[shokkyy]

I'm doing my seed list (yes I know I'm late) and desperately trying to work out how I can cram in everything I want to do in not enough bed space. I have one decent size bed (18' X 8') and 4 smaller beds (8' X 4') for veg that are well protected from rabbits, plus a couple more smaller ones that I use for salad and herb stuff, but that's not enough space. I have another bed that currently only has a smallish rhubarb plant in the middle of it but doesn't have any fencing round it so is open to rabbits, and I'm toying with putting something in that. I'm pretty sure rabbits would get stuck into peas/beans/brassicas, but does anyone know if rabbits like squash plants?

I'm also wondering if there are any sugarsnap/mangetout varieties tall enough to grow on wigwams instead of rows, to save some space.

[TheSpartacat]

No idea about the rabbits and squash (I do think you're right about rabbits + legumes =trouble. They eat clover and thats also legume)

But can recommend Bijou Mangetout - they grow v tall. (And a great crop- huge huge pods!)  

I grew it this year and put up some rabbit hutch type wire for it to climb and it climbed up to the top and then did a magnificent trailing effect which I dont want to repeat next year... so I'll be using a wigwam covered in netting.
They easily grew 6 feet tall.
you can get it at realseeds.... AND you can save seed each year for the following year. It doesnt cross easily with anything, so even if you're growing other types, you should get true seed and never need to buy again!

[Trillium]

I wouldn't think rabbits would bother squash as the leaves are bit prickly. If in doubt, fence the squash in while young. When they get larger and pricklier, you can remove the fencing.

[corndolly]

I have grown pumpkins and marrows without fencing and no trouble with rabbits. I have seen their droppings near the plants but no munching of leaves or fruit ,sometimes a nibble on the young marrow (courgette).Have been doing this for several seasons ,so I would say you dont need fencing for these.

Also lettuce ,if you grow it , they dont usually touch it.

We have a big rabbit problem , our main veg plot is protected with fencing . we have found the pumpkins can grow happily outside the protected area.

[8doubles]

Rabbits are not put off by prickly stuff (please don`t throw me in the briar patch  ) and are avid eaters of hogweed ,milk thistles etc which can be fairly spiky.

It all depends on available food , if there is plenty of good grass no problem but in a dry summer the squash may be added to the rabbits menu. 

[skinnY]

From when i worked on the farm rabbits eat everything. If you have a big rabbit problem i would suggest shoot the little *, and then have them for dinner.

[shokkyy]

From when i worked on the farm rabbits eat everything. If you have a big rabbit problem i would suggest shoot the little *, and then have them for dinner.

I know they really like stocks. I don't know how many times I've planted them in the flower borders, only to find them eaten down to a stub the next day.

[Junie]

My squash grew though the fence and some fruit grew out in the field which is freely available to rabbits, they were not touched at all by them, so are top a top choice for the rabbits..( Not like my brassicas at the moment, for which they have to squeeze through the fence, and the electric poultry netting and evade the JRT when he is let out - and they still disappear at an amazing rate!)

[Trillium]

I get rabbits around my garden and they never touch my squash, but I think it's because there's enough other wild stuff they can eat or perhaps prefer.

Re lettuce: both myself and a gardening friend noticed that rabbits will go after all the head and leaf lettuce types. But they won't eat Romaine lettuce. No idea why but romaine is never touched by rabbits in our gardens. Earwigs, however, adore romaine 

[Jono]

My mum grows squash in her garden, and she's plagued by rabbits, pheasants, squirrels, pigeons etc (mainly because she feeds everything!), but they've never had her squash plants. They have munched on most other stuff though.

[suziet88]

We've got pesky rabbits down the lottie but they don't touch my squashes

[shokkyy]

Thanks, everyone. That's really good news. If I don't have to rabbit proof them, that gives me a lot more places I can put them. We do actually have a rabbit warren at the bottom of the garden, so I had kind of given up on planting any veg outside the beds that are rabbit proof fenced.