Cottontail Rabbits are common in backyards across the Midwest. And while you may enjoy viewing them from the window of your home, you’ll find them less appealing if they make your plants and shrubs their dinner fare. As cute as they might be, they can cause serious damage to your plants in the winter.
Rabbits are herbivores, which means they eat plants. During warmer months they feed on grasses, clover, fresh leaves, flowers and shrubs. You may be able to keep them from your plantings in Summer by adding rows of Marigolds. Rabbits don’t like their smell and will avoid areas of Marigolds. But what about in the winter when food sources are more scarce?
Rabbits can be the bane of any gardener’s existence. After spending hours carefully tending to your rose bushes and helping them grow into gorgeous, full blooms, there’s nothing more frustrating than finding them nibbled to the ground by hungry bunnies. So do rabbits eat rose bushes? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Rabbits love munching on tasty new rose growth and buds. However, with some clever tricks and preventative measures, you can stop rabbits from destroying your prized roses.
Why Rabbits Like to Eat Roses
Rabbits are herbivores meaning they only eat plant materials. They particularly enjoy tender new growth on shrubs and herbaceous plants like roses. The soft plump foliage is easy for them to chew and digest. Rabbits especially target rose bushes in early spring when the plants start sending up fresh, succulent new canes and leaves. This is like an all-you-can-eat salad bar for bunnies.
Roses aren’t the only garden plants rabbits go after. Some other favorites include tulips, petunias, beans, and lettuce. But roses seem to be particularly vulnerable since they offer rabbits so many tender parts to nibble on. Bunnies will happily munch on new shoots, unfolding leaves, flower buds, and even fully opened blooms. A single rabbit can destroy a rose bush overnight, leaving only a few bare, thorny canes behind by morning.
Preventing Rabbit Damage
If rabbits are invading your garden and treating your roses like an endless buffet, you need to take action. There are several tactics you can try to make your roses less appetizing and deter rabbits from dining on them. Here are some of the most effective options
Physical Barriers
Installing fencing is the most reliable way to keep rabbits away from your roses. A fence should be at least 2 feet high to thwart hungry bunnies. Bury the bottom edge a few inches underground so rabbits can’t dig under. Chicken wire or wire mesh works well for protecting individual bushes or small garden areas. For larger spaces, a more decorative option like picket fencing is ideal. Just make sure the gaps between pickets are less than 1 inch so rabbits can’t squeeze through.
Cylindrical wire cages are another good choice for shielding young rose bushes or new growth. Place the cages over vulnerable plants and anchor them to the ground with garden staples. As the roses grow taller, enlarge the cages or remove them once the plants mature. Wire cages are inexpensive and easy to deploy to protect roses in the early season when damage is most likely.
Repellents
Chemical repellents formulated to drive away rabbits can provide temporary protection for your roses. Look for commercial products containing putrescent egg solids or capsaicin (derived from hot peppers) that provide a nasty taste rabbits hate. Apply these organic repellents according to label directions to discourage nibbling. Reapply frequently, especially after rain or watering that washes repellents away.
You can also make DIY repellents at home using common ingredients. A spray made from garlic, hot pepper, and liquid soap is one tried-and-true concoction. Diluted ammonia or vinegar solutions can also help mask the appealing scent of plants and send rabbits looking elsewhere for their salad fix. Apply home remedies liberally around plants to deter bunnies.
Scare Tactics
For mild or occasional rabbit invasions, scare tactics may provide adequate protection for your roses. Simple solutions like old CDs or aluminum pie pans hung on garden stakes will move in the breeze and startle rabbits away. A garden hose set to trickle into a plastic container that tips and clangs as it fills can also deter them.
Motion-activated sprinklers are highly effective for scaring off rabbits and other critters. When the device senses an animal’s movement and body heat signature, it sends out a startling blast of water. Rabbits quickly learn to avoid any area protected by one of these devices. This is a good eco-friendly option for repelling rabbits without chemicals.
Safe Alternatives
If rabbits are hungry, give them an appealing place to feed away from your roses. Plant a small Rabbit Café tucked in a corner of your yard. Fill it with bunny favorites like clover, herbs, lettuce, and grasses. Generously mulch this space to encourage natural edibles that rabbits can graze on instead of your prized roses. A water source nearby provides added enticement.
Protect Rose Buds and New Growth
The best offense for stopping rabbits from devouring your roses is protecting plants from the start. Identify young bushes, freshly pruned or damaged plants, and any flowering canes that will be most vulnerable to rabbit damage. Prioritize those for preventative measures first.
Then diligently check for any new growth on mature plants. Look along the ground and at the tops of canes for emerging leaves, buds, and blooms. Encircle any of these rabbit-attracting delights with barriers as they appear. Be proactive with repellents before rabbits discover tender new snacks to nibble on.
Roses pruned back hard are also magnets for rabbit damage. The abundant young shoots that spring up from a severe pruning invite instant nibbling. Shield regenerating plants right after cutting them back to prevent decimation by hungry bunnies.
Stop Rabbits from Spreading Rose Diseases
An added reason to keep rabbits away from your roses is to prevent the spread of disease. Rabbits don’t directly transmit illnesses from plant to plant. However, they can pick up fungal spores and bacteria on their coats as they travel through your garden and spread the problems mechanically.
Two common rose afflictions easily transmitted by rabbit activity are black spot and powdery mildew. Both show up as unattractive spotting on leaves and can weaken or even kill plants when left unchecked. Simple barriers to block rabbits will minimize potential contamination of your healthy roses.
Rose rosette disease (RRD) is a deadly viral infection spread by teeny eriophyid mites that travel on wind currents and visiting insects. Rabbits can transport RRD mites on their fur if they pass through and brush against infected plants. Strictly limiting rabbit access can reduce risk of this devastating disease infecting your roses.
Be Vigilant about Protecting Roses from Rabbits
Rabbits never rest in their quest to devour your roses. Be vigilant about monitoring plants for fresh, tasty growth they will find irresistible. Don’t get complacent and assume mature plants are safe from nibbling. Persistent rabbits will stand on their hind legs or stretch up to reach appetizing tender shoots beyond their reach.
Check repellents and scare devices frequently to ensure they haven’t been compromised. Freshen up chemical deterrents after rain or watering washes them away. Replace batteries in sprinklers and wind spinners so they keep operating at full strength. Maintain fences and barriers in good condition with no gaps or holes for entry. A diligent defense is the key to winning the battle against rose-munching rabbits for the long run.
The threat of rabbit damage is ongoing, especially in spring and fall when natural food sources are scarce. But with an arsenal of diverse protective countermeasures, you can successfully defend your roses against these hungry herbivores. Don’t let cute little bunnies stop you from cultivating a beautiful rose garden. Be prepared to gently but consistently block them from turning your prized rose bushes into their personal salad bar. With commitment and perseverance, you can have both rabbits and thriving roses in your garden.
What Do Rabbits Eat in the Winter?
Rabbits don’t hibernate. When Winter arrives and snow covers the ground, greens are hard to find. When finding food becomes difficult, rabbits get creative in their menu choices.
They turn to nibbling on the bark of trees such as Birch, Crabapple, Mountain Ash, Honey Locust, Willow and Oak. Older trees with their thick rough bark aren’t as tempting as a young tree where the bark is smooth, thin. Green food material is just under the surface of young trees.
The rabbit’s menu may also include bushes, such as Roses, Sumac, Japanese Barberry and Maples, Viburnum, Fothergilla, Burning Bushes, Rose of Sharon, Arborvitae and other broadleaf evergreens. It’s all about survival and they won’t be picky.
If you already have established plants and shrubs you without-a-doubt want to protect them through the winter. You may be especially concerned about newly planted landscapes or expensive ornamental plants.
How to Get Rid of Rabbits in the Winter
We have five recommendations to protect your plants from winter damage by critters.
Adding fencing can be most effective. A simple chicken wire cylinder around a tree or shrub can keep them at bay.
The fencing has to be positioned at least two inches from the bark of the tree, since wrapping flatly against a tree wouldn’t serve as a barrier. It should extend 2 ½ feet above the snow line, as compacted snow can act as an on ramp to your plants and shrubs.
Make sure the fencing is secured to the ground because rabbits are able to dig and will often go under rather than over. Once the ground freezes this is less of an issue.
There are different kinds of tree wraps that can be used around trees, and are readily available at home improvement stores.
Tree wraps come in a variety of materials such as polypropylene fabric, corrugated cardboard and plastic shields that coil around a tree. These plastic shields can also deter damage from deer.
When applying flexible wraps start at the bottom of the tree, winding on an angle as you go up. Be careful not to apply the wrap too tightly. Typically a good rule of thumb is to apply these around Thanksgiving but remove them come Easter. Wrap a little higher than shown here, otherwise rabbits will still be able to reach the tender bark.
Rabbits don’t like things that taste or smell bad. There are many kinds of repellents on the market that are friendly to pets and the environment. You can find them at home improvement stores.
A product called LIQUID FENCE is basically made of putrescent egg, predators’ urine and garlic. Repellants can be effective, but often must be reapplied after rain, dew or snow fall.
It is also important to check before using repellents on plants that might be used for human consumption such as vegetables and fruits. And if you have pets, make sure they are pet friendly.
Some people make their own repellents. Taking a bar of Irish Spring soap, chopping it up into pieces, then wrapping it in a cheesecloth and stapling it to a stake can be stinky enough to deter a rabbit.
Can My Rabbit Eat Rose Bushes?
FAQ
Do rabbits chew on rose bushes?
The rabbit’s menu may also include bushes, such as Roses, Sumac, Japanese Barberry and Maples, Viburnum, Fothergilla, Burning Bushes, Rose of Sharon, Arborvitae and other broadleaf evergreens. It’s all about survival and they won’t be picky.
Will roses come back after rabbit damage?
They will likely grow back, but the bunnies will eat them again, and eventually that will kill the rose. Gotta do something to keep the bunnies out of the little roses.
What animal is eating my roses at night?
Several animals could be eating your roses at night, with deer and rabbits being the most common culprits.
What kind of rose do rabbits not eat?
Helleborus (Lenten Rose)
Not all deer and rabbit resistant plants are toxic, but Lenten Rose definitely is.