Wild rabbit problem

cherrycake

Hi,
We are lucky enough to live in the countryside, with woodland to one side and fields to the other. The downside is the rabbits, who although look nice, quickly destroy anything I plant including amazingly thorny rose bushes. I have my vegetables growing in a geenhouse and have recently obtained a jack russell both of which are helping but I wondered if anyone has had similar experiences and knows of any plants rabbits won't touch. The only ones I've found to be are safe are daffodils which are safe but rather limited. I don't fancy shooting them although you could argue they could make a moneysaving casserole:rotfl:

The_Golden_Goose

Can you put up chicken wire fencing around the perimeter?

cherrycake

Hi. Thanks. We have about an acre of ground so it would be a lot of work as I've been told it has to go down 2 ft.

choille

If you put up chicken wire you need to bury it & do it L shaped under the ground.
Get someone with ferrets to come!

mary43

My daughter has the same problem and even with the list on the link here it seems a bit 'trial and error' but hope it gives a bit of a guidline

www.blueworldgardener.co.uk/articles/rabbits.htm

cherrycake

Thank you for the link. It is interesting that rabbits don't like forget-me-knot. I will try planting some as they are one of my favourite flowers.

cherrycake

Thanks - I may have to get a price for someone to come and do this!

TravellingAbuela

I was going to post something similar and found this thread. We have recently put a caravan on a country site. It's idyllic with all the rabbits, squirrels etc scampering around. But I am at my wits end wondering what to plant! I made a nice garden area around it and planted lots of seeds and summer bulbs and also put lots of summer bulbs in pots. Just as my seedlings started to grow the rabbits ate them all. My lily bulbs started to grow nicely and they ate all the leaves off them! Similarly the leaves on the nasturtiums went too. The only thing they haven't touched is the Gloxinia, which are growing nicely (so far!!) The daffodils and forget-me-not planted by the site owners are left untouched. Surely there must be something they don't like?! I am loathe to fork out on any summer bedding for that to disappear overnight too!

foreign_correspondent

cherrycake wrote: »

I don't fancy shooting them although you could argue they could make a moneysaving casserole:rotfl:

Rabbit is a nice low fat meat and you cant get much more ethical and free range as far as I am concerned!

Jaggers_2

cherrycake wrote: »

Thanks - I may have to get a price for someone to come and do this!

Price? Pay? I do it for free (ferreting or running a dog) and I even share the rabbits with you!! PM me with your rough area (County is fine) and if I know someone I'll put you in touch.

Be aware though that most people won't ferret before September due to finding baby rabbits and the ferret laying up or even worse slaughtering mum and leaving the young to starve. They may be pests but still need to be sorted humanely.

Lotus-eater

Jaggers wrote: »

They may be pests but still need to be sorted humanely.

Yes with a big stick, then butter and garlic. Mmmm

I am of course joking, to those of tender sensibilities, you should never, ever, put butter on rabbits. (it makes them slip over)

Jaggers, where abouts are you based? Used to have ferrets myself years ago, lovely little things.