Hi All,

I went out in the dark with a flash light to water my
garden. Found the cutest little wabbit (Elmer Fudd speak
for "rabbit") about the size of a baseball taking a nap
in my zukes. He got a bath but good and now resides in
other parts of my yard. Though he was a rat at first.

Are rabbits something to worry about? If so, how would
you rid your garden of them?

Many thanks,
-T

Todd wrote:
Hi All,

I went out in the dark with a flash light to water my
garden. Found the cutest little wabbit (Elmer Fudd speak
for "rabbit") about the size of a baseball taking a nap
in my zukes. He got a bath but good and now resides in
other parts of my yard. Though he was a rat at first.

Are rabbits something to worry about? If so, how would
you rid your garden of them?

Many thanks,
-T

Rabbits can become your worst nightmare if they reach large numbers, even a
few can be quite destructive if they keep returning. If your garden is the
best (only) food about they can strip anything up to knee high. Contrary to
Bugs Bunny cartoons they don't subsist on just carrots. It is heartbreaking
to have all your seedlings chomped at ground level.

A vigliant Kelpie will severely discourage them - if you call being eaten
disouraging. A waist height wire mesh fence will keep them out, they are
not very smart and they don't jump the high bar but try to get through.
Thank your stars you don't have roos.

D

On 07/08/2014 01:22 AM, David Hare-Scott wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

I went out in the dark with a flash light to water my
garden. Found the cutest little wabbit (Elmer Fudd speak
for "rabbit") about the size of a baseball taking a nap
in my zukes. He got a bath but good and now resides in
other parts of my yard. Though he was a rat at first.

Are rabbits something to worry about? If so, how would
you rid your garden of them?

Many thanks,
-T

Rabbits can become your worst nightmare if they reach large numbers,
even a few can be quite destructive if they keep returning. If your
garden is the best (only) food about they can strip anything up to knee
high. Contrary to Bugs Bunny cartoons they don't subsist on just
carrots. It is heartbreaking to have all your seedlings chomped at
ground level.

A vigliant Kelpie will severely discourage them - if you call being
eaten disouraging. A waist height wire mesh fence will keep them out,
they are not very smart and they don't jump the high bar but try to get
through. Thank your stars you don't have roos.

D

Hi David,

Thank you.

Researching he web tells me to spray everything with
a diluted mixture of Tabasco sauce or any hot pepper.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

-T

On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 11:12:37 AM UTC-7, Todd wrote:
On 07/08/2014 01:22 AM, David Hare-Scott wrote:

Todd wrote:

Hi All,



I went out in the dark with a flash light to water my

garden. Found the cutest little wabbit (Elmer Fudd speak

for "rabbit") about the size of a baseball taking a nap

in my zukes. He got a bath but good and now resides in

other parts of my yard. Though he was a rat at first.



Are rabbits something to worry about? If so, how would

you rid your garden of them?



Many thanks,

-T



Rabbits can become your worst nightmare if they reach large numbers,

even a few can be quite destructive if they keep returning. If your

garden is the best (only) food about they can strip anything up to knee

high. Contrary to Bugs Bunny cartoons they don't subsist on just

carrots. It is heartbreaking to have all your seedlings chomped at

ground level.



A vigliant Kelpie will severely discourage them - if you call being

eaten disouraging. A waist height wire mesh fence will keep them out,

they are not very smart and they don't jump the high bar but try to get

through. Thank your stars you don't have roos.



D



Hi David,



Thank you.



Researching he web tells me to spray everything with

a diluted mixture of Tabasco sauce or any hot pepper.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

Uh, we don't have rabbits, but when I eye the squirrels who terminated my (former) avocados with extreme prejudice,* and decimated my (former) apricots
I think dark thoughts...

Alas, it's a little late - several decades late -- to ask my son to return the .22 which he took with him when he went out into the wide world.

*CIA-talk for offing people.

HB



-T

On 07/08/2014 01:08 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
*CIA-talk for offing people.

You should hear what military snipers call it: "reduced"

That little bunny is awfully cute. I think I will give
it a hot foot -- spray diluted Tabasco sauce all over it and
its food. I am going to get me the cheapest, hottest crap
I can find from WalMart.

On 7/8/2014 2:12 PM, Todd wrote:
On 07/08/2014 01:22 AM, David Hare-Scott wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

I went out in the dark with a flash light to water my
garden. Found the cutest little wabbit (Elmer Fudd speak
for "rabbit") about the size of a baseball taking a nap
in my zukes. He got a bath but good and now resides in
other parts of my yard. Though he was a rat at first.

Are rabbits something to worry about? If so, how would
you rid your garden of them?

Many thanks,
-T

Rabbits can become your worst nightmare if they reach large numbers,
even a few can be quite destructive if they keep returning. If your
garden is the best (only) food about they can strip anything up to knee
high. Contrary to Bugs Bunny cartoons they don't subsist on just
carrots. It is heartbreaking to have all your seedlings chomped at
ground level.

A vigliant Kelpie will severely discourage them - if you call being
eaten disouraging. A waist height wire mesh fence will keep them out,
they are not very smart and they don't jump the high bar but try to get
through. Thank your stars you don't have roos.

D

Hi David,

Thank you.

Researching he web tells me to spray everything with
a diluted mixture of Tabasco sauce or any hot pepper.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

-T

Chicken wire fence is your best bet.
It only takes a couple of feet of fencing.
Bunnies might graze up to it but not jump it.

Todd wrote:
Hi All,

I went out in the dark with a flash light to water my
garden. Found the cutest little wabbit (Elmer Fudd speak
for "rabbit") about the size of a baseball taking a nap
in my zukes. He got a bath but good and now resides in
other parts of my yard. Though he was a rat at first.

Are rabbits something to worry about? If so, how would
you rid your garden of them?

Many thanks,
-T

The rabbits around here like sprouts, so they eat as soon as the shoot
comes out of the ground. I plant a row of beans and think half of them
didn't germinate, they I look closely and see they were in fact eaten.
Anything that gets past the sprout state doesn't seem to interest them.
This makes me think the hot sauce spray would be ineffective, as you
could only spray the more developed plants that the rabbits don't bother.

I bought an electric fence to protect my valuables from the rabbits and
racoons. It comes with a two-foot small mesh wire fence, and some wires
that go on small poles outside the fence and are hooked to a solar power
panel. My wife reports that it gives a tingle when you touch it (she
forgot to turn it off when she is weeding) which is apparently enough to
deter the predators. It is a bit of work because we have to weed around
it to keep the weeds from shorting it out, but the fresh sweet corn in
particular is well worth it.

I'm in the US, and found the fence at
http://www.mrmcgregorsgardenstore.com

Not@home wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

I went out in the dark with a flash light to water my
garden. Found the cutest little wabbit (Elmer Fudd speak
for "rabbit") about the size of a baseball taking a nap
in my zukes. He got a bath but good and now resides in
other parts of my yard. Though he was a rat at first.

Are rabbits something to worry about? If so, how would
you rid your garden of them?

Many thanks,
-T

The rabbits around here like sprouts, so they eat as soon as the shoot
comes out of the ground. I plant a row of beans and think half of
them didn't germinate, they I look closely and see they were in fact
eaten. Anything that gets past the sprout state doesn't seem to
interest them. This makes me think the hot sauce spray would be
ineffective, as you could only spray the more developed plants that
the rabbits don't bother.
I bought an electric fence to protect my valuables from the rabbits
and racoons. It comes with a two-foot small mesh wire fence, and
some wires that go on small poles outside the fence and are hooked to
a solar power panel. My wife reports that it gives a tingle when you
touch it (she forgot to turn it off when she is weeding) which is
apparently enough to deter the predators. It is a bit of work
because we have to weed around it to keep the weeds from shorting it
out, but the fresh sweet corn in particular is well worth it.

I'm in the US, and found the fence at
http://www.mrmcgregorsgardenstore.com

No doubt this works but an electric fence isn't required for rabbits alone
as they don't climb.

D

On 8/07/2014 6:22 PM, David Hare-Scott wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

I went out in the dark with a flash light to water my
garden. Found the cutest little wabbit (Elmer Fudd speak
for "rabbit") about the size of a baseball taking a nap
in my zukes. He got a bath but good and now resides in
other parts of my yard. Though he was a rat at first.

Are rabbits something to worry about? If so, how would
you rid your garden of them?

Many thanks,
-T

Rabbits can become your worst nightmare if they reach large numbers,

Yep. I've got huge numbers of the filthy wee brutes. I'm suffering
from a Jack Russell deficiency ATM.

A vigliant Kelpie will severely discourage them - if you call being
eaten disouraging.

Jack Russells are goo too. They play tug of war and don't let up till
they get an end each. Not good for the live bunny though.

A waist height wire mesh fence will keep them out,
they are not very smart and they don't jump the high bar but try to get
through. Thank your stars you don't have roos.

Roos are probably better than deer though. We are now seeing deer
appearing at the back of our farm.

I tried the hot stuff.......several times.........does not work. Two things
that worked for me are and accurate air rifle....I shot a few and managed to
catch a couple small ones which I released a few miles from here, but what
has worked best for me is a chicken wire fence 30" high.

On 7/9/2014 12:25 PM, wrote:
I tried the hot stuff.......several times.........does not work. Two things
that worked for me are and accurate air rifle....I shot a few and managed to
catch a couple small ones which I released a few miles from here, but what
has worked best for me is a chicken wire fence 30" high.


That's what I said. Chicken wire worked for me.
Every now and then I'd get one with a slingshot or my bow.

On 7/8/2014 1:22 AM, David Hare-Scott wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

I went out in the dark with a flash light to water my
garden. Found the cutest little wabbit (Elmer Fudd speak
for "rabbit") about the size of a baseball taking a nap
in my zukes. He got a bath but good and now resides in
other parts of my yard. Though he was a rat at first.

Are rabbits something to worry about? If so, how would
you rid your garden of them?

Many thanks,
-T

Rabbits can become your worst nightmare if they reach large numbers, even a
few can be quite destructive if they keep returning. If your garden is the
best (only) food about they can strip anything up to knee high. Contrary to
Bugs Bunny cartoons they don't subsist on just carrots. It is heartbreaking
to have all your seedlings chomped at ground level.

A vigliant Kelpie will severely discourage them - if you call being eaten
disouraging. A waist height wire mesh fence will keep them out, they are
not very smart and they don't jump the high bar but try to get through.
Thank your stars you don't have roos.

D


This worked on squirrels and might work on rabbits.

A public garden where I am a docent has two white mulberry trees (Morus
alba). Squirrels would feast on new shoots every spring, delaying the
trees from leafing out for as much as two months. The squirrels
threatened to even kill the trees. I was told that the new growth
contained something that gave the squirrels a "buzz" (squirrel marijuana).

The gardeners sprayed the new shoots and buds with a mixture of liquid
soap, cayenne, and human urine. The squirrels immediately abandoned the
trees.

For rabbits on the ground, spraying might have to be repeated after
watering the affected plants.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 1:17:31 PM UTC-7, Todd wrote:
On 07/08/2014 01:08 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:

*CIA-talk for offing people.

You should hear what military snipers call it: "reduced"

That little bunny is awfully cute. I think I will give

it a hot foot -- spray diluted Tabasco sauce all over it and

its food. I am going to get me the cheapest, hottest crap

I can find from WalMart.

Two things: Do not buy from Walmart, which cruelly exploits is worker.

Next: Do not cruelly spike rabbitg's food with hot sauce.

Kill it quickly, fence it out, but do not torture it.
HB

On Wednesday, July 9, 2014 10:23:28 AM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:
On 7/8/2014 1:22 AM, David Hare-Scott wrote:
[...]

The gardeners sprayed the new shoots and buds with a mixture of liquid

soap, cayenne, and human urine. The squirrels immediately abandoned the

trees.

How did the fruit taste?

[...]

HB

On 7/9/2014 10:57 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Wednesday, July 9, 2014 10:23:28 AM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:
On 7/8/2014 1:22 AM, David Hare-Scott wrote:
[...]

The gardeners sprayed the new shoots and buds with a mixture of liquid

soap, cayenne, and human urine. The squirrels immediately abandoned the

trees.

How did the fruit taste?

[...]

HB


The trees are fruitless. That is good since they hang out over a
concrete path, which would be stained by ripe mulberries.

By the way, I believe such a spray can be applied to the ground around
edibles instead of directly on edibles. Just be sure that a broad band
(not broadband ) of spray completely encircles the area to be
protected.

Also, preditor urine (e.g., from a dog or cat) might work as well as
human.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary