Shane: I'd definitely keep the existing plants. With protection they should grow rapidly and bear soon, like probably 2011. New plants are unlikely to bear sooner or be larger in a couple years. Plus this is cheaper.

The Fruitnut

Most rabbit damage is winter damage, if you wait till spring it will set you back another year. I have too many to fence so I make a hoop out of chicken wire and anchor it with tent stakes.

But I would keep the existing plants. Yes they should have a great root system built up by now.

Best of luck

BtwÂ.. Do not use a light gauge chicken wire or hardware cloth they can push under. The thicker the better.

http://www.academyfence.com/hardwirecloth.html#1/4x23gauge

And dried blood or hot pepper seeds sprinkled around also help.

Thanks everyone! I will stick with the ones I have.

In my case the rabbits wait until the leaves are out and there are a few white berries, then they break in and eat them to the ground.

I'm having the same problem. I decided to order new bushes and put them next to my other bushes and cage the whole area. At least they can't get to them now, the whole area is covered in two feet of snow.

We have a problem with rabbits, also. They really go after new plantings, shrubs that are only a year old. On older established shrubs, they go after the new growth, mainly. I tried spraying with "bitter apple" solution, & that helped, but it was not completely effective. The next step is to spray with hot pepper solution.

I got plastic 3 ft. x 15 ft. fencing from Home Depot. Comes in a roll. I cut it to 1 1/2 ft. high stips and anchored it with metal Home Depot things that look like croquet hoops. All it took was 1 1/2 ft. high barrier and rabbits have not bothered my blueberries.

I also had luck with wrapping the plastic bird netting around the base of the bushes to keep the rabbits away. I hear aluminum foil also works well.