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smom40

I hate rabbits

smom40
18 years ago

I know that this sounds stupid and petty, but I had a tiny pot of godetia that I've been growing by seed all summer.

It really took off after a dose of alfalfa tea. Excited that I was going to see it bloom.

Damn rabbits.

Comments (26)

  • elisabeth_rose
    18 years ago

    AMEN!!!!!

  • joandaugh
    18 years ago

    I have five pink coreopsis that have been eaten down all year, as soon as they get any kind of growth on them. I'm hoping by next spring, the bunnies will forget where they are. Sadly, it's in my front yard right next to the main walkway. It looks so depressing. The big rabbit that wintered under our deck (solved that by taking the old deck out) did do a nice job of pruning my rosebushes for me last year.

  • elisabeth_rose
    18 years ago

    What???? Joan, please tell me that the roses "your" rabbits ate was of the thornless variety! We went to a great deal of trouble and expense this year to keep rabbits out of our fenced-in yard, where they ate every thing in sight. That seems to have worked, but I planted 37 rosebushes in my front yard this spring, thinking that with all those nasty thorns they were safe from rabbits and other wildlife. No???? So far they have not been a problem, but should I worry? The solution we used for our fenced yard is not possible in the front..... Help!

  • smom40
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Rabbits can eat roses, and so can deer.

    So far, they haven't bothered mine. (I planted 12) I wouldn't assume that because you have rabbits, they're going to go for the roses. However, if you have 'pruning', it isn't your neighbors.

    Something ate half of my tulips this past spring, until I sprayed some 'deer away' on them. And none of my plantings have been bothered since.

    Not until the darn godetia. Gad, I'm still really peeved about this. SO slow growing with the nasty heat we've had. I was so jazzed to see it finally take off, and now it's eaten down to the dirt. *grrrr*

  • kec01
    18 years ago

    Regarding the Deer Away - the commercials say that it works for deer and rabbits - does it? I hate the **!!*$@# rabbits,too and I'm willing to try another plan. I've chicken wired where I can but I've got one area that I can't do that in - consequently it's open to whatever critter wants to visit. Anyone with thoughts on the Deer Away specifically as it applies to rabbits?

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    I've mixed feelings about wildlife..Since our 17 yr old indoor/outdoor cat passed away, we're seeing more and more wildlife..There's a baby and I mean a little, 4" eating my strawberry's..Since we don't eat the fruit, Not w/the dog wee-weeing everywhere, I don't mind..
    It's those damn squirrels I have a problem with. I've been trying to grow grapes 3 yrs now, and have quite a few bunches growing on an arbor..I walked outside and there haning on my arbor like a bat was a squirrels muching away on the fruit..we feed the wildlife, peanuts, 4 feeders and bird bath, and still they bother my fruits.
    The squirrels have eaten houseplants, including an Avacado I started from seed..the plant was about 2' tall, and doing great. Mind you, avacados are toxic, and still those little beast unpotted the plant, and ate everything..I hope he got sick..lol..sorry, I love wildlife, but enough is enough..Toni

  • jerger
    18 years ago

    Rabbits are the scourge of my existence, well rabbits and gophers.

  • davila42
    18 years ago

    Thanks to the rabbits, I will have no asters blooming this fall. I suppose I should be grateful that it's just the asters, after the *#&$(@Q*#! things nearly killed a fothergilla and a NJ tea shrub this winter.

    I've tried NIMBY and Deer Off, but the only thing that works well is a physical barrier of chicken wire.

    Jenny in St. Louis

  • joandaugh
    18 years ago

    My roses are nothing exotic so it really did them no harm. If you have hybrids, I suppose they could eat down so far that you'd just have the regular rose come up the next spring. He (or she) only ate them after the biggest snow melt (they were under the snow before that). I really did suspect that my neighbors had snuck over to prune because they were cut so cleanly! I understand the winter snacking and he/she didn't eat them all the way to the ground--left about 8-10 inches I guess. It is very cute to watch the chipmunks eat the rose hips off the bush in the fall.

    I just object to the wildlife eating plants when they are coming up and the rest of us haven't had a chance to enjoy them yet. As far as I know, the only way to prevent it is as Jenny says, chicken wire around it. Often they just like to eat new shoots so after the plant gets bigger, you can try taking the chicken wire away. It just doesn't look very nice if it's in your front yard. : (

  • applefan
    18 years ago

    I really suggest you all try Liquid Fence for rabbits. It has really worked for me....

    Now...if I could just get rid of the pesky ground squirrel and my neighbor's wandering turkeys....
    Jean

  • jimmij
    18 years ago

    Applefan, where do you buy that Liquid Fence? Home Depot?
    Elisabeth, they love the thorns, I think that's how they floss there teeth.

    Jimmy

  • applefan
    18 years ago

    I buy it online at liquidfence.com...but I have also seen it at Ace Hardware in Naperville. I use the concentrate because I have a large area to cover and it's easier to buy online.

    I really hope you will try it...it certainly has done the job for me. I use it as directed...but if I should see a stray bunny, I zap the area again and he's gone!

    Jean

  • pitimpinai
    18 years ago

    I reinforced my fence with chicken wire....so now no rabbits in my backyard....sooooooo.....I hate cats even more, especially those who invade my garden.

  • Carola_MN
    18 years ago

    My indoor/outdoor cats keep away those nasty critters. I have the showest spring bulb garden around thanks to my guard cats. The cats don't dig, pee, or trample the garden. They like to roll around in the bare spots so that's why they don't pee or poop in it. Once things start popping up from the ground they move between them. My garden is about 50' x 20'.

  • pam_aa
    18 years ago

    I have heard an interesting hypothesis. The reason the little bunnies and squirrels are so out of control the last couple of years at least around here is the absence of crows due to West Nile. I thought I would never say this, I actually miss the cackling!
    I will remember the Liquid Fence.

  • ceresone
    18 years ago

    Hey, I've managed to live in harmony with my deer, and rabbits for almost 70 years--BUT--now, the blasted armadillos have moved into our area-and some have even seen wild hogs!!can you imagine my heavily mulched garden?some say its due to the area getting warmer winters, but- i'd gladly keep the critters i had.

  • sallief
    15 years ago

    Me, too!:) I planted new bulbs in the fall - rabbits have eaten the tops of my miniature iris and other bulbs that I can't remember, but was anxiously awaiting their blossoming...maybe I'll try deer away!

  • higgins
    15 years ago

    For those of you that have deer problems, look into a product call the "Scarecrow". It hooks up to your hose and has a motion sensor on it! I don't want to provide any more details as I don't want to be accused of "selling products". But I have one, took some adjusting, but work great!

    Or, for those who have time on their hands, purchase a remote controlled plastic car or truck. When the deer come around, you stand by the window, and chase them around your yard! (Sorry it's a boys thing!!) Good for chasing pesky squires or dogs!!!

  • roflol
    15 years ago

    My MIL died in '07 and my FIL in '08, so last fall when the house was sold I lifted some of the tulip bulbs from their yard (which was about the extent of their gardening) and planted them at our house for a memorial garden. One of the tulips threw up a stalk and was getting ready to bloom, and I was so looking forward to seeing which one it would turn out to be (there were several different deep reds, each one just luscious)... one morning last week came out and it had been decapitated. D-:=

    Later that evening there was a fat brown bunny in the back yard munching on dandelions with an innocent look on his face... nice try, bunny. Liquid Fence, here I come. :\

  • kansas_gal
    15 years ago

    I just saw one in my front garden eating at my annuals just coming up from seed! I would have chased him off, but he didn't stay long. 5 minutes later I noticed 3 neighborhood cats chasing him. I admit, I sort of chuckled in satisfaction.

  • schifferle
    14 years ago

    Rabbits don't like herbs, I'm told. Can't say I've ever seen any in my herb garden. A Lavender farmer told me that lavender keeps rabbits away if you plant it along your fence, but how many are necessary to be effective, I don't know. We have dogs, as do our neighbors, plus a neighborhood cat or two. That seems to be helping keep the neverending rabbit population down in our back yard. We never have any roses, vegetables, berries or anything else touched by the little darlings.

  • OldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
    8 years ago

    Quite a write up but since my pest problem is with squirrels in my vegetable garden, completely useless to me.


  • Steven Banen
    6 years ago

    Nature's Mace solved my rabbit problem too! The granular solution worked right away for us.

  • abrahamx
    6 years ago

    I think they taste pretty good.

  • Natures mace
    5 years ago

    I second that Nature's MACE Deer & Rabbit MACE is the best and the safest for family and pets. You can learn more about there 3 different formulas here https://naturesmace.blogspot.com/

    Or you can order directly from amazon here https://amzn.to/2MMzRlJ





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