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Talkback: Fluffy bunnies

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
I also find it amusing when TV gardeners recommend we should use plants which slugs and snails dislike, such as hairy prickly plants and strongly flavoured herbs. They have eaten all my echinacea, in fact they love the flavour and it is the first to go. They have eaten thyme, sage, marjoram and feverfew (perhaps they had a headache after all those strong flavours?) I've come to the conclusion that if there are enough of them they will eat EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING! They even strip the bark from decorative willow arches, trellises and supports. However, they don't appear to relish conifers or lavender. I must say I have to admire their tenacity!
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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I have been given this recipe by an Australian friend, for a home brewed potion, said to deter rabbits, and also Possums, if you should happen to be bothered by those too.

    Recipe:-
    Chop 4 large onions, 4 hot chillies and 2 garlic cloves. Cover the lot with warm soapy water, and leave to steep for 24 hours. Strain off the liquid and add 5 Litres of water to the concentrate. Stores well for up to three weeks in a screw top jar in a cool dark place.
    Spray your plants with this, and it's bye bye bunnies, it's also great against aphids.

    I hasten to add, that l personally, have never tried this recipe, although my friend swore by it, l admit l erected a fence, which has worked, and l am now bunnyless!

  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    There seems to be an increased interest in the culinary delights of rabbits perhaps we should invest in more shotguns and shoot them. We could then eat them with our home grown veg.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Our pet rabbits' hutch is always open. so they run free over half the garden and the large patio area. Besides their usual pelleted food, they have loads of grass to eat, are given bundles of fresh hay every day, along with cabbages and the odd carrot, but they still choose to eat everything else in the garden - yes, even those things that apparently they don't like.

    Sometimes I ask for trouble, though, as I forget about the rabbits and do something rash like bring some plants back from the garden centre and leave them on the patio for a few minutes whilst I rummage in the potting shed, only to come back out and find there's no plants left! I lost lots of fuchsias that way last year. They do love their fuchsias - and bulbs, especially crocus, although they're not too keen on daffodils.

    I know it's our fault for letting them have their freedom in the first place, but we didn't want to keep them caged and they really are VERY happy, running around and playing (and nibbling my plants!). It helps that they are incredibly cute as well, especially when they sit up and wash their ears which makes them just look like Thumper from Bambi. I love my garden as well, though, so I'm going to have to have a re-think. I don't think the answer is rabbit stew though!

  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I have a fair bit of knowledge when it comes to these fluffy vermin. Chicken wire/nets may seem a good idea to keep them out, but rabbits are very good at burrowing under these things. Sinking the wire a few inches into the ground would help and using a thicker wire, as they do tend to have a go at chewing through as well. Also, if your getting rabbits in flowered area's, they could burrow in and next thing you know, there's a whole family. I must admit, there's been a massive increase this year in the rabbit population and could get worse.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Rabbits, rabbits everywhere and they will have a go at eating anything. A fruit cage is my only refuge but unfortunately I can't cover the whole garden with it! I have had a certain amount of success with rubber snakes at strategic points and draped around shrubs, but you have to move them regularly so the rabbits don't get used to them, and I have had a couple of near heart attacks when the snakes have fallen off their perches as I move through the vegetation! And what about deer, squirrels, badgers, foxes - all can be such a pain but I wouldn't be without them.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I have done a little more research on your behalf (such dedication) and have come up with a couple of other recipes similar to Joy's. They all seem to have roughly the same ingredients - mostly garlic, chillies and soap. I have also found one that uses fish oil and another that contains egg - both admit that the smell is pretty bad initially. I think that we need to do a controlled experiment. Do they have rabbits at Berryfields? if not perhaps we could introduce one - all in the cause of scientific experiment, of course (I'm sure Alys wouldn't mind much!). The important thing is to keep applying it regularly so that the scent is always strong enough to discourage that first bite. Any volunteers?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I have a large Abutilon which I have brought in for the Winter. It is very wide and about 4ft tall. Do I cut it right down now?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Yes.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Don't get ARBUTUS, the strawberry bush, its on the RHS list but the bleeders eat it!!!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I find that red hot pokers are left alone by our wild rabbits. And crocosmia also is left alone - good luck.
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