It's been a tough season for animal problems in the garden.
Did you ever raise rabbits as a child? I would be willing to bet that some of
you did! I'd be hard pressed to think of an animal I didn't raise! But I
was responsible for what they ate, they depended on me for sustenance. Now, I
guess you could say, they STILL depend on me, as judging from my peas and
carrots, I have no idea what they'd have done if I hadnt' grown them this year!
Now they feed themselves anything they want.... in my garden!
I don't mind lending a helping hand, but there has to be some order here.
Some feedback we got from GardenNote's readers may help. Dried blood can be
used as a repellent; it's also a source of nitrogen fertilizer for the garden.
Scatter it around the perimeter of the garden or the plants you are attempting
to protect.
Have you thought about using a hot pepper spray? Read-to-use formulations of
sprays that contain capsaicin are safe bets. Want to spray your veggies with it?
Make sure that the formulation you buy is labeled for use in the vegetable
garden. Helpful hint: Hot pepper sprays need to be reapplied during the growing
season. Read the label first.
(We have had some really good success with hot pepper sprays.)
Fencing is another option for bunnies; be sure the gauge is narrow enough so
they can't get through the openings. Fence should be at least 24 inches tall
to deter them.