Hostas are flowering perennials and are pretty popular in decorating landscapes.
Hostas have rich foliage and juicy stems that are very attractive to rabbits. No matter how cute rabbits are, they can very well be pesky critters and chow down your garden, leaving it barren and eaten away.
If you are tired at the hands of these annoying little friends, then we are here to teach you how to keep rabbits from eating Hostas.
It can be very frustrating to watch your plants eaten away and not be able to do anything about it.
Not only do rabbits chow down on your plants, but they also dig around the soil, create caves, and also leave little treats behind. 😅
If the foliage is eaten away too much, it will hinder the growth of plants and ultimately kill them.
To save your garden and keep your plants alive, follow the tips from our experts on how to keep rabbits from eating Hostas.
Let’s get straight into it!
Do Rabbits Really Like Hostas?
Throughout our gardening experience, we have observed that rabbits won’t stop eating no matter what type or a variety of Hostas you have planted.
They will devour all your plants shamelessly, leave a barren garden, and kill the plants.
Rabbits usually aim for the shoots and new foliage of the Hostas. It can seriously stunt the growth of plants.
Hostas create a toxin that can harm other pets like cats and dogs. However, rabbits are immune to this toxin because their body system does not react to saponins.
So, is there no way to stop these critters from munching down the Hostas?
Well, if you read this guide, you’ll find out four ways how to keep rabbits from eating Hostas.
How to Keep Rabbits from Eating Hostas? | The 4 Ways!
If you are battling against the pesky rabbits munching on your Hostas, then you know how hard it can be to stop them.
We have put together a bunch of excellent solutions on how to keep rabbits from eating Hostas.
1. Fencing
The top solution to keep the rabbits from eating your Hostas is installing physical barriers such as fences, nets, cages, etc.
You can install fences around the garden to secure the place.
One important thing to remember while installing fences is that rabbits can easily jump over short fences. So, you’ll need to raise the height of the fence a few feet to ensure those little hoppers don’t jump over.
Another way to keep them away is using fishnets or mesh wire nets.
As rabbits are cunning creatures with sharp teeth, they can easily make their way through nets. Therefore, you will need to invest in a sturdy metal wire net to keep these critters at bay.
If you are particularly worried about some plants, the best solution is to use plant cages. This method cannot be applied on a larger scale, but it works best if you are growing new plants and want to preserve them from the wrath of these little maniacs.
Installing electric fences around the garden is another solution to keep all wild animals away from your yard. Though electric fences are relatively safe and not lethal, you can forget this method if you have a soft spot for these little bunnies and don’t like electrocuting them.
2. Organic and Chemical Deterrents
If physical barriers do not work for you, you can use scent and taste deterrents to keep the rabbits at bay.
These deterrents can be DIYed at home, making them organic and safe for the plants, environment, and rabbits, or you can purchase chemical deterrents from a local hardware store or online.
Chemicals can harm the environment, so always seek a mild and organic deterrent with fewer toxins.
You can buy organic deterrents from stores, which are an ideal choice to keep the rabbits away.
There are wide organic varieties of deterrents available in stores.
The organic rabbit deterrents keep the rabbits away, and they are also safer. Organic deterrents do not use harmful toxins. Therefore, they are safe for rabbits and plants.
If your problem is severe and no method works effectively to keep the annoying invaders out of your yard, you can try using chemical or commercial deterrents. These deterrents are very strong and much more powerful, thus very effective.
Homemade Deterrents
If you are unwilling to use chemical deterrents and want to be completely safe, we have put together some homemade taste and scent deterrents to keep the rabbits away.
- Eggs and milk: To make this deterrent, take a gallon of water and mix half a gallon of milk, an egg, and dish soap in it and make a solution. The egg will help make it stick. Use it to spray on the plants.
- Tabasco sauce: If rabbits have a taste for your plants and are eating them live in action, then use a tablespoon of tabasco sauce and mix it with water and dish soap to spray.
- Peppers and garlic: Crush a few cloves of garlic and mix it with pepper, dish soap, and water to make a solution. Pour it over plants. The pungent smell of garlic and chili will keep rabbits away.
- Rotten eggs: This one is a foul-smelling deterrent, so save it as the last hope. Let your eggs sit and ferment for a few days so they’ll smell rotten. Mix six rotten eggs with water, pepper, and dish soap to spray on plants. The eggs will dry and stick to leaves keeping the smell contained and lasting for weeks.
I know filling your garden with bad scents doesn’t sound good, but you’ll have to try if other methods don’t work for you.
3. Electronic Repellents
Electronic repellants are an excellent investment and the most hassle-free option to keep the rabbits away.
“Electronic deterrents involve motion-activated technology that detects any motion or movement nearby and gets activated to scare the rabbits and other invaders away.”
One such great invention is the motion-activated sprinkler.
This sprinkler detects motion and gets activated to scare away the rabbits.
You can install these sprinklers in your Hostas garden, and they will act as a deterrent to keep the rabbits away.
Ultrasonic devices are another way to keep invaders out of your garden.
Animals have a very sharp sense of hearing and can pick up low-frequency sounds easily.
You can plant an ultrasonic device that produces high-pitched ultrasonic sound in your garden.These sounds are not detectable to human ears; however, these sounds are very annoying to animals.
They can detect this sound from 12 meters away.
It can be a perfect and easy fix to your rabbit problems.
4. Guard Dog
Having a guard dog near your yard is another way to keep the rabbits away.
The dog will scare away the rabbits, so they will stop visiting and invading your plants. Moreover, dogs leave their marks on the territory, and their scent is detectable.
It will keep other invaders, including rabbits, from turning their way back from attacking your Hostas.
That’s all!
If you want to know more, here’s a YouTube video for you:
Now you know how to keep rabbits from eating Hostas.
Conclusion!
Growing and caring for your plants is a gratifying and hardworking process.
When this hard work gets wasted, it can be a bummer.
Hostas can spruce up your yard, but they also attract rabbits. If you are worried about how to keep rabbits from eating Hostas, then we have got you covered.
Please share with us which method of deterring worked best to keep rabbits away!
Regards.