RABBITS EAT MY GARDEN!!

[kiendu]

I have hundreds of wild rabbits running around my property. They chew on my landscape plants too, mainly eat my tulips down before they can flower. They did chew a korean lilac right to the ground last year. Anyway....

We had a garden a few years ago and the little buggers ate my peas and beans and corn right to the ground. (They didn't touch my pickles,squash,tomatoes, onions or asparagus) So, we put a fence around the garden. They have found a few places to sneak back in but the damage is now minimal. I didn't have potatoes that year, so I don't know if they'll bother a potato plant or not. Does anyone know if they will?

I want to plant my potatoes in another area, not in the fenced in part. My garden is getting bigger and I don't have room for either potatoes or sweet corn in the fenced part. I know they will chew my sweet corn. I don't plant a very big crop of the other items in my garden that they didn't chew. So, it's the potatoes that have to move. Just wondering if anyone knows if the potato plant is rabbit food? Or if you have any ideas on how to get rid of them??

We have dogs but they don't chase rabbits. (I used to raise domestic rabbits and dogs were taught not to touch a rabbit!) So, now when I want them to, they don't. I taught them too well!!

Cindy

[Chris_W]

Hi Cindy,

I feel your pain. The rabbits are eating everything to the ground at our other place now that we've moved and the cats aren't there any longer... Even though the cats didn't catch the rabbits they chased them away.

I don't know specifically about potato plants, but when I had a vegetable garden I would dust it with blood meal (dried blood, sold in the fertilizer section near the bone meal and other natural fertilizers). The blood meal really seems to detract the rabbits and also deer. You have to dust the entire garden, though, not just the perimeter. When we spread it we find out which way the wind is blowing and then throw handfuls into the air so that it settles over everything. Repeat as necessary to keep them out (at least once a month, more often if it rains a lot).

Hope that helps a little.

Chris

[wishiwere]

Just a note for her if she has dogs, when I tried this with bulbs, my dogs dug them up! UGH!!!!!!!!! Ti's a crazy life!

I've never mom complain about the rabbits getting her potatoes, they mostly like the above ground stuff I think

I had to put some chicken wire about 30" high around the grapes last year to keep the rabbits off them, maybe just surround the plants with a wire basket of sorts? Or plant them in bags like they show!

[Old earth dog]

Rabbits go great with potatoes, carrots, etc.

[KellieD]

I found garlic powder sprinkled on what you want to protect will keep the rabbits away. Buy in bulk; it is much cheaper that way.

[Tundra_Queen]

Hi
Potato leaves, stems are toxic, so are tomato leaves and stems, so I don't think the rabbits would bother with them, but they might dig down and find the taters.
Good Luck!

Debbie