I have noticed one thing in common in the gardens I have done spring cleanups in: lots of rabbit poop! There seems to have been an explosion in the rabbit population in my Kanata suburb of Ottawa. I see quite a few rabbits on my evening walks through our neighborhood so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the increased amount of their poop in the gardens. Now that the snow has finally (mostly) melted away for another year, the rabbit poop is everywhere!
The good news is that rabbit poop is great for your garden.
Hot vs Cold Manure
Cow, steer, sheep or chicken manure is considered “hot” meaning it requires an aging or composting process before use. Otherwise, it will burn your plants. For that reason, be sure when you use this type that the label says “composted.” Rabbit poop, however, is “cold” manure requiring no such process before use. That’s because it is fermented and broken down in the rabbit’s gut before leaving its body.
The other advantage of rabbit manure is that it only has a mild smell to it. The smell actually brings back childhood memories of the pet rabbits my father used to bring home each spring at Easter time.
What it Looks Like
Rabbit poop presents in small, round(ish), light brown balls…you can’t miss them…
How to Use This Free Fertilizer
Simply dig the round pellets into the soil between the plants, providing a nitrogen-rich fertilizer for your garden. You can also add a pile of poop to your composter as a nitrogen layer. Another option is to make compost tea by adding a pile of poop to a bucket of water. Stir it well and frequently for a few days, and then pour the “tea” onto your garden.
Any way you use it, rabbit poop is a free and convenient fertilizer for your garden!
