[Tony P]

Just about to take over an allotment, at last, but the site is plagued with rabbits as per the other allotment holders, as I will be starting by clearing the site and putting up fencing etc, has anyone any advice on how to help towards keeping the pests out, any advice will be well received, many thanks. Tony P.

[arugula]

Our garden, don't have an allotment, is surrounded by fields full of rabbits. We have tended to attach chicken wire aka rabbit netting to a couple of feet in height right round the plot, to the main fence. It does quite a good job, but isn't 100% proof. We also have the veg plot fenced again in rabbit netting to the height of a metre and gated, but this was chicken proofing.

Oh, and welcome! I'll move this into gyo to let more people see your question.

[Nikkithefoot]

Practically everything on my plot is grown under debris netting supported by water pipe hoops. Its the only way I find to keep rabbits, deer and birds off the crops. The only things I've found so far that they don't bother with are potatoes and garlic.

[daviddale]

hello all, I've just finished doing some anti-rabbit fencing around a farm's veg plot, we sunk the 3/4" chicken wire about 6 - 8 inches underground and curled it back out 6 ins toward the lawn, they can dig as much as they like, but will still keep hitting that wire. On a less optomistic note however, I have seen rabbits jump a metre high before now! regards, David.

[Spana]

When  we put a rabbit proof fence round our veg garden we couldn't understand how they were still getting in.  Then one day  i sat in a corner and watched.  The little devils were climbing the wire.  We added a  1ft.  overhang all the way round at the top on the outside and that stopped them

Edited to add, i should have said, OH made wooden brackets like you would use for a shelf and that holds the wire out .

[Charl89]

well i have just done the anti rabbit fencing around my allotment as for some unknown reason the rabbit loved my allotment compared to the others! everyone keeps saying i should take it as a compliment but i seriously dont! 

my motto now is i am hoping the rabbit will look at my allotment and think its to much hard work to bother trying and go onto some other person who wasnt fenced theres lol

good luck with it.

[Stratts]

Have a word with the council and fire some snares out on the runs and bag the * so you can have them with your fresh veg!!

I got a freezer full at the moment and the young uns taste great on the bbq!!  Nice and tender!!   

[Swing Swang]

Quoted from

http://www.deerwildlifecontrol.com/Deer%20deterrants.htm

Rabbit

The first step is to reduce the population that's causing a problem. I like to use shooting and ferreting as these methods are more humane than snaring and are very effective. Keeping the rabbits out is the best plan of attack once numbers have been reduced. A 1 metre high fence using chicken wire will be enough but the fence must be dug into the ground correctly to be effective. Gates must be a continuation of the fence as rabbits will soon find any weakness in the defences. There are electric fences available for rabbits but I must say I have seen rabbits happily munching away at valuable plants inside these fences.

Rabbits seem to share the same tastes as deer so the plants listed in the deer paragraph will be equally  resistant  to both species. Garlic and the Alliums are usually left well alone and will provide a decent crop.

[arugula]

Garlic and the Alliums are usually left well alone and will provide a decent crop.

Perhaps that's why the junior leporids don't seem to have been bothering us as much as usual this year - we have loads more of those than ever before.

[Swing Swang]

When creosote was available the OBs would suggest that a 4" high fence of creosote-soaked sizal would act as a barrier to rabbits. I've no idea if this worked, but would be interested to know if creosote substitute has a similar effect.

[Stratts]

I enquired this week about shooting rights on our allotment to sort the rabbits and pigeons but they already contract it out to a pest controller, who sets vermin traps but has never been seen anywhere near the plots with a rifle!!!

I think it was just an easy way to justify saying no to me tbh!!

[Spana]

There used to be something you could buy to keep rabbits away from special plants.  You had to soaks bit of rag in the stuff and place it near what it was you wanted to protect.  Cant remember what it was called, [I keep thinking Ranitidine, but think thats a drug  ]
I tried the it years ago when i had a lot of pansies in the garden , rabbits here seem to love them ,and it sort of worked but didn't half honk  :blink:  Creosote would smell as bad so might work but who would want to work on a plot stinking of the stuff  

[Swing Swang]

Spana  - must disagree - creosote smells L.O.V.E.L.Y

Did three weeks charity work (30 years ago!) creosoting wooden buildings during a hot summer. Shorts, t-shirt and rubber gloves (days before health and safety). Fond memories. The smell of an old telegraph pole in summer takes me right back there! The job cured my childhood asthma too!

SS

[Salmo]

Snares are likely to get you in trouble with local cat lovers. A ferriter who knows what he is doing is a better option.

Wire cage traps are effective especially in the Winter when food is short. Put out the traps with carrots scattered about. When the rabbits are used to eating them reduce them so only carrots in the traps are available. Keep to the law and check the traps every day. Be prepared to kill or have someone handy that will do it for you. Traps cost about £30 but they last for years.

[ferreter51]

Like argyllie, I don't have an allotment, just a large, partially walled kitchen garden surrounded on three sides by fields which are full of rabbits.  I spread a little ferret muck around their usual entry points and now they don't trouble me.  I have to renew every three or four days, but with half a dozen ferrets, I have an inexhaustible supply.