[AlaninCarlisle]

Do you think that 50mm wire mesh is sufficient to exclude rabbits? I keep weighing up the local rabbits and their bodies appear to be at least twice this width with heads certainly in excess of 50mm.

The issue arises as my local merchant has only this grade in stock and I was hoping to fence off the vulnerable part this week

Thanks for any advice

[Dopey113]

I think its thin though isn't it, a few guys had this on there lotys and they chewed through it, sometimes its not the hole size its the gage you need to be looking at as well

[arugula]

Shouldn't get that many rabbits small enough and adept enough at the same time to get through that, but I've seen them climb the rabbit netting we have here which goes to half the height of the standard Rylock, so take care how you fit/fix it.

[PembsPanther]

I know a man for hire

[Schubunny]

One of my rabbits has got through a inch and a half gap before. Dunno if that helps.

[arugula]

That's less than 40 mm Schubunny! 

[Schubunny]

That's less than 40 mm Schubunny! 

Is it? I'm rubbish with measurements  but I measured it cos I was so amazed when she went straight through the baby gate bars!! She is dinky but so are wildies!! If they can get their heads through they can get the rest through too. That was bars though so a grid should be a lot harder I guess!

[arugula]

That was bars though so a grid should be a lot harder I guess!

Yes, I'd agree with that.

[AlaninCarlisle]

Thanks for all your advice, which I'll take. I've just located four rolls of 900mm x 10 metre at 25mm hole size about 15 miles from here. I'll pick it up in the morning. It should be enough to protect my intended brassica beds

[boldondig]

Everyone on our allotment uses 25mm or 1" mesh . I would wait and use this when it becomes available  ... I know 50mm or 2 " sounds quite small - but believe or not the rabbits will go through it when young. Other point - use good quality mesh - cheap mesh ,even though it says it is galvanised will rust - good stuff will last - doing the perimeter of an allotment is not a job you want to be doing every other year.

[solway cropper]

Alan, you need to turn it outwards at the bottom for nine inches and bury the 'flat' bit under the soil/grass or the dear little bunnies will just dig under the fence. When I worked in forestry I put up miles of the blooming stuff and this is what we always did. As boldondig says, the smaller the mesh the better.

[AlaninCarlisle]

Cheers Solway. I learned that lesson the hard way several years ago

[arugula]

Cheers Solway. I learned that lesson the hard way several years ago

I knew you knew that bit.

[AlaninCarlisle]

I'm actually quite pleased with the end result. I persuaded a local farmer friend to erect the fence and my sole contribution, apart from posts, wire netting etc, was to make the gate. He's done a far neater job than I could have ever done. The whole area looks quite twee and sort of Surbiton suburban-ish in the shelter of my polytunnel. Just in time too as all the brassicas are rapidly outgrowing their trays and pots