Rabbits must die!

Our garden has been plagued by three pesky rabbits-a baby, a mama and another adult rabit. We chase them away (our neighbors hear us yelling and see us running like banchees) but alas without a fence they return. We have lost our first planting of corn and the celery has taken a bit of a chew. We tried human hair to no avail. It is an organic garden but at this point we are desperate. Any suggestions?

My grandfather used to buy dried chicken blood and pour it around the garden to keep them away.

Fox urine works too, a good garden shop should have it.

How to Build a Rabbit Live-Trap

Hasenpfeffer recipe

JasonM wrote:My grandfather used to buy dried chicken blood and pour it around the garden to keep them away.

I was advised to use a similar product when fall bulbs are planted, since squirrels like to dig up fresh bulbs. I bought a dried bloom compound at Gethsemane. The dog loved the smell. We didn't have problems with squirrels, so perhaps the blood worked. I suspect it's also good for the soil.

I've used a pepper spray on the lower stalks of my corn plants--this is probably not cost effective, but worked for the few plants I had.

A physical barrier of some sort is the only thing that will work. Chicken wire or some sort of similar netting.

I thought I once read that bunnies don't like marigolds. Can anyone confirm. If true, you could plant a border of marigolds.

Blood meal. Home Depot.

Yes blood meal but it is not fail safe. they have been nibbling my peppers and my eggplant. I had to plant my swiss chard in pots to keep it away from them.

You might also think about a motion-activated sprinkler.

http://predatorpee.com/
It ain't cheap, but it's the good stuff.

If this doesn't work, you can borrow my Alaskan Malamute. She swallows baby rabbits whole.

I don't know if Sigma Pseudo works on rabbits, but my friends generally keep their distance when I'm wearing "Formulation II."

A .22 caliber rifle works wonders.

The blood meal and coyote pee pee combo seems to be working-just not as much fun as some of the other suggestions.

I had some luck keeping bunnies away from my beets last summer by planting garlic and onions on either side of them. The beets still did not do well. I'm watering more this summer to keep things going. I soaked the garden about 2 1/2 weeks ago before I left for vacation and it seemed to be doing well upon my return, particularly the weeds! But among the weeds was a lot of purslane which is actually pretty good. Not all of that will wind up on the compost pile. I soaked it again last night and picked a bunch of stuff this morning.

While I was picking other stuff, I heard a rustling behind me and turned to see a cotton tail bolting for the shrubbery.

Hi- I don't know if I would want to eat a salad of nothing but purslane, but when I have it in my garden, I'll add it to what ever salad I am fixing. Purslane is loaded with omega 3, and is really good for you.

NFriday wrote:... when I have it in my garden, I'll add it to what ever salad I am fixing.

That's what I'm doing too.

I don't know if I would want to eat a salad of nothing but purslane, but when I have it in my garden, I'll add it to what ever salad I am fixing.

If Fattoosh Salad's your thing- that's the magical "secret ingredient" -
so often left out of a Good Fattoush Salad!

As to the bunnies/pest problem - I'd second the "higher-up-the-Food-Chain" predator approach- quite "Organic"/natural!

Or- just go "Elmer Fudd" on 'em!

dang rabbit eat my carrot greens....

The bastards have returned!

Shoot them and eat them, forget all these gimmicks. Fresh rabbit is great braised in a tomato, red pepper and eggplant sauce. If you can't legally discharge a firearm where you live, use a hunting-grade air rifle.

eating while walking wrote:If you can't legally discharge a firearm where you live, use a hunting-grade air rifle.

Legally discharge a firearm ??

Another consideration is....

In Illinois, even with an air gun, the rabbit hunting season closed last January and won't open again, generally, until the first Saturday of November.

Ron
----
"When I was having that alphabet soup, I never thought that it would pay off."
Vanna White

Hav-a-heart traps work very well. What if great about them is that the rabbit goes quickly from the garden to the plate. The good thing is that rabbits are very easy to butcher. If you rent the movie, "Roger and Me" who will see several rabbits prepped on camera.

If you think rabbits are bad, deer attack most greens.