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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,646
Registered: ‎03-28-2015

We caught 4 rabbits on the Trail cam last night eating under the bird feeders.....maybe that's why they aren't bothering my vegetable garden and flower beds.

 

 

By the way....Marigolds don't work keeping them out of the garden. My daughter's rabbits ate the tops off all hers...

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

We have a lot of rabbits here in the campground and for the first two years we were here they ate every flower we planted. So we switched our mode and bought some large planters - and DH built up some higher places for the planters with rocks. Now the flowers are up too high for them to reach. I also plant things they do not usually eat like petunias and geraniums and snapdragons.So far so good(she wrote as she knocked on wood). Some of our neighbors buy hanging planters and hang the flowers from the bottom of the camper but too high for the bunnies to get them. Some areas here occasionally flood so the people keep their trailers jacked up higher than normal, allowing room to do this. I did plant some purple and yellow violets and purple petunias in the ground under where our water and electric and cable TV lines are but so far nothing has eaten them. The campground owner thinks that vibrations from either the electric or the water hoses must frighten the rabbits and groundhogs and squirrels away from that area.  He may be right as we never see them near there. They probably feel or hear something there that we don't.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,674
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

For those interested, this is an example of what rabbits can do to roses in your garden. The photo was taken today and it shows the own root 'Savannah' rose. The damage is seen at the top of the photo. The rabbit is just tall enough to reach those leaves to eat.

 

I have started today to put up rabbit fencing around my rose garden now. I have the shorter sides done and one panel on the long side. I have 4 more panels to create and connect. Two long panels connected on the longer sides and then connected into the 8 1/2' sides with twistees.

I have made it about 1' in height because the rabbit is tiny.

 

Rabbit Damage to 'Savannah' Rose.JPG

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,515
Registered: ‎06-26-2011

Marigolds worked for me to repel rabbits! I planted them along the outer edges of our landscape beds and no more bunny nibbles.  Also interspersed some plants among the perennials just in case they breach the barrier. But so far so good!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,674
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I had a huge scallion in among my lettuces, and that didn't deter it.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,674
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I bought a 2nd roll of rabbit wire fencing from Lowe's and finished installing the rabbit fencing around my roses. Just as I was finishing tying up the last corner and the long side sections together (9'each length) it started to rain. I just made it to the patio before it started to pour!

I'll take a photo tomorrow when the sun is out.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
Honored Contributor
Posts: 38,243
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@JustJazzmom wrote:

For those interested, this is an example of what rabbits can do to roses in your garden. The photo was taken today and it shows the own root 'Savannah' rose. The damage is seen at the top of the photo. The rabbit is just tall enough to reach those leaves to eat.

 

I have started today to put up rabbit fencing around my rose garden now. I have the shorter sides done and one panel on the long side. I have 4 more panels to create and connect. Two long panels connected on the longer sides and then connected into the 8 1/2' sides with twistees.

I have made it about 15" in height because the rabbit is tiny.

 

Rabbit Damage to 'Savannah' Rose.JPG


 

@JustJazzmom  This is exactly what my small young roses look like, so it is a rabbit, not snails.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,599
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@JustJazzmom wrote:

@fthunt wrote:

How much do you think a bunny can eat?   I love seeing rabbits around my yard and they're welcome to eat all the flowers they want!  Unfortunately I also have foxes - so a rabbit's life isn't easy nor long.


One bunny ate all the leaves and teeny buds off of my front landscape Asiatic lilies leaving only the stems! GRR!

 

I keep hoping the red tailed hawk comes by and carries it away! Next year must get chicken wire to either surround each Asiatic clump or create a 'wall' across the entire front porch landscape area.

 

Rabbits do not munch on daylillies so that is a plus.

 

They are cute but can be destructive.


They eat my daylillies every year!! I saw them in action this year. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,674
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@Pecky

I have daylilies but they never touch them, even the fallen flowers. I do see earwigs eating the daylily petals. 

Not sure why they don't eat them here. The leaves remain untouched too.

 

That baby rabbit uses the daylily leaves to hide under or remain cool below.

 

At least since I put up the barrier, the red leaf lettuce has started to grow again.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,052
Registered: ‎05-18-2014

I have two bunnies that hang out in my backyard that I love to watch. They are so funny when playing!  One brave bunny ventures to my flowers in the front of the house. On more than one occasion we have frightened each other as I was leaving!  You know, the sound of me opening the door makes the bunny run off. The sound of the bunny makes me yelp, and my neighbor laughs. Fun for all