About a month ago, Sun City was inundated with even MORE bunnies -- all little guys. Cute, baby, tiny, fluffy, sweet-looking little critters. That ate EVERYTHING, because they don't know any better. They have to taste it. -- two-leaf nightshade (solanum diphyllum), Datura, clematis, golden fleece, sage, phlomis fruiticosa, bark off my Thevetia! (gratifying to find fluffy little dead baby bunnies).
But now, this AM, I found a HUGE brug that I got from a friend and babied like you wouldn't believe, until it was doing GREAT! I found it de-barked as high as baby bunnies can stretch -- about 12-14" up. I've sprayed w/ rabbit repellent, but any other things I can do? Is my Brug doomed? From looking, it doesn't look like Brugs are like trees, with their entire circulatory system in the cambium. But I don't know. Any suggestions? Any info?
Help - Brug's been "de-barked"
If the trunk wasn't girdled all the way around, the wound should heal. If too much was removed, you can cut them branch just above the damaged area and root the top. Be sure to remove all but the smaller leaves. Place the large cutting in a container filled with 3" - 4" of water and add a little hydrogen peroxide. Place the container in a warm well lit place out of direct sunlight. When the branch has developed white nubs, pot the branch in a pot appropriate for the size of the cutting. I've placed a large 4' cutting in a 12" pot without a problem. Water to keep the soil barely moist at all times. It should have a decent root system in about a month.
Place a phyical barrier — one they can't wiggle through or climb over — around the base of the Brug in the ground to keep all the other bunnies out.
It's girdled -- thanks, here I go ---whimpering -- to get busy on the brug.
And right above my post (at least right this minute) is "How to make a Brug Standard"!
Thanks again. They are are on several lists of "plants that rabbits won't eat"!
LOL Around here, deer are more of a problem. Neighbors who have lived in the area all their lives say deer were almost hunted out in this country when they were growing up. Once the county's agricultural base shifted from crops to cattle, the deer population exploded — plenty of food, cover (fields were allowed to reforest) and water (stock tanks). We have rabbits around, but the coyotes keep them in check. The dog (Australian Shepard) keeps the coyotes away from the house. We really don't have a problem with coyotes as far as out cattle are concerned. There is one coyote behaving strangely (too bold and out during the day), but my DH hasn't been able to get rid of him.
I battled deer in rural Iowa. NOTHING like the onslaught of baby rabbits who have inundated me this fall! All I figure is that Brug and Datura are NOT like tees. I had appointments today from 8:30 to 1:"20-3:30 , because ( but couldn't 1:30 - 3:30PM I'd been watching between horticultural consults,couldn't do the 1:#0I saw the brug between 12 and 1 PM----- it always droops then
But it perked back from the usual noon wilt!
Keep the pot with roots. Don't overwater or let it get too dry either & it may come back from the roots & then you'll have 2 plants. Remove a bunch of the leaves from the cutting. You can make 1 large cutting or several smaller ones. Just make sure to cut them with some semi-ripe wood with the lenticels (little white pre-root nubbies).
Linda