Baby rabbits

Yes, I know they are cute, but they are also very good ateating my tender vegies and flowers and i have them everywhere in my beds. All my beds are bordered by marigolds, for the bunnies and other critters, but they don't seem to want them. My pomeranian male takes care of the squirrels for me but he has been taught not to go into the gardens so does anyone have any suggestions for discouraging them. I certainly don't want to hurt them, I just want them to go away.
Sandy

You and me both! Right now baby bunnies are the bane of my existence, so you have all my sympathies!! There has been some type of boom in the rabbit population in our neighborhood. Used to be, MAYBE you might see a rabbit in your headlights at night, but that was rare. This summer, they are everywhere!! Yesterday, one blithely hopped across the street at 3 in the afternoon! I couldn't believe my eyes!! Anyway, I have been doing much reading about our furry friends. They don't like dusty miller, but it has to be close to the plants they do like...which is hard to pin down as they seem to like anything! Watch young plants especially. I have read they don't like onion, so I have spread my chives throughout the garden too. Also read they don't like blood meal. I have laid it on fairly heavy throughout the gardens. Have not lost a plant (knock on wood!) in a week now. Try this link for more info...
http://www.ghorganics.com/page6.html#Rabbits
Good Luck!!

Thanks so much pondnut. We all have chainlink fences and attaching yards around here and they seemed to have dug little runways between all our yards. I keep trying to chase them out of my yard and sicking my pomeranians on them. The neighbors just laugh at me and chase them back my way, as they have gardens too.

Well, don't feel too bad about chasing them, since we do it too. My husband mows our neighbor's lawn (really nice senior citizen, but her arthritis makes lawn care difficult) and Saturday he startled a bunny while mowing her yard. He then proceeded to run (with the lawnmower)down the driveway (all the way from the backyard!)after the bunny until it fled across the street. It was quite a sight! I laughed until I cried! But hopefully, that particular rabbit will be too frightened to return to this side of the street. If we are really lucky, it will "spread the word" that our side of the street is a pretty scary place!

Must be a michigan thing. I have lost so many flowers this year to those "cute" little critters. and last night saw 3 hugh raccoons comming out of the sewer. We use to have hawks that took care of population growth but the HUGH crows we have in our pine scared them away this spring. I don't have any solutions for getting rid of them but have found that remembering that song "some of Gods greatest gifts are unanswered prayers" keeps me a little more tranquil about the whole situation.

Set unbaited spring type mouse traps all around in the garden. When they start hopping around, the traps will spring and startle them. They might even get their nose in one. They should decide that it just isn't worth it and leave.
Cala

Rabbit problem here in Texas. The bunnie around here ate all my Day Lily bulbs (30) . I have found out too late that if you put pepper or paprika sprinkled around , rabbit won't bother cause when they sniff, they don't like that. Any kind of pepper will do; black pepper, Cayenne or what ever. Tell you what, if this bunny eats anything else....guess who will be eating fried rabbit and have the fur besides.Onions will also repel rabbits and bonemeal will to.
We could all get together and have one big rabbit hunt and a rabbit fry afterwards.

CoCo, I think Sandy is too softhearted to eat Rabbit....it really is a southern thing, ya know?


"eyes"

O know,, just teasing. I like the cute little creatures myself. I have a couple of them around in my yard all the time. They are so used to me that I can really get close to them. Within a couple of geet that is. Almost was able to pet one until the neighbors dog started barking, then it ran off.
I promise, Sandy, no fried rabbit!

Oh my gosh the critters are getting worse...4 nights ago I watched 3 raccoons crawl out of the sewer down the street. Then 2 nights ago I had a bat in my TV room.. (I think I let him in when I went outside) then this morning DH went to go for his morning walk and there was a skunk sitting on the back walk.. What next.. I promise not to complain about the bunnies if I can just get rid of the creepy critter.

This message was edited Thursday, Aug 9th 10:25 PM

I couldn't eat or hurt one if my life depended on it. I don't even encourage my dogs to chase them...I suppose if I did they might be less likely to come around. my male pomeranian catches the occasional squirrel and that in itelf upsets me to no end.
Sandy