Hungry rabbit eating the garden already!

[Lisa]

Let me start by saying that I love wildlife. I am a feeder of birds, I have a pond with many fish, a hummingbird feeder and the like. I also have many flower gardens and a vegetable garden. I also grow sunflowers to feed the birds later in the fall, but there is a rascally rabbit that is eating them down to nubs. I have heard that blood meal will deter them, has anyone else had luck with this? I also know that garden centers sell deer and rabbit deterrent. Can anyone recommend a brand or one of these items over another? I have tried putting seed down for him/her and thought about just buying rabbit pellets, but I'm sure she prefers fresh foliage over any of these things. She is steadily working her way towards our vegetable garden and has already taken out one of my new trees that I just received a month ago from the Arbor Day Foundation. I think it may be a momma as our neighbors just discovered a rabbit nest in their back yard so soon there will be about

6 or 8 more to join her at meal times. Help!

Thanks, Lisa

[MisNomer]

one word.... dog.

take care Liz

[Zemedelec]

I never knew squirrels liked hardy cyclamen bulbs until....

Maybe a few survived. zemedelec

[Jacqueline]

Coast of Maine makes a fermented salmon deterrent that's great, albeit a bit pricey if you're using it on a large area:

Click on order form, then Deer Repellant 32 oz.

Beware that it is stinky beyond description. Think of the most fetid pair of sneakers you've ever smelled, then multiply 10x. The smell dissipates fairly quickly (to the human nose) after application, but is still strong enough to discourage the wildlife.

[Jim Elbrecht]

Me too. But I also like fresh veggies. I fenced my garden & that keeps most rabbits out.

When one finds a way in, a Crossman 66c converts him from poacher to compost.

Jim

[Phisherman]

Surround your vegetable garden with steel "T" posts and chicken wire. Use 3" limbs on the bottom at the ground and stable the chicken wire to this. The green chicken wire is barely noticeable. It will keep out rabbits, but not groundhogs possums or squirrels (you'll need an electric fence for that).

Blood meal works but as soon as the rain washes it off, it becomes ineffective. I could not find blood meal at a reasonable price, but you may have better luck. Spread the blood meal in a 3" wide border around the garden. Rabbits generally sniff the ground before approaching an area. There are several other materials you could try besides blood meal, but blood meal provides some useful nitrogen for your plants. A dog makes a useful deterrent.

[Lisa]

I would love a dog....later rather than sooner. Had two Cocker Spaniels for

12+ years and lost both within a year of the other this past fall...can't bring myself to get another dog just yet.....maybe I could "borrow" my daughter's dog(s).

[MisNomer]

Sorry for your loss. I don't know what I will do after my Rexxy is gone. He has a way with the riff raff in the neighborhood, as well as the rabbits.

take care Liz

[H Hornblower]

The best rabbit pellets come in .177 and.22 caliber.