Fresh vegetables are one of the most important parts of your rabbit’s diet. If you have a green thumb or enjoying gardening, you can grow food for your rabbit at home. By growing your own fruits and veggies for your bunny, you not only save money but also know that their food is organic and free of pesticides.
If you don’t have a yard or space for a traditional garden, many of these plants can easily be grown in containers on a porch, deck, or balcony. Some can even be grown indoors with enough light. While you could conceivably grow any fruit or veggie that’s healthy for your bun, this article focuses on easy to grow plants great for beginners or gardening newbies.
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Veggies & Greens to Grow in Your Garden for Rabbits
Your rabbit’s diet should consist of 5-6 cups of vegetables each day (3/4 of which should be leafy greens and herbs). They can also have up to two tablespoons of fruit each day as a treat. Learn more about a healthy rabbit diet
Herbs
If you’re limited on space, herbs are very easy to grow in containers or even inside. They’re also perfect for new gardeners or even kids to grow. Since they can be grown indoors, you can grow herbs year round for your rabbit. We recommend hydroponic garden systems to easily grow herbs in your kitchen.
Basil – Easy to grow in gardens, containers, or even indoors. Basil leaves are delicious for bunnies and humans alike. Rabbits can also eat the flowers the plant produces at the end of each season. Just pinch them off before they bloom to keep the basil growing and your bun can have them as a snack.
Cilantro – Another super easy to grow herb that is perfect for rabbits. Easily grow it in gardens, pots, or indoors. Make sure to sow new seeds every few weeks to have fresh cilantro all summer long.
Dill – Dill is frequently called dill weed because it grows like a weed. That’s why we recommend growing dill in containers since it can easily take over your garden. Your bun will enjoy the flavorful leaves. (Learn All About Growing Dill)
Mint – Mint is another herb that grows out of control, making it easy for even the worst gardener to grow. Do not plant mint directly in the ground, it will take over your garden and yard. Instead, plant it in a pot and enjoy delicious mint for yourself and your rabbit all summer long.
Parsley – Easy to grow and good for bunnies, parsley grows well in the garden or in pots. It’s also great to grow indoors year round. (High in oxalic acid, so should be limited to one type per day)
Greens
I find greens that don’t grow in heads are the easiest for new gardeners, especially because they can be harvested throughout the growing season. Many of these greens can be grown in containers and even indoors.
Arugula – Grow in your garden or even a container. Arugula is best grown in spring and fall. They like full sun or partial shade.
Clover – Found naturally in many yards, you can grow clover specifically to feed your rabbit. I recommend either dedicating an area of your garden to clover or growing them in pots.
Dandelions – Yes, this weed is edible to humans and bunnies! But even if you don’t want to enjoy dandelion greens in your salad, your rabbit will love them. If your yard is pesticide free, you can feed your bun any dandelions growing there. Or you can grow them in your garden or in pots to provide fresh and safe dandelions. Since they’re a weed, they’re very easy to grow.
Kale – Another spring and fall green, kale is very hardy to grow in cool weather and perfect if you live in an area with a shorter growing season. Kale grows best in garden beds.
Spinach – Good for human and bunny salads, spinach is another spring/fall crop. I recommend planting it in your garden bed between tall crops like tomatoes or beans, which will provide the spinach shade. (High in oxalic acid, so should be limited to one type per day)
Other Veggies
Bell Peppers – Peppers grow really well during hot summer weather and are easy to grow outdoors in areas with full sun. You can even grow them in pots (5 gallons or larger works best), just make sure to keep them well watered and put them in a spot where they’ll get enough sun.
Broccoli – Broccoli is a perfect veggie to grow for yourself and rabbits. Since bunnies should only eat leaves and stems, you can feed them leaves all summer while your broccoli head grows. They grow best in traditional garden beds.
Carrots – This is another great vegetable to grow for bunny and yourself. While the carrots themselves should only be given to rabbits in small quantities, carrot tops count as greens for your rabbit. If you don’t like carrots, you can just grow the greens and harvest them for your bun before the carrots grow full-sized. Carrots grow well in garden beds or in deep containers (12″ or more deep).
Radishes – Rabbits can’t eat radishes, but their greens are perfect for bunnies. If you enjoy radishes, I recommend growing them in your garden so you can give your bun the tops. They’re relatively easy to grow, though they do best in garden beds. (High in oxalic acid, so should be limited to one type per day)
Zucchini Squash – If you’ve ever had a zucchini plant or two in your garden, you know how July and August are filled with a bumper crop of zucchini squash. Luckily, your rabbit can enjoy some as well. Zucchini squash does best in traditional gardens with full sun.
Fruit to Grow for Bunnies
Fruit should only be given to your rabbit as a treat (a maximum of 2 tablespoons per day for a 6 lb. rabbit), but you can easily grow fresh fruit to give as a treat or even dehydrate it to serve year round. Many of the safe to eat fruits for bunnies require growing a tree, but these suggestions are a little bit easier than that.
Blueberries – If you have the space and are willing to commit to planting a bush or two, blueberries are pretty easy to grow and make a great treat for your rabbits.
Raspberries – This is another fruit that takes a little bit of commitment. They grow on “canes” that come back year after year. One of the bonuses with raspberry plants is rabbits can have them as a treat and eat the leaves as greens.
Strawberries – Strawberries are super easy to grow. They’re great for all levels of gardening experience and can be grown in containers or gardens. I like using dedicated planters because strawberries will send out runners that can be planted to create a lovely patch.
Learn more about a healthy rabbit diet.
If you’re new to gardening, check out the essential gardening tools for beginners and 10 common beginer mistakes for container gardeners.