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Post by ladymarmalade on Jan 10, 2014 9:33:34 GMT -5
At our last home, my hubby built me these amazing raised beds that were 2 feet tall. Like an idiot, I planted and tended, and couldn't figure out why things kept disappearing until the day I caught the rabbit red handed in the bean patch. I was floored that the rabbits had hopped up onto these two foot tall beds, but you can be assured that the very next day we worked all day to make and attach fences to each raised bed. Rabbit problem gone, though we had a lean harvest that year.
Now at our new home, the whole garden is fenced in. It's a nice fence (needs a new gate this spring) lined with chicken wire along the bottom. We are slowly filling this space with raised beds, though this time they are only a foot off the ground.
Is the fencing around the garden area going to be enough? Or are city rabbits crazy enough to go Peter Rabbit on me and try to get underneath the fence? They have been very much enjoying our compost bin this winter- which doesn't bother me at all because while they're sitting there nibbling on yesterday's frozen veggies, they are also adding abundantly to the compost pile. The compost is outside the garden, but not far from it.
I honestly don't want to have to fence all the individual raised beds. Past experience though tells me that if I want a great harvest, I need to double fence. I have my bird netting to cover and keep the squirrels out, but I'm not set on what to do about the rabbits. Oh, how I wish we had a neighborhood tomcat! What do the great minds at NJT think?
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billh
Pro Member
Posts: 231
Zone:: 6a
Joined: December 2011
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Post by billh on Jan 10, 2014 18:24:00 GMT -5
Good luck.
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Post by daylilydude on Jan 10, 2014 19:17:30 GMT -5
I have free cats...
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jan 10, 2014 20:45:29 GMT -5
And here I was ready to offer my favorite recipes.
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Post by stratcat on Jan 10, 2014 22:37:42 GMT -5
Hi, Ladymarmalade. Even tho' I use plenty of fencing to protect my plants, I haven't noticed rabbits digging under them. That's a great idea to have the chicken wire on the bottom to keep out the baby rabbits. They can really squeeze through a small opening. It's great to check the perimeter of the fence every year for openings. Lately, I always miss an opening and end up with one of those little pests in my cottage garden. They know where the food is; all-you-can-eat buffet. I've live-trapped a couple rabbits and let them go out in the country. One was caught up on my porch. Yeah, they can jump. When I received a roll of the 2" chicken wire by mistake, I saw a baby rabbit run right through it.
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Post by izitmidnight on Jan 10, 2014 22:39:45 GMT -5
If you put the chicken wire fencing six inches into the ground, it will help. You have a good plan in place.
I made peace with the rabbits at the garden. I plant on the outside edge of the garden, their favorite food and immediately behind it something they don't like. They usually wont cross over into the rest of the garden. I sacrifice to the rabbits and deer. My garden has done better for it.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jan 11, 2014 12:28:46 GMT -5
Thank you for the positive thoughts. I know I'm overthinking, but I've had way too many years in a row where "this is going to be the year the garden is amazing", and then something happens like critters, moving, damping off of seedlings, etc.
It occured to me this morning that I should keep an eye on the garden space while there is snow on the ground. We don't go back there right now, so it would be easy to see tracks and if there is anyplace in particular the rabbits are squeezing in or finding to their liking.
I am worried that we have an awful lot of rabbits... There is literally a trail of droppings across the yard. A big trail. Ten years ago or so our city shifted to a major crackdown on feral cats and dogs. It's worked spectacularly- I haven't seen a cat since we moved here four years ago. But I think they didn't count on their crackdown affecting the rodents. The rabbit and squirrel populations are through the roof! Our neighbor last year trapped and dispatched over 40 grey squirrels.
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Post by coppice on Jan 11, 2014 15:16:57 GMT -5
Our neighbor last year trapped and dispatched over 40 grey squirrels. If you can't keep a cat or Jack Russel terrier of your own, its looking like a trap to me too. In order for a JRT to live up to his full hunting potential, don't have him/her fixed. JRT great ratter.
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Post by w8in4dave on Jan 15, 2014 11:15:04 GMT -5
My hubbs would shot it and eat it!! Use the veggies in your garden to spice it up!
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jun 1, 2017 19:20:46 GMT -5
I decided to look for a thread about rabbits and made myself laugh when I realized that the one I was looking for was mine! Wow, how times change! And how I overthought that rabbit proof fence, as our landlord there literally went psycho on us and we moved FAST. I'd planted that garden very early and ended up harvesting every last scrap in early July when we fled to a safer harbor. So now here I am, 3 years later, settled into a much nicer yard and garden situation. My home garden truly IS a rabbit proof fortress. My community plot however, is not. Last year I had to plant my green beans several times before the rabbits moved on to someone else's pasture. We're not allowed to put up perimeter fencing, so we've had to get creative. The first year I let the weeds grow around the border. I think those weeds hid the garden behind, and I emerged from that season mostly unscathed. However, we're supposed to keep the weeds down and I got a small scolding by TPTB for my lack of weeding. So I know a lot of people plant marigolds to foil rabbits. I dunno... I've seen rabbits EATING marigolds, so I'm not convinced. What I do is plant onion sets all the way around the edge of my garden. That works well once the onions have grown some green tops, but in the meantime I need something else. Yesterday as I was putting down my landscape fabric, I took the time to eyeball the neighboring gardens, and sure enough, I see bean stalks with no leaves, purple broccoli with no leaves, and a few other things that are definitely nibbled off. Still, I plant my cabbage and kales hoping that the bunny will prefer the neighbor's beans. This morning I found that two outer leaves of one of the cabbages (one of the innermost plants strangely) was sampled- and I saw bunny prints across my black fabric. So today I resorted to critter granules. I thought those would be kinder to the other gardeners than the liquid solutions. I sprinkled them all around the brassicas and then decided to sprinkle around the peppers and eggplants as well to hopefully send the deer away. I know we have problems with deer as well, and if it's one thing I've found deer really like, it's tender young pepper and eggplant plants. Once I got home I also sprinkled them in the pots that have my morning glories and sweet peas in them, as the squirrels think they have buried treasure there. I will report back on the granules and how they are working as the season goes on.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 1, 2017 19:44:37 GMT -5
Yesterday, I had to re-plant ALL of my beans, due to rabbits, so I declared war! I'll let you know how many I get rid of, and how I do it. I am thinking of putting some of that bird netting down on the ground - maybe they will get tangled up in it.
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Post by meandtk on Jun 1, 2017 21:11:16 GMT -5
I think you should be able to find a repellant recipe online. I once saw one with red pepper.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 1, 2017 21:53:06 GMT -5
I have thrown ground up excess ghost peppers that I have, under my shed, and many of the areas I've had rabbit problems, but to no avail. And rabbit scram helps some, but not forever - I guess they become immune to it.
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Post by daylilydude on Jun 2, 2017 4:43:12 GMT -5
This is going to sound crazy, but the wife and I have one of those vacuum cleaners with the cup you can empty and 2 house dogs, so when we vacuum we save it in a bucket on the back porch so it doesn't get wet and when I get enough I just carry it out and sprinkle it around the garden area... i'm not real sure that it keeps them away but they haven't gotten anywhere near my garden... hope I just didn't jinx myself...
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jun 2, 2017 10:01:25 GMT -5
Yesterday, I had to re-plant ALL of my beans, due to rabbits, so I declared war! I'll let you know how many I get rid of, and how I do it. I am thinking of putting some of that bird netting down on the ground - maybe they will get tangled up in it. Two years ago before my Garden Boy re-did my fence, I found rabbits getting into my fenced garden via tiny holes. So I got clever and took what I had lying around- which was a TON of bird netting. I zip tied it to the fence all over, thinking that would stop the bunnies. It worked in places. All season I had bunnies still finding holes. BUT the most memorable thing was the time we found 4 baby bunnies all twisted up in the excess netting. It was actually kind of disturbing to me, and that was when I discovered that I can not dispatch an animal myself. I held my pitchfork in my hand and thought really hard about eliminating future rabbit problems. Sigh. And then we helped the bunnies get free so they could hop away. I'm thankful I have my son to dispose of mice for me. Not sure if he would be able to take care of the rabbits in that way either.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jun 2, 2017 10:06:13 GMT -5
I think you should be able to find a repellant recipe online. I once saw one with red pepper. Last year I used straight up cayenne pepper. I bought the institutional sized container at Sam's club so I had plenty. I used a spray bottle of water to dampen the plants and then shook the cayenne all over. I definitely think it worked as a repellent, but I had to reapply it often. I thought about just doing that again, but my cabbage plants are so small! Plus, I'm hoping we'll get a one-two punch on dismissing the deer as well. Last year the deer completely ate up my neighbor's row of beets. Didn't eat anything else, but ate both of his sowings of beets. The granules are heavier and should remain at the base of the plants unless we get a hard rain or wind. Of course, they can't be used on the leaves and as we get closer to harvest I shouldn't use them at all. But by then my onions should be tall and I should be good to go! In theory, of course. I have to go over and check yet today to see how we fared the night.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jun 2, 2017 10:07:07 GMT -5
This is going to sound crazy, but the wife and I have one of those vacuum cleaners with the cup you can empty and 2 house dogs, so when we vacuum we save it in a bucket on the back porch so it doesn't get wet and when I get enough I just carry it out and sprinkle it around the garden area... i'm not real sure that it keeps them away but they haven't gotten anywhere near my garden... hope I just didn't jinx myself... I have heard that human hair helps repel deer, so that makes complete sense to me!
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Post by tomike on Jun 4, 2017 17:29:42 GMT -5
Do you mean rabbits like this.........
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Post by daylilydude on Jun 4, 2017 18:22:45 GMT -5
ladymarmalade, so I see by the picture that bare feet runs in the family...
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jun 4, 2017 20:44:53 GMT -5
ladymarmalade, so I see by the picture that bare feet runs in the family... Ha-ha, for sure! Their feet are magical though. They do amazing things on the dance floor.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jun 4, 2017 20:50:28 GMT -5
Do you mean rabbits like this.........
They're so unassuming and cute. And then they eat ALL THE THINGS. This guy would be handy to have in the neighborhood: Maybe. I mean, as far as I recall, he never did succeed. But he sure had heart and a catchy tune!
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Post by paulf on Jun 5, 2017 8:57:12 GMT -5
Extensive testing has been done with repellants of all sorts by the Nebraska University State Extension. Their conclusion is that no repellants work. The only way to keep out deer and rabbits is exclusion. Fences! My garden is guarded by chicken wire at the bottom and deer fencing up to the seven foot level. No rabbits and no deer. I used netting at the bottom but it snagged several black snakes. Some may think this is OK, but those snakes eat mice, voles and lots of other bad bugs. My wife has an aversion to snakes so I just replaced the netting with chicken fencing to keep out rabbits and save the snakes.
I am amazed that rabbits could and would jump up two feet! My rabbit fence is two feet tall and none have leaped up and over so far. You have high jumping bunnies.
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Post by spike on Jun 5, 2017 9:03:45 GMT -5
Here is my 2 cents of my experience with rabbits. First off they taste amazing deep fried with gravy. I too have a raised bed that I grow my onions and garlic in 1/2. Had a bunny nest in the garlic last year AND that was with it fenced. This year when I noticed the bunny had chewed through the soft fencing material again >,< I put up welded wire fencing. Time will tell if I am winning the war with the rabbit or not. I will say the way I have kept them out of my garden is out where my old garden spot was, I planted clover!! They love the clover
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Post by september on Jun 5, 2017 9:10:27 GMT -5
Agree that an unreinforced netting deer fence can't keep rabbits out. They can chew through the plastic netting making little windows that in turn open the gates for skunks and raccoons to push through. Late last summer, for the first time, I had the above critters coming in to tear apart my melons as they ripened. Will need to put chicken wire around the whole bottom, as well as re-do the gate entrances. Good thing is, I have not seen a rabbit around for a while, maybe the coyotes got most of them during the winter.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Aug 29, 2017 10:00:01 GMT -5
Well, someone (cough, cough) accidentally left the garden gate open just a smidge the other day, and yesterday when I went out to grab some tomatoes, I chased Peter round-and-round before he exited through the door.
He was in there long enough to eat all the carrot tops, what remained of the bean plants, some scallions, strawberry plants, SOME weeds (so that was nice of him), and the beets are a no-go again this year. Sigh.
I'm so irritated with myself.
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Post by spike on Aug 29, 2017 10:22:58 GMT -5
And here I was ready to offer my favorite recipes. LOL Yes there is nothing better than some properly cooked rabbit!! I have also had pet rabbits that I adored! BUT I have been rather lucky but I planted a huge bunch of clover in the way back. They seem to stay back in the clover and are fat little suckers.
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Post by tomike on Aug 29, 2017 14:39:51 GMT -5
Well, I was growing Kentucky Wonder Wax pole beans for the first time this year. All but one plant have been cut at about 6 inches from ground level. So, it looks like no yellow pole beans as a feed this year.
Where is Elmer Fudd when you need him......
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Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 31, 2017 23:04:07 GMT -5
Yes there is nothing better than some properly cooked rabbit!! I really wish that I could eat the rabbits around here, but it's not safe. I have no idea where they have been eating, and not everyone grows organic around here.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2017 21:10:56 GMT -5
In the community garden, try making a chicken wire "cage", maybe around several plants, to keep the rabbits out. A small bamboo stake and landscape staples like the ones used for weed barrier fabric will hold them in place.
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Post by paquebot on Oct 18, 2017 21:10:41 GMT -5
I haven't caught a rabbit all year! Normally there's one in the live trap about once a month. Anything not eaten by me would get my surefire animal repellent. That's a pint of urine and a pint of water with a good shot of Louisiana Supreme Garlic Hot Sauce. No deer, rabbit, or groundhog will touch anything sprayed with that. I started using it this year but neighbor has two cats which are outside 90% of the time. Nice to see one dragging a rabbit almost as big as he is!
Also don't turn my nose up at eating a city rabbit. They eat better than their country cousins. Some are actually fat and tastier. I don't know why squirrels seem to be just the opposite. City squirrels may be OK to most people but not to one who grew up eating them from woods.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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