Garden warfare

EliteMcScruffin

EliteMcScruffin

So I went out this evening to get some pics of my Reapers which seem to be lazy little guys, and while walking by my red brain strain which was coming along well, I noticed something... or lack of:

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Expletives aside, I went in and whined while trying to sort out the confusion of what happened. Fiancée says it was a rabbit. No way, I tell her, it must be some stupid insect(s). We met my family for dinner while I continued to try and figure out what it could be and decided to spray the plants with some Fox Farms Don't Bug Me (is this stuff organic?) when I get home.

As soon as I get home, I start making my way around the back yard spritzing each plant to be safe and as I hit the final stretch, I see something move. I turn and see a rabbit hanging out by one of my tomato plants with its middle finger stuck out at me. 10 seconds later the German Shepherd was released (and almost caught the little ball of cute destruction!).

After hearing it NONSTOP from the love of my life how she was right, I decided to take a break from the action and check the back yard again. BACK ALREADY!? Oh buddy, the cuddly truce has been broken and now it's war.

Problem is, I'm not experienced in this field of battle. What does everyone use to keep pests like this at bay and not destroying their hard work? I've considered using chicken wire fencing around the containers, but that just looks plain ugly.

Any suggestions would help as we all need allies on this front.
 
I bought a bb gun, only popped one shot off at mine, missed it but hasn't come back after I chased it around the back yard for a min. Millions the buggers in my neighborhood. looked like march of the rabbits one morning. Planting onion families and tomatoes helps. Fox urine and fencing it in about the best you can do. Maybe a fake owl. 
 
If you don't want to eat it or dispose of it, an air soft gun would be good. It will let that cute ball of fur know you mean business.
 
I've been told I'm not allowed to take aim at something so cute in our back yard (wtf). I value my bedroom time, so I'll have to abide by that reque...err... command. Still might give it a butt stinger with a bb when she isn't looking.

Haha, we were actually joking about getting a fake owl a few weeks ago! I'll have to look in to that... not sure why it's funny to me but maybe just that the one we saw was atrocious.

Didn't know that onions were effective rabbit repellents. I have a valid reason for more plants now! Yay!
 
Take a syringe and suck out the juice from a paint ball,fill it with super hot tea.
I bet if you hit the cute and fuzzy,it'll never come back.
 
Leave a little paint ball juice in for color.Helps keep track of the critter if it comes back.
 
Fake owls need to be moved around or critters get used to them just sitting there doing nothing.
Move it around fakes out the critters ,makes them think they have to watch out for the real thing.
My parent found out about moving the owl around from experience.
 
smokemaster said:
Fake owls need to be moved around or critters get used to them just sitting there doing nothing.
Move it around fakes out the critters ,makes them think they have to watch out for the real thing.
My parent found out about moving the owl around from experience.
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Good to know, thanks. For some reason I keep thinking about an episode of King of the Hill where Dale's falcon kept attacking Bill. Why I'm associating this with a fake owl I have no idea, but it still cracks me up.
 
Well last time I went dove hunting, I also came home with a jack rabbit. Just saying a 20ga shotgun with a full choke at 15 yards makes a good BBQ meal out of rabbit. Only out in the country side of course.

Look into getting a hot wire type fence. Like they have for small critters or cattle. They remember once they get zapped. They shouldn't come back. I bet you will remember to shut it off once it zaps your too.
 
Just come back from Malta where they rabbit is their national dish. Google Maltese rabbit stew, it's delicious if you can catch one
 
Do you have an open yard? The best thing you can can probably do is fence around your garden with a rabbit proof fence. If you have one rabbit there are many more out there. If you scare him away another might come. You could also set up something that reacts to motion like the birds mentioned above. I'm thinking bigger like flapping things strips of plastic lol. Good luck! 
 
Lowes carries a pretty good variety of rabbit repellent (both liquid and granular).  Or you could put in some chicken wire/similiar wire fencing.  My girlfriend is also a protector of the cute and fluffy, so Im in the same boat as you lol!  Luckily they haven't gotten to my plants in the past but every now and again when I see the fat one living under my shed we just kind of share a look, I think we've reached an understanding...
 
Fencing is the best but it can be expensive but there are 2 things that come to mind that I've heard from friends and have read about. First Ground Black Pepper is supposed t be really good at keeping rabbits at bay. Second, if you have cats or a friend that does, sprinkle the used kitty litter around. Both should be used around the perimeter of the garden not right at the plants. A quick google search pulled up these too:
 
  • Repel the rabbits with aromas they dislike. These include dried blood and the urine or feces of any of their natural predators. You can buy dried blood and fox urine at garden supply stores. Fox blood can be sprinkled on cotton balls tied to your garden fence. You must reapply it after rain.
  • Sprinkle vinegar, liquid chili powder or hot pepper flakes around your garden. You can also place vinegar-soaked corncobs around the garden. Re-soak the corncobs every two weeks and after rain.
  • Spread human hair around the garden. In addition to deterring rabbits, the hair will break down into good fertilizer. Simply ask a hair salon for a bag of cut hair.
  • Plant clover or plantain weeds near your garden, as rabbits will prefer these to your vegetables 
Hope it hops, I mean helps :)
 
Fox urine is something I could have a lot of fun with.  Then after all that I'd try it for the rabbit problem. mwahahaha....
 
 
Koreansoul said:
Do you have an open yard? The best thing you can can probably do is fence around your garden with a rabbit proof fence. If you have one rabbit there are many more out there. If you scare him away another might come. You could also set up something that reacts to motion like the birds mentioned above. I'm thinking bigger like flapping things strips of plastic lol. Good luck! 
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The yard is fenced in by a brand new fence.  I checked the area it fled from the enforcer (German Shepherd) and there was about a 3 inch gap under the fence.  I think I'll fill that in but doubt it will stop them for long.
 
 
sreinhard88 said:
Lowes carries a pretty good variety of rabbit repellent (both liquid and granular).  Or you could put in some chicken wire/similiar wire fencing.  My girlfriend is also a protector of the cute and fluffy, so Im in the same boat as you lol!  Luckily they haven't gotten to my plants in the past but every now and again when I see the fat one living under my shed we just kind of share a look, I think we've reached an understanding...
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Good idea!  Didn't think about that.  I checked and the Home Depot by me has something called Liquid Fence Dual Action Rabbit Repellent.  It's only about $15 so I think I'll give that a try first as it is probably the cheapest option I've found so far.  Has a couple of good reviews too and is "eco-friendly" for whatever that's worth.
 
Bailey said:
Just come back from Malta where they rabbit is their national dish. Google Maltese rabbit stew, it's delicious if you can catch one
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I am a patient person generally.  Like all people though, my patience only goes so far.  This will be my "nuclear" option.  Mmmmm... nuclear never tasted so good! ;)
 
i put that bird netting stuff around my plants last year and it kept the wabbits out. Had a small family living by my shed, kinda cute to see them hopping around in the morning.
 
This year i have a big owl(3ft wingspan atleast) living in an oak in my neighbors yard and i see 0 pests haha.
 
EliteMcScruffin said:
Good idea!  Didn't think about that.  I checked and the Home Depot by me has something called Liquid Fence Dual Action Rabbit Repellent.  It's only about $15 so I think I'll give that a try first as it is probably the cheapest option I've found so far.  Has a couple of good reviews too and is "eco-friendly" for whatever that's worth.
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If its anything like the kind at Lowe's then it's basically a mixture of "putrified egg solids", garlic, and one or two other chemicals.  Smells like the bowels of hell but it does the job pretty well.  Keep in mind you'll probably have to reapply it after it rains if it rains hard enough.
 
They have motion controlled sprinklers that shoot a quick water blast that works awesome to keep critters away. Scares them and they get a blast of water.
 
sreinhard88 said:
If its anything like the kind at Lowe's then it's basically a mixture of "putrified egg solids", garlic, and one or two other chemicals.  Smells like the bowels of hell but it does the job pretty well.  Keep in mind you'll probably have to reapply it after it rains if it rains hard enough.
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Just picked it up at lunch... will try it out tonight and update on smell and results over a few day period.
 
 
swellcat said:
 
Great line.  Bowels-of-Hell Cologne might be a big seller.  BOH 7-Pot Chocolate Sauce might do even better.
 


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Haha that makes me think of texas blues' Tales from the Loo.  It's like acting as liquid drano for lift stations.
 
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