First they started to nibble on my hosta. Historically, I have a couple of varieties that are sometimes mowed down to ground level. Leaves are chewed at the tips or completely snapped off at the stalk. My assumption is that the poor critters are suffering from the lack of rain (Chicago area.) I've put chicken wire around the hosta that I most need/want to protect but I can barely make a dent. The destruction continues.

Now I'm really livid because in the last few days I've found broken scapes of Black Eyed Stella and multiple broken scapes of Stella D'oro.They are easy targets because of their thin scapes. I've trapped one young bunny and relocated him about a mile or so away. I don't think the damage is being done by more than a couple of his friends because we just don't seem to be overrun by rabbits.Yesterday I inadvertently trapped a chipmunk, which I released without relocating, but perhaps they are doing damage and the next sucker gets a one way ticket to where the bunny was dropped off.

If anyone else has rabbit problems can you please share if you have found a homemade concoction or commercial product that fends them off? I've read about all sorts of formulas but don't want to buy a pricey spray or mix if it doesn't work. The first thing I am thinking of trying is mixing some tabasco sauce with water and using a spray bottle for application. I've read that rabbits don't like ground up red cayenne pepper so tabasco sauce might work. I know that it has kept squirrels from nibbling at the cut surfaces of my carved pumpkins in the Fall.

I have great luck with a product called PlantSkydd, the liquid form and have used it for several years.

Thank you crawgarden. Do you use the granules or liquid spray? Either way, it's pricey.

I use the liquid spray, I use the granules in the fall to ward off voles, apply it on a calm wind day (it does have a smell). Read the directions, save the cap, the hyperlink has good info

https://www.plantskydd.com/how...

Are you sure the rabbits are doing the damage? This year I've found broken scapes but the culprits are stray cats. They like to lay amongst the daylilies. They usually don't cause damage to the leaves but break off the scapes. The plants also give them good cover to hunt critters. Just a thought.

I used the plastic fork method to protect my veggie seedlings from my cats, who like to dig in the raised bed. So far it has really worked. I have heard the forks also discourage rabbits and other critters. It might be worth a try.

I've just pulled out the forks recently as the seedlings are now big enough.

DeweyRooter said:I used the plastic fork method to protect my veggie seedlings from my cats, who like to dig in the raised bed. So far it has really worked. I have heard the forks also discourage rabbits and other critters. It might be worth a try.

I've just pulled out the forks recently as the seedlings are now big enough.

I do this with packets of cocktail sticks. I can buy a pack of 500 for a buck at the dollar store then plant them all round my plants in defensive positions. wooden BBQ skewers also work really well in amongst the cocktail sticks (pointy bit facing up and outwards), as do defensive rings of chicken-wire. However, they may work too well. When it comes to weeding I stab myself oh-so-many times! Another great thing is chilli or cayenne powder sprinkled around the plants you want to save (I use 100,000 on the Scoville scale https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BE05NUQ/). Rabbits have super-sensitive noses, so detest anything strong smelling. We also plant a defensive ring of marigolds around our vegetable patch as those plants stink. That works really well to deter rabbits and skunks (and is said to also deter the bad nematodes underground, but I have no evidence of that). Squirrels we occasionally will still get a visitor, however. For those I use a 1% peppermint oil spray, which may or may-not also work for rabbits.
There are also systemic repellents which are supposed to make plants taste yucky once absorbed:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FT2BYZ8/
Lots of interesting strategies out there. Even solar-powered ultrasonic motion-detection repellers (or equivalent using a sensor linked to a water sprayer).
Or you can buy female cayote urine and attract males to come and then eat the rabbits while looking for a mate.
But the absolute cheapest way to deter rabbits may be to just pee on your own garden! Humans are apex predators, and rabbits apparently do not like the smell of human urine (and the nitrogen is awesome for the plants).

https://www.offthegridnews.com...
Link that did not work in the last reply I gave regarding peeing on your own garden.
This place is very buggy when it comes to posting multiple URLs.