can protect your tomatoes and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Rabbits are persistent, but they are also creatures of habit and caution. By understanding what deters them and creating barriers, you can make your garden far less appealing. This guide covers effective, humane methods that really work.

This is your core strategy. A physical barrier is the single most reliable way to stop rabbits. They are diggers and jumpers, so your defense needs to account for that.

Fencing: The Gold Standard

A well-built fence is your best investment. You don’t need something tall, but it does need to be installed correctly.

Use 1-inch or smaller mesh chicken wire or hardware cloth. Baby rabbits can squeeze through surprisingly small holes.
The fence should be at least 2 feet high above ground to prevent jumping.
Bury the bottom edge 4-6 inches underground, or bend it outward into an “L” shape and cover it with soil to stop digging.
Support the fence with sturdy stakes so it doesn’t sag or fall over.

Individual Plant Protectors

For smaller gardens or potted plants, protecting each tomato plant can be effective and affordable.

Make cages from wire mesh or hardware cloth. Form a cylinder around each plant, ensuring it’s wide enough for growth.
Push the cylinder several inches into the soil.
You can also use commercial tree guards or plastic collars meant for seedlings.

Raised Beds and Containers

Elevating your plants adds a natural hurdle. A raised bed that is 2 feet or higher can deter many rabbits, especially if the sides are smooth. Combine this with a low fence on top for near-total protection. Container gardening on a deck or patio also places plants out of easy reach.

Row Covers and Cloches

Lightweight floating row covers made of fabric allow sun and water through but create a physical block. Secure the edges tightly with soil or pins. For young plants, a plastic or glass cloche acts as a mini greenhouse shield until the plant is sturdier.

Making Your Garden Less Inviting

Rabbits prefer easy meals in safe environments. By changing the landscape around your garden, you encourage them to move elsewhere.

Remove Hiding Spots

Clear away brush piles, tall grass, and dense weeds near your garden area. This eliminates the cozy shelter rabbits need to feel secure while feeding.

Choose Less-Tasty Companions

While rabbits will eat many things, they have preferences. Interplanting tomatoes with strong-smelling herbs or flowers they dislike can create a protective buffer.

Excellent companion plants include: onions, garlic, marigolds, basil, and oregano.
These plants can mask the appealing scent of your tomatos.

Keep It Tidy

Harvest ripe produce promptly and clear any fallen fruit or leaves. A clean garden is less attractive because it offers fewer easy snacks and hiding places.

Using Repellents Effectively

Repellents can be a good short-term solution or a useful part of a broader plan. They generally work by taste, smell, or fear.

Homemade Spray Repellents

You can make simple sprays to apply directly to plant leaves. Always test on a small area first and reapply after rain.

Garlic and Pepper Spray: Blend two garlic bulbs, a few hot peppers, and a quart of water. Strain and add a teaspoon of dish soap to help it stick. Spray on leaves.
Vinegar Spray: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water. Spray around the base of plants and on the garden perimeter, avoiding direct contact with leaves on sunny days to prevent burning.

Commercial Repellents

Look for products labeled for use on rabbits and safe for edibles. They often use ingredients like putrescent egg solids, capsaicin, or blood meal. Rotate between different types every few weeks to prevent rabbits from getting used to one.

Physical and Scent Deterrents

These items scare rabbits or make the area smell threatening.

Predator Urine: Granules or liquid coyote or fox urine can be sprinkled around the garden’s edge.
Human and Pet Hair: Scatter hair from brushes around plants. The human scent can be a deterrent.
Motion-Activated Sprinklers: These startle rabbits with a sudden burst of water. They are highly effective but can be pricey.

Long-Term Habitat Modification

For a lasting solution, look beyond your garden bed to your entire property. The goal is to make the whole area less suitable for rabbits to live in.

Seal Off Access Points

Inspect the base of sheds, decks, and porches. Seal any gaps where rabbits might nest with wire mesh. This removes potential breeding sites close to your garden.

Consider Your Lawn

Rabbits graze on clover and grass. Keeping your lawn mowed reduces their main food source, making them less likely to take up residence. If you have a large property, allowing a natural predator like a owl or hawk to hunt can help, but this is not a quick fix.

What Doesn’t Work (And What to Avoid)

Some commonly suggested methods are ineffective or problematic. Save your time and effort for the strategies that work.

Ultrasonic Devices: There’s little evidence these work reliably on rabbits.
Shiny Objects (CDs, foil): These may startle rabbits briefly, but they quickly habituate to them.
Mothballs: These are toxic to soil, wildlife, pets, and children. Never use them in the garden.
Relying solely on one method, like a spray, without a barrier often leads to disappointment when weather or time diminishes its effect.

FAQs: Protecting Tomato Plants from Rabbits

Will coffee grounds keep rabbits away?

They might help slightly due to scent, but they are not a reliable deterrent on their own. Its better to use them as part of your compost.

What smells do rabbits hate the most?

Rabbits strongly dislike the smell of garlic, onions, vinegar, chili powder, and certain commercial repellents with egg or predator scents.

Do rabbits eat tomato plants or just the fruit?

They will eat both. Tender young seedlings and leaves are especially vulnerable, but they will also nibble ripe or green tomatoes.

Will a fake owl or snake scare rabbits?

It might for a day or two, but rabbits are smart. They will soon realize the decoy doesn’t move and ignore it. Moving or changing the decoy’s location daily can improve its effectiveness slightly.

Are there any rabbit-proof plants?

No plant is completely rabbit-proof if they are hungry enough, but they tend to avoid plants with strong scents, fuzzy leaves, or milky sap, like lavender, sage, and daffodils.

Is it safe to use soap shavings around tomatoes?

Strongly scented bar soap (like Irish Spring) hung in mesh bags or shaved around the border can sometimes help. Ensure it doesn’t contaminate the soil where your tomato roots are.

Protecting your tomato plants from rabbits requires a bit of persistence. Start with a strong physical barrier, like a properly installed fence, as your foundation. Then, layer in other tactics like repellents and garden hygiene. Observe where the rabbits are entering and adapt your strategy. With these methods, you can look forward to a healthy, bunny-free harvest this season.