Topic: Pesky rabbits

[gwynnethmary]

Our new lottie has a shed at the end belonging to next door, under which the local rabbit population seem sto live !  Despite our best efforts we find tunnels which are either escape or access routes, and visualise all our schemes to grow edible nice things once we get the plot dug over will be foiled by our furry visitors.  I am thinking that sinking some corrugated roofing well down into the ground in front of the shed might be the solution.  Can anyone offer any other suggestions please (other than an air rifle!).  I have been looking at humane rabbit traps on the internet, but don't want to spend money if I can help it!

[planetearth]

Sink galvanised wire netting about 6" deep leaving 2'6" supported by posts above ground, it's very, very effective.  Corrugated iron will act as a drainage barrier and look unsightly.

[caroline7758]

This may sound very negative, but I'd say, based on experience, don't bother trying to grow anything over winter! That's when the rabbits are at their worst because they need the food. Although we do see them around in the summer we don't suffer many losses.

[laurieuk]

There is now a spray called Grazers that is very effective against raibbits dear etc. it is quite pricey but does work. I have used it .

[euronerd]

My remedy is, I'm nearly sure, one I borrowed from A4A some years ago, and consists of nothing more than boiling up chillies, straining, and using a hand held sprayer to apply it to anything favoured by rabbits. A couple of drops of washing up liquid will help it to coat the leaves. It needs repeated application of course because of the weather but it doesn't affect the taste of the crop. To preserve my chilli crop I use chilli flakes from the shop, at the rate of about 1 teaspoon per litre of water, from memory. I've never held with anything too substantial in the way of physical deterrents because it plays havoc with weeding and control of other pests. I'd also agree generally with caroline7758. One or two of my fellow plotholders have fenced in their whole plot, and rabbits always find their way in but have difficulty getting out again, so just stay put, munching away at otherwise unprotected crops.

[gwynnethmary]

Thank you all for your advice.  We are planning on this being our summer plot actually, with the majority of our winter crops next door but one in our original plot, so it's good to know they are more of a problem in the winter. The area where they are digging will eventually be underneath a rain gathering shelter, and will have some kind of covering, possibly gravel rather than soil.  Would this be off putting to the my furry friends?

[Nigel B]

Our site is full of the critters.  >:( What I've done is to fence the whole thing in using anything I cuold get my hands on. Nothing's buried though, and the 'fence' such as it is, makes excellent structure to grow peas and stuff up. I'm also using it to keep a gourd off the ground at the mo.
I did once see a rabbit inside the fencing, in Spring, but by the time it had found a way to escape with me chasing it around waving a bunch of weeds like they were a ninja sword, it had had more then the fright of its life!
Its probably still running. (And laughing ::))

After that though, I haven't had any noticeable damage from Bunny since. Slugs are my biggest problem right now, and while they are so much easier to catch, they don't taste half as good.

The thing is.  :).. Your fence doesn't have to be rabbit-proof.  :It only has to be a little more rabbit-proof than your neighbours' plot. :P If you know what I mean.