On the fence

[Tall Trees]

Now the owner of a nice plot to the Norh of Leicester as of yesterday.

Is there anyone else with an allotment who is younger than 26?

Anyway straying from the point.  I have been informed that rabbits are very abundant on the allotments and a fence is required.

What is the cheapest (free if at all possible) and most effective fence.  or are there any other ways of protecting my produce.

Thanks, Neil.

[Mrs Ava]

Hiya Neil, congrats and welcome.  26 !!!!!!!!  Great, feel ancient now....whimpers of quietly into the corner to fetch her pipe and slippers......  

As for rabbits, no help at all as touch wood, we don't seem to have that problem.  I also have a feeling it was covered once before, but knowing all the brains here, they will tell you what they would do.  I know what I would do, send Ava (hubby) off to the plot at dusk with his rifle and let him fill my freezer with them!  

[Mimi]

Hiya Neil,  26  Oh my aching back.  We have rabbits at our lottie site.  Havent grown anything on mine as yet, but others on the site are having a problem.  What a lot of them have done(and I think I will do to) is dig a trench around the area you want to protect.  Then sink some chicken wire into it with the bottom edge curve out towards you.  Then back fill with soil.   They seem to dig through, around, or under most other things.Hope that this is of some help.

[teresa]

Hi Neil
Were all 26 on this site hee hee  
Mimi is right if you dig a trench around lottie 18 inches deep by 12 inches wide. Lay the chicken wire accross  the trench and up a couple of feet support it by nailing to stakes will last for years.  
This methord is also used to keep foxes out of chicken runs not that you want to know about that.  
Bunnys normaly feed at dawn and dusk so a good torch to dazzle them and a shotgun and rabbit pie for supper?
that what they call recycling.
good luck with the lottie

[ina]

I agree with the rabbit proof fencing posted above but................. a trench 18 inches deep is a lot of work and not necessary. I just got chicken wire 1 m wide, scraped a trench only about 5 cm (2 inches) deep and 20 cm wide. Laid the bottom 20 cm of the fence flat facing out from the veggie plot and covered with the soil. This way the fence ends up being 80 cm high. The first two days, rabbits tried digging under the fence in 11 places but hit the folded out part instead. It worked and after a year it still works, no rabbit ever got in.

[Tall Trees]

Thanks for all you words of wisdom.

Neil

[legless]

i'm 27 so not far off your criteria! and i know someone on another (non allotment) forum who is 23 and has an allotment...

[darkest_night]

I'm 24, had my lottie since i was 22,

read this site all the time as its full of great info, but havent posted anything yet, as compared to the peeps on here i know next to nothing! but i'm learning thats for sure

[jethro]

Well that's it, it now official i'm over the top, too old to do anything   so i shall go into the corner (with the zimmer frame) and curl up and die  . Oh to be 26 again.

[cleo]

I just about remember being 26, got a `proper` job instead of being an impoverished research slave and was two seasons into the `lottie` game.

I was mad(or sensible )in those days,gave up the chance of a Post Doc at Cambridge in favour of turnips.

Stephan

[Debs]

Hey sonny ( oopps!! false teeth fell out !!!!!!!!!!)

Howz about an electric fence - that would solve your problems.

Debs