How to Keep Peter Rabbit from eating your flowers and veggies!

I never understood why Farmer McGregor got so mad at Peter Rabbit for getting into his garden, until I began to grow my own veggies. Sorry peter, but you were a bad bunny!

Rabbits have always appealed to me. Especially wild rabbits here in the country. When I accidentally killed one jamming its little head in the door I cried my eyes out. And that wasn't when I was a little girl-that was only a couple of months ago. Lately I have witnessed a family of wild rabbits dining in my yard just outside my back door for the past few weeks during the wee hours of the morning. I don't know what they're eating because all that's there is grass. Regardless, they're happily munching on something and my dog Roscoe lays in his bed on the porch unaware that a delicacy is only a few feet from his reach.

But these cute fuzzy friends can also wreak havoc due to their insane appetite for plants, flowers, and vegetable plants. During the spring and summer months if you notice some of your lettuce or other prized vegetable crops being eaten you can blame these guys for finding their way to your enticing entrees. And when the weather turns a bit colder you can find them nibbling on shrubs and ornamental trees.

Although there are several species of wild rabbits, the most common ones are the cottontail rabbits. They inhabit most of North America and prefer to live at the edges of open areas. They are rarely found in dense forests. Their love of edges means that they can found in the suburbs as well as the country. These rabbits can be found in parks, yards, office parks, and playgrounds.

How to keep these rascals at bay

The best way to prevent Peter and his friends from eating your flowers and vegetables is to put up a fence. A two-foot high chicken wire supported by posts around every 6 feet will keep these guys away. Make sure your post is in the ground secure so they don't dig a hole underneath it.

You can also use plastic milk jug with the bottoms cut out to protect your plants while the spring nights are still cool. I have also found a home remedy that works like a charm. I place crushed red pepper on the perimeter of my crops and because the rabbits don't like that smell they won't go near my veggies! May sound crazy, but it works like a charm.

If you're concerned about your trees then you can cover them with commercial tree wrap or plastic tree guards to keep them from nibbling on your tree bark. But here again, you can purchase a plastic bottle of crushed red pepper for a dollar at the dollar store. A few bottles are all you'll need to sprinkle near your tree. You can also use poultry wire to use as fencing around your tree. You'll want o focus on young trees and saplings because they are more likely to be an attractive meal for Peter and his friends.

Rabbits can also reach low hanging branches. You can make a decoy and prune existing branches and leave the trimmings for them to munch on.

You may need to use chemical repellents in some instances. Be very careful not to use on your vegetable crops. This could be hazardous to your health.

One of the best methods for distracting these pests is using Coyote Urine. Yes you heard me right! Coyotes prey on Deer, Mice, Raccoon, Rats, Fox, Groundhog, & Woodchuck, and Iguanas. One whiff of the coyote urine will scare the rabbits and they won't go near you precious crops! Coyote Urine doesn't come cheap either. One 12 Ounce bottle is 22.99. If you have a large garden you'll need plenty of Coyote Urine to keep them away.