that pesky rabbit!!

[fruit&vegvirgin]

we have a rabbit. our own, ex-pet, that now lives the life of riley wild in the garden.
BUT. he has now taken to selecting the finest shoots of my new perennials (geranium, astilbe and dicentra to name but 3) and munching them into oblivion.
have threatened him with putting him in a pie, but the kids went mental! and I couldnt do it anyway... anyone got any ideas of how to keep him off his favourite plants?

[Alice]

Sorry F & G Virgin. The ONLY way is put him in a pie. If you can't bring yourself to do it then just enjoy watching him munching your garden. Anything else is just frustration and misery for you. You can see that yourself - can't you?

[fruit&vegvirgin]

yup, thanks for that Alice!! I was thinking, rabbit repellent? upside down hanging basket cages over my poor little victims? the weird thing is, he has ignored loads of the geraniums for 2 years, but the new little shoots coz I've divided some are clearly irresistible...

[sewer rat]

FVV
I'd put him in a pie too
Your only other alternatives are to protect your new shoots til they are biger - using an inverted hanging basket is ideal, but weight it down or peg it down or bunny will just bulldoze it out the way if he's determined enough, or alternatively, change your plants to perrenials that rabbits don't like - I have a list somewhere - if you're interested, let me know and I'll have a hunt for it

[Nicos]

Rat- I'd be interested in seeing that list to!!

[fruit&vegvirgin]

I've been going round after him chanting 'mustard sauce, mustard sauce'! off to get some hanging baskets today.
if you can find that list I'd love to have a look.

[andrewo]

Rabbit trap or gun, it's the only way, or else net your entire plot and put in rabbit fencing. When it came to Peter Rabbit, I was on the side of Mr McGregor.

[fruit&vegvirgin]

well, baskets were a fiver apiece and I reckoned I needed 8. so have just spent a happy hour constructing tubes of much cheaper mesh, which are standing around the plants in question - just waiting for the OH to bring me some pegs or something so I can keep them there.
the downside is I just caught him starting on the sedum... little s*d! I dont remember him doing this the last 2 years.

[andrewo]

Why don't you just put up a chicken wire fence all around the plot with a gate. Never get in then.

[fruit&vegvirgin]

so far he hasnt found the veggie plot, but am urging oh to put a gate on it!! cant really fence off the flower beds - might look a bit municipal!!

[Nicos]

F&VV - being realistic,you just have to make your garden harder for a bunny to get into than your neighbour's.
They are certainly creatures of habit and tend to follow 'traditional' routes, but if you can persude them to take a detour to their garden instead and so long as they have plenty to eat,they may well keep clear of your garden! (just don't tell the neighbours your plan!

[nick the grief]

Get a rescue Greyhound make good pets & can catch a bunny no probs !!

[sewer rat]

Nicos & FVV
Sorry but cannot find the list I was referring to - however if you take a look at this site it gives a fairly complete list of rabbit proof plants - hope tghis is of some use
www.complete-gardens.co.uk

[fruit&vegvirgin]

rabbitproof cages are working well on individual plants, which now have time to recover. but of course the little s*d just moves on to the next thing that takes his fancy. apparently it is just the new young shoots they like, so in a couple of weeks or so he should move on to the grass again...
we've re-christened him Rab C. Nesbitt on account of his thuggish tendencies.

[rosheen]

1 bunny cut into pieces, butter, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, 1/4 cup cracker crumbs. Roll bunny in melted butter, mix crumbs and cheese together and roll bunny in this mixture.place on baking sheet bake at 350 for 1 hour or until done. turn once during cooking. yum yum enjoy!! A pie is good too. Ro