Gardening
Related: About this forumDo bunnies eat tomato plants?
Three domesticated bunnies have shown up on the property here. I assume someone dumped them in the park adjacent. Do I need to worry about my tomato plants?
elleng
(136,055 posts)I think its a reasonable assumption that they eat all sorts of growing stuff. Haven't studied the matter, but see bunnies running around here (NOT domesticated,) checking out flowers and weeds on my patio. I'm sure your tomato plants look tasty!
Now I'm not so happy about these adorable critters taking up residence here.
elleng
(136,055 posts)Just went to my car and saw a couple adorable critters. I haven't planted anything, and owner of the property, who has a kitchen garden, has it fenced, and includes light electric 'shock.' We'll have tomatoes later in the season! (Already have chives, mint and rosemary.)
jeff47
(26,549 posts)Curmudgeoness
(18,219 posts)I can't believe someone would dump domesticated bunnies in a park! Some days I hate some people.
My experience has been that bunnies will eat other things much quicker. Tomatoes have never been the first thing that they go for in my yard. And bunnies really don't like plants when they get bigger/older (think how bitter and tough lettuce gets as it ages). So see if you can protect them from the bunnies when they are young and yummy, and you shouldn't have to worry later.
grasswire
(50,130 posts)I'm sure it's very possible for an eagle to take a bunny.
My cousin, btw, tells me that people dump bunnies on the golf course near her home. Usually a few weeks after easter.
Curmudgeoness
(18,219 posts)Yes, an eagle can take a bunny. And would. Especially if it is a bunny that is easy pickings.
It didn't occur to me that these were Easter bunnies....but that makes sense. Well, no, it does not make sense. But I see what could have happened. Damn it.
The good news is that you might not have to worry about those tomato plants for long.
grasswire
(50,130 posts)Two are full adult size and one is about half grown. So I guess they were a family's pets but not from this recent Easter.
Two white, one brown.
You should have seen my indoor cats the first time they spied the bunnies out the window. It was hilarious. Eyes like saucers, and they literally stood straight up to get a better look.
I guess I need to check craigslist to see if anyone claims missing bunnies.
TygrBright
(20,987 posts)Yep, the bunnies will munch their way through pretty much any vegetable matter connected with What Humans Wanna Eat.
Sorry.
Poor bun-buns... They likely won't last long, between feral cats, dogs, raptors, foxes, etc.
regretfully,
Bright
lululu
(301 posts)I have never seen my tomato plants' foliage snacked on by anything but tomato hornworms. And there are wild bunnies around here.
NCarolinawoman
(2,825 posts)#1--CRABGRASS!
#2 --WHITE CLOVER
I think #3 was ALFALFA
So naturally I planted a bit of this stuff (crabgrass grew naturally LOL) in a section of my backyard. The reasoning was to have a deterrent, and you know, it kind of worked!
Not perfectly, but it did help quite a bit. Oh, there was also always a lot of birdseed around for them to crunch on.