When you have just one rabbit family........

"When you have just one rabbit family, it's kind of neat and you don't mind if they eat some of the beans. But all of a sudden you have 10 rabbit families and there's no beans left for you. Then they become pests rather than valuable parts of the backyard ecosystem," says Ed Langenau, a game specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.*

RABBITS: Hinder is a growing-season repellent for rabbits and deer. A mixture of ammonia and a fatty acid soap, it may be sprayed on plants including vegetables and fruits. It has two drawbacks: Hinder must be reapplied every week or two to be effective on new plant growth; and it washes off with rain. Other repellents are generally more expensive and have the same drawbacks.

Some seed companies offer small electric fences for home gardens. These are effective but the initial cost, about $50, may be a drawback. The space under the electric fence must be kept free of vegetation. The fence produces a mild shock to anything, including people and pets, that touches it.

A non-electric, rabbit-proof fence should have mesh no larger than one inch to keep out babies. Dudderar suggests buying a 4-foot width and bending out or burying the lower 6 to 12 inches. Metal or plastic wire must be thick so rabbits can't chew through it.