Manelli Family wrote:

"Hud" wrote in message
...

I do worry about rabbits. I thought a chicken wire fence might be a
good idea. But then a friend told me that rabbits just dig right
under them.

I have never had rabbits dig under a fence. I use the cheap 50' rolls
of plastic "rabbit fencing" and those cheap metal fence poles from the
local Lowe's Store. Make sure you bury the bottom few inches so they
don't squeeze under.

Someone else told me to pour ammonia on the ground all around my
garden. He said that would keep them out.

No, that will not work. The ammonia dissipates quickly.

Another buddy told me to get some cat fur,
stuff it in panty hose and hang it on posts on the corners of the
garden to ward off rabbits.

That only works until they realize no real live cats are available.
We've tried every trick in the book including the blood meal and nothing
worked but the anti-rabbit fencing. Since the new neighbors now have 3
cats, the rabbit population has dropped.



Yeah, the fencing worked fine for me too. I used regular chicken wire,
had the posts only about four feet apart, if that and didn't bury the
bottom. I just left a couple inches on the bottom and pulled it tight
enough between the posts. The posts were close enough to keep the wire
tight and I had no problem with rabbits getting in.

I've since dismantled that and went with a netting approach. I use
regular PVC plumbing piping to make hoops over the raised beds and got
some great netting from Lee Valley and draped it over. It keeps the
cats, birds and rabbits out (no deer or raccoons here).

Here's an awkward picture of one of the raised beds with the hoops and
netting:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...ost=good-times

With carrots, turnip and other low growing plants (even celery), I was
able to leave the netting on all summer. For the tall growing plants
like the few corn I had, the netting was long enough to make a fence
around the raised bed. The netting was pulled tight to nails in the
sides of the wooden beds. This way, the netting was high enough to
dissuade not only rabbits, but the cats too. A neighbour's dog also had
no problem jumping the chicken wire and trampling through the beds...he
doesn't go near them with the hoops.

..

Zone 5b in Canada's still chilly Far East.