Hot take: I hit 1,200 native plantings this spring and I'm not happy about it

I planted 1,200 native wildflowers in my yard over March and April expecting a big increase in bees and butterflies. Instead, the rabbits ate almost everything down to the dirt within two weeks, and now I have a patchy mess. Anyone else have better luck with fencing or repellents on a large scale?

4 comments

4 Comments

miles_robinson2017d ago

Why not try a low fence until the plants are established?

abbyp6117d ago

The "low fence" idea. Yeah. I tried that. Used those little plastic garden stakes and some twine. Looked like a preschool art project. My dog just walked right through it like it wasn't even there. So the plants got trampled anyway. I'm starting to think my gardening skill is mostly just making new ways to fail.

jana76916d ago

Oh man, did you try making the fence taller or using something sturdier than twine like chicken wire?

keith27416d ago

Well and here's the thing about low fences, they only work if the dog actually respects them in the first place. If your dog is the type that just plows through stuff like it's not there, you need something that physically stops them, not just a suggestion. Chicken wire or hardware cloth staked into the ground every foot or so is a better bet, and maybe even some metal T-posts if the dog is really determined. The real trick is making it so secure that the dog can't even test it without getting bored first. But yeah, low fences alone without any real structure are basically just a decoration for most dogs.