Rabbit Damage- New Idea

Hey lily lovers! I have a terrible time with rabbits. They come out at dusk and can`t wait to eat away. I spray tons of stuff and I cage what I can. This is not a pretty look for my garden but I can`t stand to see my lilies and roses chewed down. My mother said her grandmother would put an egg in her garden close to plants preferred by rabbits and they would not come near. I tried this a week ago and guess what? NO DAMAGE!!! Could this be for real? Or is this a fluke? Chime in and let me know your thoughts. If you are like me, I would love to find a way to keep all my lilies alive and well. Thanks everyone.... Lesley

Did you crack the egg open?

No, I did not crack the egg. I only placed the egg near a group of lilies that I did not spray or cage.So far, almost two weeks, no rabbits have nibbled these lilies. Other lilies have been chewed after spray, but not these. I have no idea if this is a fluke or the rabbits stay away because they see a white egg. Lesley

Thanks, I have a new resident rabbit so I may need this info when something starts growing here...

LesMac, Was it a raw egg? I can see me stepping on it!!

Do you change out the egg every few days so they don't get rotten? You sure wouldn't want to step on one of those it would stink something awful.

maybe the egg getting rotten is the point?

That's what I was thinking ~ important ingrediant in Liquid Fence and Plantskydd.

I do not crack the egg. I simply lay an egg down on the dirt by a group of lilies. Just a simple egg! I did change eggs out yesterday after two weeks. There was no smell but I just thought I should. Honestly everyone, this is an old wives tale and I have no idea if it really works, but for two weeks these lilies have not been touched, while others that were sprayed were nibbled. If I don`t get spray out right after a rain, those buggers chow down on my lilies and small roses.No promises but this is interesting to me!! Give it a try and let us all know if you have success. A dozen eggs are alot cheaper than Liquid Fence! Happy Gardening...Lesley

I see an uncontrolled study group with highly unscientific but amusing findings in the making!

Ahem, it wouldn't be amusing to break an egg that has laid in the gardens for two weeks. Ok, maybe amusing to our someone, but not to the egg breaker. :) LOL

Ticker, I spend a lot of time laughing at myself, especially in my gardening efforts!! But the odds are DSO would step on one and he would definately not be amused!

I know this is as silly as can be!! I guess if I wasn`t desparate to control the damage the rabbits do to my garden I would have laughed in my mom`s face. I too, laugh at myself with gardening fiascos and I admit this is awfully funny. Oh well, just thought I`d pass on my mom`s and grandmom`s old ideas. Lesley

Hey, if it works, then I'd use it! :)

Hi all. I'm going to try it on Damien the Spawn of Satan Tree Rat. I'll report back.

Gee, I hard boiled all of mine this am. Guess I'll go off to the store!!

I sometimes find balls of fur at the base of this tree.

Just realized that the magpies or crows will peck the egg to bits in a minute. Drat! That had great potential for thwarting Damien. Thanks LesMc for sharing the info. Good to know.

Rabbits do not like Blood Meal...sprinkle it around the plants you want to protect. The rabbits hate it and won't cross the 'line' so to speak.

Also found this:

"Dutch Farmers Turn to Tabasco Sauce to Keep Rabbits Away"

Dutch farmers have found a hot new way to keep rabbits, birds and rodents away from their crops. Tabasco sauce. The new initiative seems to be making everyone happy.

Everyone that is, except for the rabbits, who farmers say jump a meter in the air and run for cover after tasting the spicy sauce. Farmers say its working. And animal protection spokesman Niels Doorlandt calls it a wonderful alternative to the shotgun.


"This initiative is a perfect example of how you can get rid of the problem without killing the animals or harming them in any way," he says. "It could be possible that the lips of the rabbits are hurt by the Tabasco, but the next time the rabbit will think, 'Don't do this again,' so they won't use their teeth to eat our precious crops."

Local farmers tried other remedies first: garlic sauce and Worcestershire sauce. But apparently nothing keeps the rabbits and rodents away quite like Tabasco. So far, it has been used on lettuce, green beans, barley and wheat, with tests under way on young apple and cherry trees. It takes about five small bottles to spray one hectare of crops.

Only drawback is that they have to bite your plant first.

????

Only one bite! lol

My luck it would be the one lily I was waiting for the most that would get bitten. :) LOL