Q about bunnies and gardens

[luvbuns]

Hi

I am rather new....I posted a little while ago about mynew bunny (Mindy) that I thought might have been pregnant...turns out,that she wasn't...she is just really lazy and verychubby...

Well, the Spring weather has finally arrived and I am in the process ofplanning my gardens. I usually plant an herbgarden, veggie garden and wild flower garden. I have an extraspace where I can plant an additional garden and thought I could makeit a 'bunny garden'....

Are there any plants that aren't bunny safe?Also, Mindy is a house bunny, is it okay to let her have time in herown garden outdoors?

thanks...

Ericka

 

[Carolyn]

Hi Ericka,

Check out the Cheat Sheet for Rabbit Care post and you'll find alink to safe foods for rabbits. It lists unsafe plants aswell. Will bring back a post entitled Planting yourrabbits' garden for other ideas.



-Carolyn

 

[DaisyNBuster]

I was just looking for that post Carolyn, thanks .

Vickie

 

[luvbuns]

thank you....I will look for the link...I can't wait to get outside...this winter's been too long...

Ericka

 

[luvbuns]

I don't currently have a compost pile started,but have been wanting to start one. I read in the bumpedthread that you can use the bunny poo for fertilizer- how about theshavings too (aspen)? Has anyone ever added the shavings totheir compost before? It seems like a waste to just throwthem away with the trash....I would much rather feel as though I was'recycling and reusing'....

Ericka

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

I add all of ourtree limb shavings to our compost pile. We run it through a chippermachine that shreds it really fine then we put it in the compost pilewith everything else. I was going to ask everyone about the Woody Petin the compost pile...There shouldn't be any reason to not add it tothe compost pile, right?

By the way, welcome Ericka!

I believe you and I think along the same lines!

RaspberrySwirl

 

woody pets in thecompost will be fine , aspen will befine also , basic is they areboth small partical that willbreak down even farther , adding richnessand texture to the compost. Besure to turn your compost over everyfew weeks and add moisture when necessary .

 

[luvbuns]

RaspberrySwirl or gypsy,

do either of you have a compost pile? What type ofcontainer/enclosure do you use? I am currently reading up ongetting one started and wondering what people have had luck using....

 

[JimD]

luvbuns wrote:

RaspberrySwirl or gypsy,

do either of you have a compost pile? What type ofcontainer/enclosure do you use? I am currently reading up ongetting one started and wondering what people have had luck using....

Hi Ericka!

I've had a compost pile for years. All of my yard and garden waste goes into it except evergreens and the tomato plants.

I used pallets (aka, skids) to enclose it. They work really well. Verysturdy, but come apart easily when necessary. I stood them on end andjust lashed them at the top corners. Unlash the front one and drop itdown for easy access.

 

[luvbuns]

Hi Jim

I have easy access to pallets...perhaps I will use those. Myconcern is the amount of space they will take up. I'm sure Iwouldn't have a problem filling it, between gardening, mowed lawn,rabbit shavings, food waste (we're a family of five)- it would probablyoverflow.

Do you turn your pile over often or do you just leave it alone?

Thanks for the great info! I am going outside this afternoonwith my 4 year old, and I think he and I are going to get started (haveto do a lot of raking and weeding)...

Ericka

 

[JimD]

Our compost pile works really well.

It's 8'x4'x4'. You can also cut the pallets down to make it any size you want.

There's a constant level of 3 feet of compost for about the past 5 years. It just keeps on'postin.

I only mix in and turn over the top. The rest of the pile works itself.Sometimes you can see the "smoke" over the pile on a cool morning. Evenin the wintera light snow usually melts right off of it, too.

 

I cheat like hecklol i just putrabbit droppings in the garden and let itdo its magic that way , seeRabbit droppings unlike cowor horse droppings is acold fertilizer , meaningit doesnt get hotenough to burn tender plants ,and can be actually usedstraight from the sorce, OH!!! and if youhave Roses side ressthe rose bushes with itfor beautiful roses!!!

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

Jim, I guess youneed to give me some pointers. :?We've been working on oursfor two seasons now. Last year I burned the heck out of a bunch of myplants, so obviously my compost was still too hot. This year when Iwent to the pile that should be ready I can't figure out how to get tothe stuff at the bottom...Also when I go to turn the piles they arealways so dry and mildewy. I went to turn it for the first time thisseason and even after the wet winter it was only damp a few inchesdown. After that it was dry and mildewed. No composting from lastfall's debris at all.

Raspberry