What do you saywhen your 5 year-old hands you a headless rabbit?
Yeah, I was tongue-tied too.
We were out working in the yardwhen I pointed out to Prairie Girl that her barn cat was carrying a freshly-caught bunny in its mouth.
A split-second later, I heard “Here, Mommy” and turned around to see her holdinga decapitated rabbit by it’s hind legs.
Followed by, “Hang on, I’ll get the head too…”
I stuttered for a minute beforequickly explaining the rabbit was beyond the point of saving. Prairie Girl begrudgingly returned the bunny to the annoyed cat, and I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of my blonde-headed little girl wrestling a headless rabbit from the mouth of a hungry kitty. She seems to have inherited her mama’s strong stomach.
But that brings us to the topic of rabbits.
We have a rabbit epidemic…
It wasn’t so bad when we had our two athletic dogs, but ever since they passed away, the bunny population has sky-rocketed. Our remaining dogs (an old, fat one, and a big, slow one) just aren’t cutting it, and although the barn cats will grab one here and there, they still aren’t making a dent.
Truthfully, the rabbits wouldn’t bother me much if they would just stay away from my vegetables. We have a fence around the garden (hog panels plus chicken wire at the bottom), but I think they are still squeezing in somewhere.
And they have done a very thorough job of eating every.single.one of my cucumber plants down to the nubs.
I’m not impressed.
Because I want pickles.;
I’ve been doing a lot of research lately on rabbit repelling sprays, and versions of this liquid fence recipe get rave reviews. The key is to make it stinky… Very, very stinky.
So I mixed up a BIG batch of this homemade liquid fence recipe and have been spraying it religiously.
Some folks say it works for deer too, but since we don’t have deer problems in our garden, I can’t vouch for that.
Homemade Liquid Fence® Recipe
- 2 eggs
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoondish soap (I use this kind– affiliate link)
- 10-20 drops clove essential oil — optional (my favorite essential oils)
- 1 gallon water
- Pump sprayer (like this one)
Crack theeggs and combine them with the garlic and water in a bucket (use an old bucket you don’t mind getting icky).
Cover the mixture, and set it outside in the sun for 24-48 hours. Yup, that’s right. We want it to ferment and fester and get really, er… strong.
After it’s had time to get nice and smelly, strain out the garlic chunks, then mix in the soap and clove essential oil.
Place the liquid fence mixture in a sprayerand spray generously around any area of your garden or yard that is being overtaken by rabbits.
I spray mine around the perimeter of my garden, in between the rows that are having the most problems (cucumbers!), and even on some of the plants.
Reapply after heavy rains or watering.
Notes:
- WEAR GLOVES with you apply this stuff! This liquid fence recipe stinks like crazy and the garlic makes it hard to wash off your skin completely. It doesn’t burn or anything. It just stinks.
- I use a garden sprayer for myliquid fence recipe. It makes the application process much easier, as compared to using a small spray bottle. Although, if a small sprayer is all you have, it’ll still work, your hand just might get tired.
- As with any spray I might be using on my plants, I try to apply this in the evenings and avoid the heat of the day. Sometimes a spray, combined with the sun’s rays, can “burn” a plant’s leaves a bit. I haven’t had any problems thus far, but just FYI.
- You can totally cut this liquid fence recipe in half if you want to make a smaller amount.
- I let my sprayer sit a few days before cleaning it, and the egg residue clogged it up a bit. It’s best to use a full batch and then clean everything out between uses, if possible.
- Have old eggs or even slightly rotten ones? This is a great way to get rid of them! The stinkier, the better…
- If you don’t have clove essential oil, you can add 10-15 whole cloves to your liquid fence recipe and allow it to steep with the garlic before straining. Or, just omit the cloves altogether.
MY OTHER TRICKS FOR NATURALLY BATTLING PESTS:
- Organic Pest Control Spray for Gardens
- Homemade Fly Spray Recipe
- Natural Strategies for Fly Control in the Chicken Coop
- DIY Bug Bite Relief Stick
- 20+ Natural Insect Repellent Recipes
FAQs
1 cup sour milk, sour cream, or buttermilk 2 eggs beaten and strained 5 drops liquid dish soap five drops cooking oil or dormant oil Page 3 20 drops of essential oil of cloves Top off 1 gallon container with water. Shake well. Spray as a light mist. Respray every 2-3 weeks.
What are the ingredients in liquid fence? ›
Active Ingredients
| Putrescent Whole Egg Solids | 1.040% |
|---|
| Sodium Lauryl Sulfate | 0.040% |
| Potassium Sorbate | 0.495% |
| Thyme Oil | 0.010% |
| Other Ingredients* | 98.041% |
4 more rows5 Best Rabbit Repellents
- Nature's Mace Deer and Rabbit Repellent.
- Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent Concentrate.
- Plantskydd Soluble Powder Concentrate.
- Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent Ready-to-Use.
- Plantskydd Organic Granular Animal Repellent.
- Milorganite® Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer.
1 cup sour milk, sour cream, or buttermilk 2 eggs beaten and strained 5 drops liquid dish soap five drops cooking oil or dormant oil Page 3 20 drops of essential oil of cloves Top off 1 gallon container with water. Shake well. Spray as a light mist. Respray every 2-3 weeks.
Can you eat vegetables sprayed with liquid fence? ›
Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent is not recommended for use on edibles. If the produce has been treated directly, we recommend throwing it out as this product is made of rotten eggs and the risk of ingestion could make someone sick.
How often should you apply Liquid Fence? ›
Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent withstands up to one inch of rain per week and only needs to be applied once per month. If you experience more than 4 inches of rain/watering in less than 4 weeks, you will need to reapply the product. Make sure all vegetation is dry before reapplying.
What smell do rabbits hate the most? ›
Although rabbit-proof plants don't exist, there are some that rabbits don't like because of their strong scents such as basil, garlic, rhubarb, hot peppers, spicy basil, and mint. Some gardeners say that marigolds keep rabbits out of their gardens, while others say rabbits actually like the marigolds they planted.
What is the recipe for rabbit repellent? ›
To make this rabbit repellent, first fill a one gallon container, such as a milk jug, with water. Crush 5 garlic cloves and add then to the water. Add a teaspoon of crushed red peppers and 1 tablespoon of dish soap. Shake the container very well and then place in outdoors in the direct sun for two days.
What is the recipe for natural rabbit repellent? ›
The citrus scent is unpleasant to rabbits, and the spray will discourage them from eating your plants. To make your rabbit repellent, mix equal parts water and citrus juice in a spray bottle and apply it to your plants.
What is the best homemade deer repellent? ›
A mixture of hot sauce, garlic powder, liquid dish soap, and water keeps deer away. Other scents they don't like are mint, oregano, sage, and thyme. Add these to your garden to repel deer.
We have used every commercial spray that is out there. NOTHING worked, until I discovered Liquid Fence. They claim that it will last a 4-6 weeks even if it rains.
What do farmers use to repel deer? ›
Area repellants are applied on or around the plants desired to be protected, using odors to repel deer. Examples of area repellants considered effective for white-tailed deer are putrescent egg solids, ammonia soaps of higher fatty acids, predator urine, blood or meat meal, human hair, and bar soap.
Is Liquid Fence safe for tomatoes? ›
Yes it is. You can use it on the plants until the fruit appears. At that time, I am very careful to spray it around the plant. Also, I have found that after applying it for awhile, I only have to spray it around the parameter of the garden to keep them out.
How long does liquid fence smell last? ›
Smells like a mixture of garlic, pepper and eggs. Not the most pleasant aroma but the smell doesn't stay on the flowers for very long. We cut the roses for bouquets and the Liquid Fence odor is gone after about a day. Clearly the deer can still smell it though.
Does liquid fence repel rodents? ›
Use in yards, landscapes and gardens to repel mice, rabbits, raccoons, squirrels and other small mammals. For outdoor residential use only. Do not apply this product if bees or other pollinators are foraging in the treatment area.
What are the ingredients in Liquid Fence snake repellent? ›
Chemical Composition/Ingredients
| Mentha arvensis (peppermint) leaf oil | 068917-18-0 | 290-058-5 |
|---|
| Sodium benzoate | 000532-32-1 | 208-534-8 |
| Water | 007732-18-5 | 231-791-2 |
| Animal glue | 009000-70-8 | 232-554-6 |
| Starch, acid-hydrolyzed | 065996-63-6 | -- |
8 more rowsJul 29, 2014
Nice to know that it's friendly to the environment as well. Smells like a mixture of garlic, pepper and eggs. Not the most pleasant aroma but the smell doesn't stay on the flowers for very long. We cut the roses for bouquets and the Liquid Fence odor is gone after about a day.
Is Liquid Fence safe to use around dogs? ›
Yes, Liquid Fence Deer Rabbit Repellent is safe for use around pets if used as directed. Be sure to keep pets out of the area while the product is being applied. Once the product has dried completely, it is safe for them to return to the area.
How long does Liquid Fence smell last? ›
If you only want to protect a few shrubs or plants the premix would probably be easier. There is one drawback, this stuff really stinks. It takes about 2 hours for the smell to go away. If your planning a backyard barbecue, spray at least two hours before hand.
