fencing to stop rabbits??

bellsbells

Hi folks,

I had a search for this but could not spot an answer, so sorry if it has already been covered.

If you put a wire fence up how far under the ground should it go to stop rabbits digging under it? Also I heard something about putting stones in/on the ground as well as rabbits will stop trying to dig if they come across stones?

(Stones are one thing I can do - my plot has thousands!:rotfl: )

Thanks bb

Noah'strolly

Found this online-

✲ Erect a rabbit-proof fence out of wire mesh. A maximum mesh size of 2.5
to 3cm will stop young rabbits getting through. The fence should be 3ft to 4ft
high with an additional 1ft below ground to stop them burrowing under. The
wire mesh should be supported at regular intervals by posts. It can help to
cover the fence with black plastic to keep your crops out of sight although
rabbits do have a good sense of smell so a visual break alone will not suffice.
Inspect the fence at regular intervals mending any holes. Erecting a rabbitproof
fence is a mammoth effort but once erected it should last for many
years.
In areas where the rabbit population is low
✲ Protect the lower 2ft to 3ft of individual vulnerable plants with wire mesh.
✲ Surround plants with spiky plant clippings to deter grazing.
These methods are much less effective than fencing. Frightening methods
such as sound, lights, or noise are not generally found to be effective.
GARDENING TIPS AUGUST 2005

bellsbells

thank you Noah'strolly:T - I am not sure yet how much of a pain rabbits are going to be. The whole site is new, and is in fact reclaimed wasteland so there are no other plot holders to ask about the rabbits! I suppose I will need to get something planted and see what happens! At least I will be ready with a plan of action if I have to be!

madhouseof4

I am not really sure, but having 2 et rabbits, I can tell you that rabbits are a VERY determined species, if they want something, they will try and find a way. Adult rabbits can jump really high. I have just watched one of mine bounce across the garden and he easily managed 2.5 ft :eek:. They are also excellent diggers and quick too. I think the suggestion of a foot underground fencing is a sound one, or use slabs outside the fence perimeter. Cut up holly does work quiet well, my 2 won't go near the stuff after the 1st attempt to go across it.

Hopefully you won't have too much of a problem with rabbits

susieb

I am having a nightmare with rabbits, this is a new house so I realise they will have been here before me, but they are eating everything I plant, Including a xmas tree!! Can anyone recommend anything they don;t like.
So far only daffodils are surviving.

LizD_2

I bet they're leaving the daffs because there's lots of other things to eat! OH has a feral rabbit that lives outside his office which eats their daffodils. The firm's gardner was going to put poison down so it wouldn't eat them but there was a mass outcry!

Sorry, not a lot of help!

navig8r

When I worked for the forestry commission in the 60's We erected miles of rabbit proof fencing to protect the hundreds of thousands of trees that we had to plant afterwards...first put in the corner posts and stays then stretch 3 runs of plain wire all the way round ..one at the top ,one at the bottom and one in the middle and bang in the intermediate posts ..the wires keep them in line so they look neat...then take off the turf one and a bit spade wide and around 3" deep and lay it in a line parallel to the fence line and outside the garden..then clip the wire netting to the support wires and staple to the posts with the bottom 9 inches of it turned at right angles and down in the depression in the ground...then turn the turf back where it came from.Rabbits tend to come up to a fence ,can't get through so start to dig but are foiled by the wire in the ground beneath them.The height of netting was around 32" but had two strands of barb wire above to keep cattle out..

This was a long time ago and now with global warming ,radiation and growth hormones the fence would probably need to be 10 feet high.:rotfl:

Dave

sausagefans

bellsbells wrote: »

Hi folks,

I had a search for this but could not spot an answer, so sorry if it has already been covered.

If you put a wire fence up how far under the ground should it go to stop rabbits digging under it? Also I heard something about putting stones in/on the ground as well as rabbits will stop trying to dig if they come across stones?

(Stones are one thing I can do - my plot has thousands!:rotfl: )

Thanks bb

I would go at least three foot down with some good fencing. If you are still needing pointers on this in a few weeks let me know and I will take some progress shots as my students put in the next lot of rabbit fencing.

Thanks

bellsbells

Thank you sausagefans - will let you know if I have major rabbit problems! At the moment the whole site is brand new, so there is nothing planted at all. We will see what happens when people start planting their lovely new seedlings!

navig8r

sausagefans.com wrote: »

I would go at least three foot down with some good fencing. If you are still needing pointers on this in a few weeks let me know and I will take some progress shots as my students put in the next lot of rabbit fencing.

Thanks

Just a question from someone who is never too old to learn! how do you get the posts firm with a 3 foot trench of loose soil??

Cheers
Dave

susieb

OMG!! they are determined things arent they, I might just plant holly every where instead for a few years.