Rabbits !!!!

[A Life Less Simple]

We've recently taken on two allotment plots. The site is a new site and up until April 2nd this year was grazing land. Things are coming on well but there is a growing rabbit problem on the site, anything without a net or plastic bottle over the top of it is getting nibbled some of the other plot holders have fenced theirs off but to fence both of ours off it is going to cost £300-ish going by what others have paid for fencing, posts, etc. also, fencing the plots off just seems like A LOT of work to go to when there is so much else to do.

Does anyone know of anything that might keep the rabbits away?

We have heard that rubber snakes work in the short term, has anyone else heard this or tried it?

[abby]

Do you know anybody that hunt with ferrets I know its upsets some folks but these things have to be done..

[Florence Fennel]

Do you know anybody that hunt with ferrets I know its upsets some folks but these things have to be done..

There's a product called Grazers, but at £12.00 a bottle it would be very expensive for an allotment.

[binley100]

I have read that making a spray using hot peppers and garlic helps to deter rabbits. Not tried it yet as our plot is surrounded by thick hawthorn hedge and corrugated iron sheets.

[Alison Adams]

I too hope somebody can advise a good deterrant, as we have just discovered a newly appeared warren about 20' from our garden fence ! The fence is not rabbit proof so its going to take some time and money to keep the little darlings out of our veg. I think rabbits and carrots are a good combination - but only in a pot with a few onions and a splash of wine !

[Alice]

Sorry to hear abou the rabbits A Life Less Simple. Sadly there is no nice little deterrent that will keep them out. You have choices
Kill them
Fence them out
Let them eat everything.
That's it - your choice.

When I was faced with a similar problem with roe deer I went for the fence them out option. Expensive and time consuming but it worked and was the best option for me - and the deer.

[A Life Less Simple]

There is someone who has been employed to shoot them and we are seeking permission from the site owners to be able to do this ourselfs (when others are on the site) so hopefully that will have an effect but it might take a while.

In the mean time I guess rabbit for the freezer will be nice.

[jackie j]

Fencing is the way to go luckily my plot was already fenced but we have added a few more posts, cost a couple of pound each,( bought for me as a birthday present ) we hired a petrol thingy to make the holes cost £25 for the weekend. We will need new fencing all around soon. Worth it in the long run.Start putting a few posts in at a time on one plot and do it gradually. In the meantime not a lot you can do, some one on our plot used hoops and netting on everything and that helped her.

[binley100]

Rabbit attack!

Just to say we had an attack of rabbits, onions looked like someone had gone along them with a pair of scissors, but they have grown back stronger so has the beetroot and beans. Mind you we have had to pay out for wire mesh to fix round the beds which is also pegged down along bottom edge.

[NOG]

Snare them...then you can sell or eat them.

[SuperDad]

We too are plagued with rabbits on the allotment. Even though fenced, they seem to know where the holes are, and run through the fence as if it wasn't there! What type of snare do you recommend?

[binley100]

What about the miximatosis or doesn't it affect humans?