Marigolds rabbit repellent power comes from the strong smelly oils they release into the air. These plants make chemicals called thiophenes that create an odor rabbits can't stand. The scent overwhelms their sensitive noses and drives them away.
I planted a test border of marigolds around my bean patch three years ago to see if they worked. Within two weeks, I noticed the rabbits had stopped visiting that area. My other beds without marigolds still got munched, but the bean patch stayed untouched all summer.
The marigold aromatic oils work because rabbit noses are far more sensitive than ours. What smells like a mild flower scent to you hits a rabbit like a wall of perfume. The strong sulfur compounds in marigold oils smell bad to rabbits the same way a skunk smells bad to us.
These oils release from every part of the marigold plant. The flowers pump out scent all day long. The leaves give off oils when the wind rustles them. Even the roots release compounds into the soil that rabbits can detect. This makes marigolds work around the clock.
French Marigolds
- Scent strength: The most pungent type with the highest levels of thiophenes and other deterrent oils in their leaves and flowers.
- Plant size: Compact plants grow eight to twelve inches tall and work great as border edging around your vegetable beds.
- Best varieties: Look for Bonanza, Janie, or Safari series at your garden center for strong scent and easy care.
African Marigolds
- Scent strength: Milder smell than French types but still effective since they grow larger and produce more total scent volume.
- Plant size: These tall plants reach two to three feet and create a visual barrier along with the scent wall.
- Best use: Plant behind shorter flowers to add height while boosting your marigold garden protection levels.
Signet Marigolds
- Scent strength: Citrus-like smell that's pleasant to people but still keeps rabbits away from your garden beds.
- Bonus feature: Edible flowers you can add to salads while protecting your other crops at the same time.
- Growth habit: Low spreading plants fill in gaps fast and create dense mats of protection along borders.
Companion planting marigolds with veggies works great. Plant them in solid rows along your bed edges. Don't dot them here and there. A dense line creates a scent wall that rabbits must cross to reach your crops.
Space your marigolds about eight inches apart for French types and twelve inches for African varieties. This tight spacing fills in fast and creates no gaps in your scent shield. Water them well and they'll pump out rabbit-repelling oils all season.
My vegetable garden now has a complete ring of French marigolds around every bed. I add a few African types at the corners for extra height. The rabbits stay in the lawn where the clover grows and leave my tomatoes alone.
You can start marigolds from seed six to eight weeks before your last frost date. Or grab transplants at any garden center in spring for instant protection. Either way, get them in the ground as soon as possible so they can start working for you.
Read the full article: Rabbit Proof Flowers That Actually Work
