Marigolds as Rabbit and pest protection??

Ezzrider · 09-20-2009, 07:17 PM

I planted Marigolds as a border around my garden in the spring to help keep out rabbits and other pests. I do have rabbits on my property. I also installed a 24” high garden fence around the garden. I had no rabbit or animals in my garden during the spring. My fall garden is much larger and I have not yet planted a border of Marigolds as a buffer around my garden. I do have a 24" high garden fence up. This is a surface only fence. I was wondering given all the info on rabbits should I also plant Marigolds again as a border around my garden??

smwlindy · 09-21-2009, 11:20 AM

It sounds like your rabbits have different tastes than ours. The ones in our neighborhood eat marigolds--I've seen them munching on them. Sigh.

The most effective barrier plant I've found is onions. We've used red onions or green onion, both have worked like a charm around our otherwise unprotected spinach bed. I like to eat the onions & the bunnies don't like being around them, which is wonderfully convenient. The red onions weren't even spaced that closely--probably about 1 every foot. I've also heard that garlic is effective but haven't tried that yet.
Good luck!

Ezzrider · 09-22-2009, 06:09 AM

Originally posted by smwlindy:

It sounds like your rabbits have different tastes than ours. The ones in our neighborhood eat marigolds--I've seen them munching on them. Sigh.

The most effective barrier plant I've found is onions. We've used red onions or green onion, both have worked like a charm around our otherwise unprotected spinach bed. I like to eat the onions & the bunnies don't like being around them, which is wonderfully convenient. The red onions weren't even spaced that closely--probably about 1 every foot. I've also heard that garlic is effective but haven't tried that yet.
Good luck!

Thanks and that is exactly why I asked the question about the marigolds. I had been told they were an effective deterent for rabbits and I had no rabbits in my spring garden with the marigolds planted. Of course I also had a 24" garden fence around my garden. My concern came when I read in this forum about rabbits digging under fences to get to the garden. We also like onions so I will look into possibly planting some but my garden is already fully planted. I could plant them along the outside of my garden fence or up against the inside as that gets watered along with the rest of the garden with my sprinkler system. Thanks again.

Dick Shannon · 10-17-2009, 05:31 PM

I never tired onions until 2 years ago, when I was standing in front of a seed rack next to another guy. We chatted briefly about getting our gardens going, then he asked me if I had seen onion sets for sale at any place nearby. I told him where I had seen some, then said, "Hey, tell me a little about growing onions, I think I'd like to try them." And I asked him what kind he grew, and how they worked out, how they were to eat, etc.

His reply, "Oh we don't eat them, we just grow them all around the garden to keep out the critters. It works great."

This is in central NH.

I have been growing marigolds all over my garden to try to repel squash bugs, cucumber beetles, etc. They look beautiful, and attract bees, but don't seem to repel the bug pests.

I need a fence to keep my cat out of the garden -- "ooh, soft dirt to dig in" !!!
Then the dog goes prospecting for buried treasure (yuck!) and my garden gets dug up twice.

Good luck with the onions and the rabbits.

I had great luck with Yellow Spanish and Rossa di Toscana (red). Both were very vigorous growers, and I got great yields. I started them in homemade paper cups made by wrapping a strip of newspaper around a vitamin bottle and taping it closed.

Dreyadin · 10-18-2009, 01:51 AM

They don't care much for garlic and chives either (basically that whole plant family). There was something else too... gah.. maybe crown imperials?

derfberger · 06-28-2012, 03:08 PM

something is eating them. while i suspect a rabbit as i see him in the front yard they are not nibbled to the ground like a rabbit would.

looks more like an insect as most of the leaves gone leaving stem

what about earwigs?

Walk · 07-01-2012, 03:07 PM

I've seen cottontails jump a 24" fence. If they can see something they want and they are hungry enough, up and over they will go. Maybe the fence with a screen of onions would do the trick? How about walking onions? They're perennial even in Minnesota and the foliage stays upright all season unlike bulb onions or garlic which go down in July.

09-20-2009, 07:17 PM	#1
Ezzrider Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 85	Marigolds as Rabbit and pest protection?? I planted Marigolds as a border around my garden in the spring to help keep out rabbits and other pests. I do have rabbits on my property. I also installed a 24” high garden fence around the garden. I had no rabbit or animals in my garden during the spring. My fall garden is much larger and I have not yet planted a border of Marigolds as a buffer around my garden. I do have a 24" high garden fence up. This is a surface only fence. I was wondering given all the info on rabbits should I also plant Marigolds again as a border around my garden??

06-28-2012, 03:08 PM	#6
derfberger Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: mi Posts: 1	marigolds something is eating them. while i suspect a rabbit as i see him in the front yard they are not nibbled to the ground like a rabbit would. looks more like an insect as most of the leaves gone leaving stem what about earwigs?

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09-21-2009, 11:20 AM	#2
smwlindy Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: St. Paul MN Posts: 397	It sounds like your rabbits have different tastes than ours. The ones in our neighborhood eat marigolds--I've seen them munching on them. Sigh. The most effective barrier plant I've found is onions. We've used red onions or green onion, both have worked like a charm around our otherwise unprotected spinach bed. I like to eat the onions & the bunnies don't like being around them, which is wonderfully convenient. The red onions weren't even spaced that closely--probably about 1 every foot. I've also heard that garlic is effective but haven't tried that yet. Good luck!

10-17-2009, 05:31 PM	#4
Dick Shannon still learning Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Z5a, 9 mi W of Laconia NH Posts: 487	I never tired onions until 2 years ago, when I was standing in front of a seed rack next to another guy. We chatted briefly about getting our gardens going, then he asked me if I had seen onion sets for sale at any place nearby. I told him where I had seen some, then said, "Hey, tell me a little about growing onions, I think I'd like to try them." And I asked him what kind he grew, and how they worked out, how they were to eat, etc. His reply, "Oh we don't eat them, we just grow them all around the garden to keep out the critters. It works great." This is in central NH. I have been growing marigolds all over my garden to try to repel squash bugs, cucumber beetles, etc. They look beautiful, and attract bees, but don't seem to repel the bug pests. I need a fence to keep my cat out of the garden -- "ooh, soft dirt to dig in" !!! Then the dog goes prospecting for buried treasure (yuck!) and my garden gets dug up twice. Good luck with the onions and the rabbits. I had great luck with Yellow Spanish and Rossa di Toscana (red). Both were very vigorous growers, and I got great yields. I started them in homemade paper cups made by wrapping a strip of newspaper around a vitamin bottle and taping it closed.

10-18-2009, 01:51 AM	#5
Dreyadin Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: IL Posts: 539	They don't care much for garlic and chives either (basically that whole plant family). There was something else too... gah.. maybe crown imperials?

07-01-2012, 03:07 PM	#7
Walk Homesteader Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Winona, MN Posts: 198	I've seen cottontails jump a 24" fence. If they can see something they want and they are hungry enough, up and over they will go. Maybe the fence with a screen of onions would do the trick? How about walking onions? They're perennial even in Minnesota and the foliage stays upright all season unlike bulb onions or garlic which go down in July.