Garden Sage: Rabbit

Fencing is the only viable solution to keep rabbits away from plants that they enjoy eating.

Q: We moved into our home in 1970, and there was a small grapefruit tree growing in the back yard. We don't know how old the tree is, but it isย healthy and always produces hundreds of delicious grapefruit every year.ย Today I noticed that a cottontail rabbit was under the treeย eating someย ofย the leaves. There are a lot of cottontails in our neighborhood, but I didn't know that theyย eat grapefruit leaves. In the summerย I always seeย a few damaged leavesย in different places in the tree, but Iย thought that was caused by a leafcutter.ย My question is: what can I do toย keepย rabbits from eating the leaves?

A: Fencing is really the only prevention for keeping rabbits and other four-legged creatures away from desirable plants. If that isnโ€™t an option you might consider doing nothing. Since your tree seems to be doing fine producing so much fruit and because rabbits can't climb trees, I recommend letting them eat the low hanging leaves. ย Most plants can tolerate some defoliation and still remain healthy and produce flowers and fruit. ย I would say the same thing about leaf-cutter bees. ย They only cause cosmetic damage to the tree.

Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. ย Questions may be emailed to tucsongardensage@gmail.com.


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