Jennifer in MI Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 This year dh built me a raised bed. I planted beans, lettuce and cilantro. Things were growing VERY well and we were weeding every other day or so and I was SOOOO excited. Until two days ago when I saw a rabbit eating ALL the leaves off the bean plants. I chased him off, but since then it's been a neverending battle. I was going to go out and get chicken wire, but then a couple days ago, we had a hail storm. The hail was 1" in diameter! I'm pretty sure that finished everything off. (We seem to have lost all of our flowers out front to the hail too.) But, the real kicker was this evening as I watched the rabbit feasting on my dying lettuce. Urg. Any hints for next year? Is it too late to replant this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2legomaniacs Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Awww, I don't expect my tomatoes to go crazy and produce a lot either. My family gardened, but I never have done much. I am sorry:grouphug:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 To keep out rabbits they have a short little fence--2 feet tall, I think, made out of some kind of wire fencing. They can still step over it, but it keeps the rabbits out, mostly... Until... A very determined mama rabbit figured out that if she crouched JUST next to the fence, and jumped straight up into the air, she could usually land inside the garden. Where all the yummy food was. Where she could make her nest. Right under a convenient leafy plant. It is a measure of my avid hunter/trapper FIL's mellowing with age that he succumbed to their cute baby rabbithood that year, and accepted a tremendous loss of fresh veggies. The next year the fence was a little higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrianne Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 You are not a failure! Rabbits happen. I would say go ahead and replant your beans. I usually can get a few plantings of beans every summer here in PA. If you want a faster grower use a bush bean. They tend to produce sooner. As for lettuce and cilantro, replant in later summer for a fall harvest. These plants do not like hot weather. Rabbits can be such a bother!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 Awww, I don't expect my tomatoes to go crazy and produce a lot either. My family gardened, but I never have done much. I am sorry:grouphug:. Thanks! My family always gardened too. My dad had a HUGE garden that produced all of our veggies for the summer and then they froze a bunch that lasted until the next March or so. Yum! Sorry about your tomatoes! To keep out rabbits they have a short little fence--2 feet tall, I think, made out of some kind of wire fencing. They can still step over it, but it keeps the rabbits out, mostly... Until... A very determined mama rabbit figured out that if she crouched JUST next to the fence, and jumped straight up into the air, she could usually land inside the garden. Where all the yummy food was. Where she could make her nest. Right under a convenient leafy plant. It is a measure of my avid hunter/trapper FIL's mellowing with age that he succumbed to their cute baby rabbithood that year, and accepted a tremendous loss of fresh veggies. The next year the fence was a little higher. Oh - I'm so sorry for your parents! But, I'm LOL at the way you tell it. Yes, next year I'll get a nice high fence. But, then there are the stupid squirrels. I'm seeing Peter Rabbit in a whole new light . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 You are not a failure! Rabbits happen. I would say go ahead and replant your beans. I usually can get a few plantings of beans every summer here in PA. If you want a faster grower use a bush bean. They tend to produce sooner. As for lettuce and cilantro, replant in later summer for a fall harvest. These plants do not like hot weather. Rabbits can be such a bother!!! LOL! Rabbits happen . . . and happen . . . and happen!!! Okay -bush beans. Can do. I was hoping to get in two crops of the lettuce and cilantro. The lettuce was almost ready to be picked too. Okay - I'll wait a bit on those then. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathy in IL Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 There is one very bold little rabbit that is in my yard. It got all but one of my snow pea plants. It bit into all the strawberries and threw them around the patch - didn't even bother eating them. At least it doesn't seem to ambitious yet. A little chicken coop and bird mesh is stopping it. Now I just need to get something rigged up around the melon patch where it was sitting this morning. I chased it off with my hose, but I don't think it planned to move at all until I turned the water on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretchen in NJ Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Your rabbbit must be getting plump by now. How's Rabbit Stew sound?;) If you have a cat and use a natural cedar, wheat, or news paper litter, you can sprinkle that around your garden. Gretchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jail warden Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 If you sprinkle cayenne pepper on the plants it burns their mouth and they decide not to eat anymore! Apply after every rain. Yes a fence will help with rabbits for next year. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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