Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →

How to Prevent Rabbits from Eating Impatiens

...
Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Impatiens, visually popular garden flowers, sometimes become food for rabbits, which can ruin a season’s worth of hard work in just a few minutes. Impatiens are known as rabbit-resistant plants, but rabbits nevertheless sometimes eat the delicate flowers' petals and leaves. Providing protection from rabbits for your impatiens can be challenging, but the sight of beautiful, healthy and whole impatiens in your flower garden is worth the effort.

Apply a hot pepper spray to the plants. Available at many gardening stores, hot pepper spray causes a burning sensation in the rabbit’s mouth. This may discourage a rabbit from repeat visits. Most of the sprays are simply applied to the leaves and flowers of the plant, but read the label’s directions.

  • Impatiens, visually popular garden flowers, sometimes become food for rabbits, which can ruin a season’s worth of hard work in just a few minutes.

Sprinkle dried blood around the impatiens. The blood’s scent is typically off-putting to rabbits and will keep them from going near the plant. The nutrients in the blood are also often beneficial to the plant and will melt into the soil.

Place motion-detectors that create sound in the garden. Motion-detectors that produce a loud make noise when tripped are often enough to keep rabbits away.

Plant flowers known to repel rabbits around your impatiens. A variety of annuals, perennials, shrubs and ground covers are known to sometimes keep rabbits away. Forget-me-nots, asters, vinca and rosemary, among others, are often effective in preventing rabbits from getting near and destroying impatiens.

  • Sprinkle dried blood around the impatiens.
  • The blood’s scent is typically off-putting to rabbits and will keep them from going near the plant.

Install a fence around the impatiens. Chicken wire or other wire with openings of 1 inch or smaller are often effective when placed around the flowers. Push the fence 3 to 6 inches down into the ground and wrap the fence completely around the impatiens. Alternatively, bend the bottom of the fence outward at a 90-degree angle and bury the fold several inches below the surface to prevent rabbits from digging underneath.

Tip

Remove from around your garden any thick brush or other vegetation in which rabbits may hide.

Hot pepper spray, dried blood, motion-detectors and wire are often available at hardware stores or garden centers.

Related Articles

Flowers to Keep Squirrels Away
Flowers to Keep Squirrels Away
Slugs & Impatiens
Slugs & Impatiens
How to Keep Deer Away From Hostas
How to Keep Deer Away From Hostas
Plants That Keep Ticks Away
Plants That Keep Ticks Away
How to Keep Rabbits Out of Flower Beds
How to Keep Rabbits Out of Flower Beds
Flowers That Rabbits Don't Eat
Flowers That Rabbits Don't Eat
Impatiens & Ants
Impatiens & Ants
Homemade Pest Control for Petunias
Homemade Pest Control for Petunias
Is a Citronella Plant Toxic to Dogs?
Is a Citronella Plant Toxic to Dogs?
Why Do the Leaves on Impatiens Turn Yellow?
Why Do the Leaves on Impatiens Turn Yellow?
How to Deter Chipmunks From Eating Flowers
How to Deter Chipmunks From Eating Flowers
Can My Rabbit Eat Rose Bushes?
Can My Rabbit Eat Rose Bushes?
How to Deadhead Dianthus Flowers
How to Deadhead Dianthus Flowers
Animals That Eat Hibiscus Plants
Animals That Eat Hibiscus Plants
Deer-Resistant Begonias
Deer-Resistant Begonias
Perennials Rabbits Do Not Eat
Perennials Rabbits Do Not Eat
Sedum Autumn Joy & Deer
Sedum Autumn Joy & Deer
Garden Guides
×