# General > Gardening >  rabbit proof plants?

## craggy island

hi
Can anyone tell me what i can plant in a couple of tubs - that rabbits wont eat! it also has to be chicken proof as well because thay are partial to the odd flower here and there. they will be at floor level because they are disguising an uneven part of the garden. ive tried a few things - all eaten  in the night by rabbits and in the day by the hens.
is there anything that these rebels dislike?
Thanks,
angie.

----------


## Margaret M.

There are a number of plants that are rabbit resistant, -- lavendar, astilbe, cat mint, bee balm, lamb's ear, etc., but the hens will probably dig up just about anything.

----------


## gardeninginagale

There are few things rabbits won't eat, but elder and garlic are on the list. However, rabbits ate my garlic last year. Rabbits and hens are the ultimate double act. For all my years in gardening, I have to put my hand up, and confess. This is a problem too far.

There is nothing you can do apart from eating the hens and the rabbits - without salad, sadly.

Sorry. No answer to this one.

----------


## justine

Try this site helped me decide what not to plant with my buns being free roamers

http://www.marjennings.com/garden/rabbits.cfm

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Sate...=1114778749280

This is a list of known plants that rabbits will avoid..not sure about your hens though.
Plants rabbit typically avoid include agave, aloe, Arizona yellow bell, aster, autumn sage, black dalea, blanketflower, brittlebush, California fuchsia, chuparosa, corn, creosote, cucumber, desert marigold, desert milkweed, desert spoon, dicliptera, emu bush, euphorbia, fairy duster, feathery cassia, gazania, golden fleece, hesperaloe, hummingbird bush, Indian mallow, Justicia spicigera (also known as Mexican honeysuckle), little leaf cordia, Mexican bird of paradise, Mexican oregano, plumbago, prairie zinnia, queen's wreath, rosemary, Ruellia peninsularis (desert ruellia), Salvia clevelandii (Cleveland sage), squash, Texas mescal bean (also called Texas mountain laurel), Texas ranger (also known as Texas sage), trailing indigo bush, verbena and yucca

Hope this helps..

----------


## raymac

could try some hanging baskets, oops sorry did not read bit about ground level

----------


## justine

> could try some hanging baskets, oops sorry did not read bit about ground level


 
have you ever seen a bunny jump????? :Wink:  ::

----------


## chaz

The rabbits here are driving me mad munching thier way through my veg,tomorrow im going to make rabbit proof frames as the ones i made are obviously not!! Maybe make a rabbit pie to go with the veg  :Smile:

----------


## gardeninginagale

> The rabbits here are driving me mad munching thier way through my veg,tomorrow im going to make rabbit proof frames as the ones i made are obviously not!! Maybe make a rabbit pie to go with the veg


That was my problem last year, when I was suddenly infested with rabbits. It was impossible, and uneconomic, to rabbit-proof the whole garden, so the flowers and ornamentals are again being guzzled. But the veg plot is impenetrable. 

The Good Books tell you to bury the bottom nine inches of netting, because the bunnies will burrow under it. Not necessary, and too much hard labour. Turn the bottom nine inches out, and anchor it with anything you have - wire pegs, stones, a few shovels of soil. The point is this. Rabbits will hit the net, and then start to dig. They are not smart enough to move back nine inches, and then dig. So the out-turned net stops them burrowing.

Of course, you need an access point, and that will always be the weak point. If you want a formal gate, set a piece of 3x2 or larger on a bed of netting, nailed behind the gate posts. Then ensure that the gate closes against that sleeper. The bed of netting ensures than they can't dig down and under.

Hope this helps.

----------


## chaz

> That was my problem last year, when I was suddenly infested with rabbits. It was impossible, and uneconomic, to rabbit-proof the whole garden, so the flowers and ornamentals are again being guzzled. But the veg plot is impenetrable. 
> 
> The Good Books tell you to bury the bottom nine inches of netting, because the bunnies will burrow under it. Not necessary, and too much hard labour. Turn the bottom nine inches out, and anchor it with anything you have - wire pegs, stones, a few shovels of soil. The point is this. Rabbits will hit the net, and then start to dig. They are not smart enough to move back nine inches, and then dig. So the out-turned net stops them burrowing.
> 
> Of course, you need an access point, and that will always be the weak point. If you want a formal gate, set a piece of 3x2 or larger on a bed of netting, nailed behind the gate posts. Then ensure that the gate closes against that sleeper. The bed of netting ensures than they can't dig down and under.
> 
> Hope this helps.



Thank you,short of pitching a tent beside the veg and eating rabbit pie forever i was getting desperate.
 Got all materials needed so off to get to work  :Smile:

----------


## gardeninginagale

> have you ever seen a bunny jump?????


You'd be surprised. I can assure you from personal experience that a rabbit will jump - actually climb - over a full height rabbit fence if the adrenalin is pumping and it is being pursued by a gardener wielding a spade.

----------

