Whether it’s the start of spring and you’re trying to be proactive about your garden, or you’ve already encountered nibbles on your cucumber plants, you might be wondering—do rabbits eat Cucumber plants?
Yes, rabbits love eating cucumber leaves and blossoms. Read on to learn more about how to keep these cute but destructive creatures away from your garden.
Parts of the Cucumber Plant That Rabbits Eat
Rabbits are herbivores and will gladly eat any part of your cucumber plant above the root. However, their preferred part of the plant is the blossoms and leaves.
Nevertheless, if your rabbits didn’t get to all of your cucumber plant’s blossoms and it starts to produce vegetables, they might also begin to nibble on them.
Cucumber plants offer rabbits many health benefits, including an excellent source of magnesium, fiber, and vitamin C. So, rabbits have internal programming to love these plants.
How To Tell if a Rabbit Is Eating Your Cucumber Plants
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine if a rabbit is eating your cucumber plants. Below are some tell-tale signs:
- Jagged edges on the leaves
- Rabbit footprints in the soil
- Small, round droppings near your plants
Tips To Keep Rabbits Away From Cucumber Plants
Rabbits can do a number on cucumber plants. But luckily, it’s easier to manage these little rascals than larger garden intruders like deer. Below are some of the best—and most humane—options.
Build a Fence
You don’t need a steel fence to keep rabbits from eating your cucumber plants. Instead, setting up permanent or makeshift netting that you can take down at the end of the season is an excellent choice.
Since rabbits can jump, ensure your fence is three feet high. Rabbits are also excellent diggers, so burying the netting at least six inches underground is also essential.
Use Ultrasonic Noises
You can purchase an electronic ultrasonic device from your local garden center to keep rabbits away from your cucumber plants.
Only certain animals can detect these high-pitched frequencies, including rabbits. However, young children may also be able to hear them. You can stake your ultrasonic device in the ground or attach it to a wall near your garden to keep wild rabbits away.
Buy a Garden Bed Cover
If you know you want a temporary fix for your cucumber plants, placing a garden bed cover over your plants is a less time-consuming option than building a fence.
We recommend buying your garden bed cover early in the season, as wild rabbits will begin munching on cucumber plants at their first sign of growth. These covers come in fabric or plastic varieties, and depending on their condition, you might be able to use them the following year.
Organic Repellents
You can also try creating homemade organic repellents to keep rabbits away from your cucumber plants. The effectiveness of these repellents tends to vary according to the rabbit.
Some people claim they’ve had success using coffee grounds to keep rabbits away. You can also try spreading banana peels and eggshells around the perimeter of your cucumber plants.
The Bottom Line
Rabbits love eating cucumber plants, especially the leaves and blossoms. For this reason, it’s vital to keep your plants protected from a rabbit’s reach, particularly before they start producing cucumbers.
When in doubt, we recommend setting up a physical barrier to deter rabbits—it’s the most fool-proof method, and your future salads with cucumber will thank you.