Rabbits ate my veggie sprouts!

[mjpresley]

Went out to my garden this morning to plant my marigold/rabbit barrier to find that a rabbit/rabbits already chewed down my lettuce, at all of my carrot shoots and the leaves off of my beans leaving just stems.

Is there any hope for regrow the of any/all of the vegetables? Should I just replant and start over now that my marigolds are in the ground? I grew beans last year that survived the bunnies with the help of the marigolds, but this was my first attempt at lettuce/ carrots.

FYI - the lettuce was cut and come again (not sure if the answer would change as compared with head lettuce).

[jal_ut]

Sounds to me like its time to shoot some rabbits?
Are these someone's tame rabbits that have been let loose, or wild rabbits?

You might add your location to your profile. We can better advise you if we know where you are.
Yes, it is very likely you can replant now. You sure need to get rid of the rabbits though, or it
won't do much good.

[mjpresley]

They're wild rabbits, but we're in a subdivision so no firearms. Trust me, I've thought of rabbit stew with my freshly planted carrots and beans!

Thanks for the tip on the locale. I think I'll hold off on replanting the lettuce until fall but try the carrots and beans again. I'm debating the carrots.

[applestar]

All my garden beds have rabbit fence around them. Although I do build a gate into the fence design, I usually just step over them -- with my weighty garden boots on, I get my leg lift exercises in while gardening.

[HoneyBerry]

I heard that "forking" the garden keeps rabbits and cats out of the garden. A whole bunch of plastic forks, pointed ends up, all over the garden. It looks weird, but I guess it works.

[rainbowgardener]

I lost a couple squash plants and a few bean plants to a rabbit, before I put up rabbit fence. No further losses since. And the bean plants which had been nibbled down from the top including all their leaves are now re-growing, since the roots were not disturbed. Not sure if it will work the same for lettuce.

Definitely time for rabbit fence!

[mjpresley]

Thank you so much, everyone! I pulled the nibbled down bean shoots this morning and will get the rabbit fence this afternoon. I also love the idea of forking the garden! If nothing else, it will give my garden a "modern" look!

[jal_ut]

There are some nice pellet guns available that would take out a rabbit, and are not "firearms". I think these may be legal to use? Check on it. Also there are traps that can be used to catch these marauders.

[digitS']

Dad thought that he could catch the rabbit raiding his/my garden. He had a havahart trap. Baiting it with various vegetables and fruit - didn't work. His last attempt was with breakfast cereal - didn't work.

I know that there are lethal traps but the danger is catching the neighbor's cat. That rabbit finally moved on ... or, something.


Steve

[ace1719]

I hate rodents! I have a rooftop garden, so rabbits aren't a problem, but there's a squirrel that's taken a liking to my garden. The good news for you is that there is still lots of time to re-plant beans, lettuce and carrots. In my - albeit rather limited - experience, deterrents only work for a while before they lose their efficacy. A rabbit fence is probably your best bet, though if you want some protein with your veggies, there are traps you can get...

[jal_ut]

Traps: There are several types. Havahart is a cage trap and catches the critter live. There are foot traps that catch a foot and hold the critter till the trapper comes to dispatch it. There are body traps that are killer traps. The critter gets in them and gets killed immediately. There are also types of wire traps that use a noose that in effect hangs the critter. Whether any of these sorts of traps would be something you would use is up to you to decide.

[ButterflyLady29]

I haven't had any problems with rabbits eating my plant as long as the plants are properly fenced, or in tall containers. Chain link keeps the big ones out but young rabbits go through easily. Chicken wire or any type of fence with mesh less than 2 inches will keep rabbits out of your garden.

Marigolds and garlic plants do not work to keep rabbits away from a garden. Once my whole row of marigolds was eaten by rabbits. This year there is a nest of baby rabbits within 6 inches of a clump of garlic.

[rainbowgardener]

This is 3' tall wire fence that comes in a roll, pretty cheap. You just hook it on the stakes, very quick and easy.

My garden was getting eaten by rabbits until I put it up. No further losses since. "Good fences make good neighbors!" Now that I have a fence, I can be more neighborly with the rabbit.

[mjpresley]

I put some rabbit fencing around the garden, and so far so good for the rabbit side of things. After I put it up, I noticed a tunnel in a single spot next to the lettuce. I'm thinking vole?

My lettuce is actually growing back in pretty well! I also saw something online about sprinkling chili pepper flakes around the plants, too. I did that a few days ago, will probably re-apply a few times to "train" the animals.

I grew up around traps (my dad is a trapper, but he's in Michigan), I'm not opposed to them with the exception that I have no stomach for emptying them.

[jal_ut]

You might try chasing the darned things away? Run out yelling and screaming and toss a rock at the rabbits? For sure toss a rock at them any time you see one. . Where do they hang out? For sure empty any nests, and in general make it miserable for them. I put a radio in the corn patch to keep out raccoons. Wonder if that would work for rabbits?

[christianreese]

I put a radio in the corn patch to keep out raccoons. Wonder if that would work for rabbits?

That's an awesome idea and it's definitely worth a try.