You work hard to create a beautiful, lush garden and you don’t mind sharing in its bounty with friends and family. Rabbits and deer, on the other hand, are unwelcome garden guests that can cause severe damage to your crops. When fences and barriers don’t work, use your green thumb to help deter these critters from destroying your garden by planting repellant plants around your property. 

What’s Attracting Deer and Rabbits to Your Garden?

The best way to deal with unwanted pests is to eliminate what’s attracting them. Unfortunately, that’s not easy with any home garden.  Both deer and rabbits love to nibble on all the same veggies you do including lettuce, beans, peas, and strawberries. It’s also common for them to devour blossoms, flowers, and fresh leaves from shrubs. 

Plants That Repel and Deter Rabbits and Deer

It makes sense that deer and rabbits are attracted to your vegetables, fruits, and flowers. They’re great food sources. But, there are many plants that these animals simply do not want to be around due to the strong scent. 

Plants That Deter Rabbits

Bunnies are cute, but not if they’re eating your produce. For an effective, natural way to keep rabbits out of your garden and away from your crops, plant one (or several) of the following plants:

  • English Lavender
  • Common Sage
  • Columbine
  • Purple Rhododendron
  • Ornamental Onion

Plants That Repel Deer

When you spot deer grazing and their fawns playing in a field, it’s a wonderful sight. In your garden, they can be extremely destructive. Keep hungry deer at bay with these plants:

  • Irises
  • Oregano
  • Marigolds
  • Bee Balm
  • Chives

Can Plants Really Deter Rabbits and Deer From Eating My Garden?

Keeping deer and rabbits from destroying your garden isn’t easy, and there is no guarantee that they’ll stay away. However, planting some or all of the plants listed here can help since they generally prefer tastier, less fragrant meals. Call Anthony’s Lawn Care at (812) 345-5694 to learn more about how to deter rabbits and deer from your garden with plants.