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irmgaard

dumb bunny question

Irmgaard
18 years ago

I have a small shady area down the hill from the house where I would like to see something pretty with color. Is there ANYthing I can plant there that the bunnies won't eat? There are lots of them and 20 acres of good grass but I'm sure they will mow whatever I plant there. The rabbits pretty much leave the marilgolds alone but they like a lot more sun.

Comments (9)

  • karen_w
    18 years ago

    Short answer...probably not. Have you heard that planting marigolds repels them? Don't believe it. Tried that. They ate the marigolds. Last year, they even ate the freakin' hostas. Daffodils are about the only thing I have that they've never touched, and they're not much fun in summer.
    The good news is, there's short fence that will keep them out. It's a little more than a foot high. It's made up of small squares. Don't buy the kind that doesn't look like a grid. Rabbits can squeeze through amazingly small spaces.
    Other people claim success with blood meal, hair clippings, doghair, Liquid Fence, hot pepper spray, predator pee, etc, etc ad nauseum.
    Personally, I don't want to be outside with a spray bottle 24/7 so I can re-spray after a rain. I really think they're smart enough that hair and predator pee don't faze them after a while. "Hey, we never SEE the bobcat. We only smell the pee. Maybe he's an old, incontinent, crippled bobcat."
    I have had disappointing results with everything but fence. Just my 2 cents. :)

  • aegis1000
    18 years ago

    There is a metal fencing which is coated with green plastic which is specifically made to keep rabbits away from your plantings.

    Because of its green coating, it blends into the backgound of your plantings, becoming nearly invisible at a distance.

    It comes in 2', 3', and 4' heights.

    You should be able to find it at your local Lowes or similar hardware store.

  • karen_w
    18 years ago

    Mine is green as well. Does blend in nicely. K.

  • gardenmaker79
    18 years ago

    well what I found out about bunnies is they like to eat. I now plant 3 to 4 times the plants I really want and well normally some make it all summer. The bunnies are fun to watch in my yard so I just let them go.

  • cantstopgardening
    18 years ago

    I like the bunnies as a living sculpture. And, fewer coyotes attacking homeowner's animals, if there is enough wildlife. (An awful thought, but part of nature.)

    Having said that, I have NO bunnies in my front yard this year!! I am bummed! Last year, I took out several viburnums, as the bed was just too thick, so it might have been that. But also, over the winter I started spreading coffee grounds from Starbucks around my beds, as a fertilizer. I have asked for the big trash bags under the counter, and spread the whole thing out there, so I am wondering if the smell is keeping bunnies away :-(

    Pulmonaria, (lungwort,) is a pretty spring blooming plant, with interesting leaf foliage that most animals won't eat. It has very fuzzy little hairs on the leaves, and most animals don't want to eat fuzzy things. I have very sensitive skin, so I were gloves when handling it, as I sometimes get a mild rash from it myself. But, I have handled it many times, and never gotten more than just the mild rash, so I don't think it's an allergy. My skin is always looking for an excuse to get itchy! I got my pulmonaria at a rummage sale, so I don't know what variety I have. It is almost done blooming right now. The blooms on mine started out pink about two weeks ago, fade into lavender, then finally blue, as they age. So, all three colors are present on the plant at one time. Very charming! It does reseed readily, but not so aggressively that it can't be controlled. I pot up the extras and stick them in my kids' 4-H club rummage sale in June. My pulmonaria likes a shady, moist site.

    Back to the bunnies in the yard, I try to plant some extra, so there is some for them, and some for me. So far, it's been working. I also have been known to plant things like beets and radishes in out-of-my-way spots, for the bunnies to munch. I know, animal welfare, but my dear daughter and I spend many summer evenings watching the little kittens (kits for short,) antics. A good way to spend time with a teenage daughter!!

  • Chitown33
    18 years ago

    Bunnies eat everything here. Try using some moth balls.

  • kathytwi
    18 years ago

    I love bunnies too - just not in my garden! I don't know if this will help, but I have kept rabbits out of my veggie garden by placing children's pinwheels in the garden. The movement seemed to keep them away. My problem was getting my kids to put them back once they were done playing with them!

  • Violet_Skies_
    18 years ago

    Mothballs are very toxic. Use with extreme caution.

  • anitamo
    18 years ago

    cantstopgardening...your pulmonaria is probably "Mrs. Moon."
    They change colors like that. I finally got three this year from Bluestone, and can't wait 'til next year for the blooms.

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