When Peter first made his appearance on area lawns, not many of us took notice. The thrill of a little wildlife in the yard was exciting and everybody loved the dewy-eyed innocence of a bunny placidly nosing about. But looks can be deceiving, and soon little Peter and his siblings, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail have been found out as the villains, not the heroes, in area landscape problems.
Rabbits have become one of the most persistent pests on turf along the Front Range, damaging grass, dining on vegetables or nibbling on shrubs. In many cases, the seemingly innocuous bunny is, in reality, a vicious killer rabbit, destroying plantings by nipping off plants at a 45-degree angle, clipping it cleanly through without the ragged tearing left by deer. It's no wonder Mr. McGregor chased the little rascal around.
They'll chomp twigs, bark, buds and flowers, but several plants are favored by bunnies, such as low growing junipers, vegetables and lawns. If your low growing juniper is dying, check around the trunk for signs that rabbits have been gnawing the bark. Should you have bare spots in the lawn, especially near edges where cover is close by, suspect rabbits.
Several methods for discouraging rabbits can be tried, such as placing a hose on the ground in a way that makes the rabbit think it's a snake. This often works for me; at least once per season I startle at the sight of a snake, scream, perform my snake dance, then calm down when I realize it's a hose I left too long in the weedy grass at the edge of the garden.
Another trick is the placement of a large, clear glass of water near where rabbits have their resting spot. The reflection of the rabbit in the glass makes the bunny think that there is a much larger rabbit near, and it runs off. I don't know if this is effective, but if it is, I want to supersize this trick with a funhouse mirror, one that distorts that rabbit image to the size of a Buick. That way, the rabbit will never return.
More effective means for controlling rabbits are fencing and removal of cover. To fence an area off from rabbits, use 48-inch tall, small-mesh chicken wire with openings of less than one-inch. Bury the lower part of the wire 6 to 10 inches deep. If placing this around the fence of a yard, tack the chicken wire to the ground with long, metal, U-shaped pins instead of burying the wire.
But check the fence line routinely for signs that the rabbits have breached the defenses, and re-secure the pins.
If fencing the yard is impractical, thwart the rabbits by making them feel exposed. Remove low growing junipers, piles of brush, or stones where rabbits can hide. Around sheds, trailers or decks, affix wire mesh to create a barrier to keep rabbits from hiding underneath.
Repellents are helpful, but often have an odor that scares away gardeners too. Coyote urine, putrescent eggs, and blood meal can keep rabbits from hanging around, but they need to be reapplied frequently, especially after rain or irrigation. Creating small scarecrows from rabbit sized clothing has not been found by researchers to be an effective deterrent.