War
I tried being nice.
I tried being patient, thinking that I would lose a few beans here and there ,but that would be okay. I even put out a little dish with some lettuce and veggie scraps in it. But the bunnies and I have not seen eye-to eye.
A week or so ago, we finally did some serious planting on top of my tomatoes and peppers. I gave the kids each their own space and they chose what they wanted to plant. In addition to the seeds, Abigail added a tomato plant to her patch, and Zander added a peanut plant. He was really excited about the peanut plant.
I worried about that plant, so the next day I went out and bought a product called “Repels-All”. It stinks like you wouldn’t believe, but you spray it around the perimeter of your yard, and it should act like a barrier for the bunnies. It worked for two days, so I was hopeful, but then I woke to discover the peanut plant missing. A closer look confirmed that the bunnies had eaten all but a little nub of the plant. War was declared.
Using items I had on hand, I fashioned a fence around the kids gardens. I used iron fence posts, the green plastic fencing we used last year, staples, electrical tape and zip ties to construct a fence that I hoped would protect my kids gardens. The fence went up just in time- their gardens started sprouting, but I swear, it looked like something was nibbling those new bean leaves! So I used another Repels-All product, this time a granular form and sprinkled it thickly around the perimeter of their gardens. I sure hope it works.
I also had to spray my plants today with a soap solution. Bugs! Some kind of bugs- white flies maybe? They look kind of like mosquitoes- but they have been going to town on my plants, and I’m not letting them have anymore. When I sprayed the soap on the plants today there were a lot of refugees. I ordered them to stay away.
The tomato plants are looking good. After lots of rain, we finally got some sun, and the plants seem a lot happier- all 34 of them.
This is something new I added a few weeks ago. I really didn’t want the bunnies to get my butternut squash, so I decided to put them in a pot. Then I got the idea to use a bar stool that Andy had made for our last house, but we don’t need at this house- to place the pot on. At the base of the stool I’ve planted pole beans, and my goal is to have a really cool looking pole bean and squash display. I really like the pop of color the red stool adds.
On the far left there you can see my baby rhubarb plant, and behind that is the trellis where my runner beans are planted. I don’t know if I’m going to get runner beans this year. I keep planting, and they keep being eaten. I thought I got rid of the bunnies with the spray and granules, but now it looks like something else is eating them. Maybe the soap spray will take care of them.
There are plenty of sprouts in the kids gardens. We have broccoli:
Pumpkin and melons:
And lots of beans and peas, as well as a few sprouts of corn and cucumbers.
I also have a new patch of kale and chard going, so I’m hopeful those will do well too.
Up next, I’ve been thinking about all the space I have but am not using yet. My current plan is to continue amending the soil with compost, tilling it up a few more times, and then I want to try my hand at a fall garden. Andy’s been just itching to design and build me some cold frames, so I’m going to choose a few spaces, and let him have at them. It would be so awesome to be picking lettuce, broccoli and beets into November this year.
I have some sweet windows that would make some good cold frames. Also, hows the lettuce patch coming along? We applied a product called “Deer Off” It works Really really well, but is expensive. My homemade mixture worked really well also so I think thats really the way to go. Good luck!
The lettuce died completely. 🙁 Not enough sun, I guess. I have to keep re-applying that Repels-All, and it smells so bad…blech.
Today I went out and since I had to spray my plants again with soapy water, I took the cayenne pepper and gave all the bean plants a very liberal dosing of pepper. For once I hope the bunny tries to take a nibble. I’m going to be borrowing a pellet gun shortly- if everything else fails. Am wondering if it would be safe to eat a city bunny…
I also think I have something else eating some of it- something that burrows, I’ve got a small burrow, but haven’t seen anything yet.
I would NOT eat a city bunny, EVER!! The wild rabbits also probably have tularemia its a disease that cannot be cooked out of rabbits. They also have a TON of fleas in the summer usually. If you are feeling brave you could eat them after a couple of good heavy frosts, maybe wait until January……Do you think the bunnies may have eaten the lettuce? Man, I used to grow a lot of lettuce in the shade…maybe have Andy trim a few of the trees to let in a little filtered sunlight….
Chipmunks will burrow, but they were always ok to have around as they never really bothered too much. I did just hear last week they are also starting to be a problem in Appleton. Mice and dare I say it, rats, also burrow….
I would invest in a nice little pellet gun. Shoot and bury, shoot and bury, repeat as necessary. Or find a very large, aggressive, and slightly psychotic cat. Of course most cats are psychotic, LOL. Ferrets also like rabbits………
The deer have been on pretty good behavior around here lately. I really don’t miss living in the city and trying to battle those insane rabbits…….
Lol, no. We wouldn’t actually eat the city bunny. Besides, if I have a hankering for bunny, I know where to find one!
Not sure, really about the demise of the lettuce. I had tons of sprouts, and then poof, just like that they were gone when I next noticed them. Andy’s very slowly trimming out the trees- I think I want to try that spot again, but I think next time I’ll start the seeds first and plant more established plants and see how they do.
We have so many critters here! I want to find a balance so that we don’t have to try and eliminate them all. Aside from the rabbits, we have tons of birds, Andy even saw a hawk one day. Then we have regular old grey squirrels, but then we also have cute little red squirrels who are super chatty, and even the elusive black squirrel on occasion. Chipmunks, yes, we’ve seen them too. And of course the rabbits. If they just wouldn’t eat ALL the beans I’ve planted, I’d be okay. A nibble or two, a plant or two would be fine.
Pellet gun arrives this evening. Neighbors have one too, so maybe between the two of us, we can at least take care of the bunny problem.
Any success with the new garden tool yet?
Um no, although I think it’s a bit of a contest now. Andy missed a few times last night, and I kind of challenged him to try and get the bunnies before I do…