Gardeners, help me with rabbits...

I have a 15' X30' plot at the community garden. Today I went and checked on it and some of my brocalli and colalrd sprouts appeared to have been muched on by rabbits.

I need to stop that, as I intend to do the munching on them!

Please give me some rabit-proofing suggestions. Organic is preferred of course but really I just need to stop it.

No, I cannot shoot them, and putting a fence up woul dbe difficuly since I don't actually own the area.

Thanks!

Well, you shot down my first two ideas. The next best thing to do is set traps. I would check with the person who coordinates the community garden to see what is allowed. They might not want poison (like Decon) or traps other than Have-a Heart, in case small children are in the community garden.

Might want to look into Marigolds, I've heard that they have a smell that will repel some animals, not sure if that includes rabbits or not. Another less desireable option would be mothballs, however thats likely not something you want to look into since you prefer organic approaches. You could also try trapping them however then you would have to figure out how to dispose of said captured garden looter.

Originally posted by mistressofspices
Well, you shot down my first two ideas. The next best thing to do is set traps. I would check with the person who coordinates the community garden to see what is allowed. They might not want poison (like Decon) or traps other than Have-a Heart, in case small children are in the community garden.

There is a playground nearby, as well as other gardens, so I think that is out of the question.

Originally posted by Helig
Might want to look into Marigolds, I've heard that they have a smell that will repel some animals, not sure if that includes rabbits or not. Another less desireable option would be mothballs, however thats likely not something you want to look into since you prefer organic approaches. You could also try trapping them however then you would have to figure out how to dispose of said captured garden looter.

I do have some marigolds growing in a cold frame, they are not ready to transplat at the moment though.

www.mountainvalleygrowers.com...

i use something like that in my garden, not this exact model but the same concept. When it detects movement in your garden is sprays a 360 water stream and it sends everything running. Also you could buy an ultra sonic deterrence device, works on the same movement concept only its a high pitched sequel that scares animals away.

hope that helps, happy gardening. oh and also, you could collect your pee and your family members pee and pour it around your garden, also dogs hair works well too, get a load of dog hair and dog feces and place it on and around your garden, the predator smell seems to keep most munchers away!

reply to post by Retikx


LOl. I have plenty of dog poo in the backyard, I don't know how the other gardeners would feel about it though!

reply to post by asmeone2


well the proper way to do it is to get a bunch of it put it in some type of large container with some water and let it totally break apart, then add some human urine to it and just lay some around the perimeter of your garden, the smell dissipates after about a day.

I heard that Fox Urine works well... you can buy it online at several different sites...

Outside Pride

Pest Products

Pest Control

I've never used it personally, not have I used these sites, just the first 3 that came up in my yahoo search...

Good luck! you could also set up some snares if your wanting to snack on the rabbits yourself...

My grandmother used to sprinkle clippings of human hair around her garden to deter rabbits, and I must say that it worked pretty well. You can also sprinkle a small amount of boric acid or blood meal around the outside of the garden and get similar results.

Originally posted by SpaDe_
My grandmother used to sprinkle clippings of human hair around her garden to deter rabbits, and I must say that it worked pretty well. You can also sprinkle a small amount of boric acid or blood meal around the outside of the garden and get similar results.

I've read that on some other websites too. I think I will try it.

reply to post by asmeone2

Get some cheep garden hose that is green with a yellow stripe on it. Cut it up into snake lenghts and lay it around and in your garden. Also get a fake killer owl and put it on a post close to your garden.
Or buy a male cat and let it go in the garden pre dawn and dusk.

But a rabbit fence works the best.

Cheers and good luck.
Kitos

Try sprinkling Curry powder around the base of your garden. Rabbits and other critters hate the smell and they should keep away.

Little trick I used when rabbits ravaged my landscaping last year.

reply to post by asmeone2


If you can get a private moment with the garden, human urine works as well as the others.

Originally posted by Mainer
reply to post by asmeone2

 

If you can get a private moment with the garden, human urine works as well as the others.

Yes but I don't quite have the plumbing for that.

Terriers hunt rabbits, they even go underground.

Get real 'working breed' farmyard terriers and not show dogs with watered down instincts.

Maybe an ad in your local penny saver, craigs list, or freecycle and have it say: "Free rabbit meat; Just catch, clean, and cook it yourself." It's not an immediate fix, sorry, but it might work.

reply to post by asmeone2


You need to get a live trap and trap the rabbit live. I know they have a Harbor Freight Tool store in Dallas where you live, and you can pick one up cheap. You and the rabbit will both be happy.

search.harborfreight.com...

Cats are a good critter deterrent and are much easier to keep than dogs. They require much less attention.

Originally posted by kitos
reply to post by asmeone2

 

Get some cheep garden hose that is green with a yellow stripe on it. Cut it up into snake lenghts and lay it around and in your garden. Also get a fake killer owl and put it on a post close to your garden.
Or buy a male cat and let it go in the garden pre dawn and dusk.

But a rabbit fence works the best.

Cheers and good luck.
Kitos

I really am sorry to say, but the rubber snakes do not work as most snakes will lay in wait for their prey and it is the movement that alerts the animal of it's presense.

The killer owl on a post once again does not work because it will just blend in like a post, which again is how owls have adapted to be able to ambush prey, the only time a killer owl would work is if you have a silhouette of the bird of prey suspended above the vegtables, animals will flee whan seeing a silhouette as it is their instinct to flee from danger.
again, the owl would have to move to catch the eye of the rabbits.

The only methods I know of would be a home made garlic spray, it works on insects and may also have some effect of furry little mamals.
Blood and bone has been proven to work succesfully for a short period of time.
Maybe the possibility of investing in a couple of ferrets may help, very easy to use ferrets down rabbit warrens and you can also have a nice feed of rabbits as well as reducing the numbers.