I have never had good luck with lavender or rosemary seeds. So last year I bought one of each on the $3 rack. I did sow lavender this year and it's germinated already. Hidcote Blue. Rosemary is so easy to root from cuttings, I won't ever bother to sow it again.

If you want to distract the rabbits, plant lettuce in your neighbor's plot. ;)

I've never done Rosemary because I didn't want to dig it up every year, but have heard it's a tricky one to germinate. Lavender for me did great with wintersowing. It has also done great with the baggie/moist coffee filter method too.

Vera

ooo- token's onto something...

Now THERE's a perfect idea! I knew a man down the road from me who would cross the street and put feed down in the woods down a path every day to keep the deer from coming out & crossing the road. He swore it worked, and it made sense, I suppose...unless they knew where he lived and came knocking when the supply was low...

but yeah...why WOULDN'T that be a perfect solution? Plant a giant patch of lettuce way far away from your other stuff...

I plant trap crops, too much wildlife around here.
the one year the bunnies were so bad, I planted a path of tasting lettuces, then the closest to the house plantings I planted hot peppers and sprayed them with hot hot pepper spray, bye bye bunnies!

My bunnies ate my hot peppers....bet they were wishing for ice cram....I really hope Mr. Bunny Rabbitt does not come back this year. I even lined my veggie bed with dog hair, of which I have plenty to no avail.

Token,
thanks for reminding me about Rosemary. I haven't done cuttings, but what I've done with ease is - bury a branch in the dirt, (the branch is attached to the plant), hold it down with a clip, and in a few weeks it has roots, and can be cut.

I can't remember the time of year that is optimum to do this. Gonna look it up. Wish I had a better memory so not to have to look things up.

e

ok - it is called layering (couldn't remember that either!):

"Layering is the simplest and most reliable method to increase perennial herbs such as thyme, lemon balm, winter savory, sage, bay and rosemary. The basic principle is to produce roots on a stem while it is still attached to the parent plant. After you root the stem, detach the new plant from the parent. Select a healthy branch that is growing close to the ground and that is flexible enough to bend down to the soil. While holding the branch close to the soil, bend the top 6 to 10 inches of the stem into a vertical position. It may be helpful to scrape the bark on the underside of the branch at the bend. Bury the bent, scraped portion 3 to 6 inches deep, and anchor it with a wire loop. Insert a small stake to hold the top upright. Water thoroughly.

You can layer anytime from spring to late summer. Allow the rooted shoot to remain in place until the following spring. Then cut it from the parent plant and plant it into the desired location."

When I did this, I did not leave it in place until the next Spring - I'm much too impatient for that. As soon as it rooted (which you can tell by gently pulling on it) I cut it and planted it, and it did fine.

ellen

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Herbs at Home

ellen, you can do layering anytime the plant is actively growing. Lavender is supposed to be easy from cuttings too, so I suspect layering would work. I haven't been so lucky with my lavender. Provence is the variety I purchased. It's starting to put out new growth here after a hard winter.

daisydawnny, I spread blood meal and bone meal throughout my plants and it seems to keep the bunnies away. However, I have never planted small seedlings like I will be this year so I don't know if it works on them. the year I did not spread the meal I had bunnies eating everything. I used to have a bunch of columbines and they ate them all!! I am WSing some now...

Karen