Sunflowers & bunnies

20 years ago

I wanted to put sunflowers around my deck this season. However, I know I have rabbits living under the deck. Will they mow down the sunflowers when they're trying to grow or will the sunflowers be unharmed by the bunnies? I also thought about planting cucumbers with the sunflowers. Will that work or will the bunnies go after the cucumbers? Thanks

Boo

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Comments (6)

morz8 - Washington Coast
20 years ago
They do eat sunflowers...I was trying to figure out what kind of insect was making obvious notches up about 6" on the 4' and growing stems on mine one year, then realized I had a rabbit living in the nasturtiums that surrounded them. I lost a couple from a patch of several (the rabbit lost interest in the sunflowers in favor of clover, raspberries and the self sown nasturtiums), but I wouldn't give young sunflowers much hope against plural bunnies.

Could you do discreet fencing of chicken wire around the bases until the stalks have gained some diameter? That's what I am thinking I'll do with mine, also to keep the deer from stepping on them on their way to the raspberry canes :)
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
20 years ago
"Plural Bunnies" - how cool is that expression?!

Here in zone 5, I have all kinds of silly plants that keep sticking their heads up out of the spring soil to check for rabbits - told you they were silly.

Rabbits like sunflowers about as much as they like been/pea seedlings --- lots.

Al
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booberry85
Original Author
20 years ago
I do have some fencing I could use. I was hoping not too. Thanks for letting me know. Better to find out this way than through experience!

Boo
tulips91
20 years ago
They mowed down my sunflower seedlings last year... ARRGG!!! But I'm going to try again. My dogs don't help much with my battle efforts - they chase every rabbit they can find in the woods until their tails fall off, but when it comes to bunny burglars in the garden? The hounds are konked out, lying in the sun without a care in the world. And to think, when I was little my favorite animal was a rabbit!
TBAT9903_AOL_COM
20 years ago
I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH BUNNIES EATING MY SUNFLOWER AND YELLOW PEPPER SPROUTS. WHATS LEFT IS A NUB OF THE STEM ABOUT AN 1/8 OF AN INCH ABOVE THE SOIL. I HAVE SINCE PUT UP CHICKEN WIRE WHICH WORKS GREAT, HOWEVER, I'M WONDERING IF THE PLANTS WILL COME BACK? THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY INFO YOU CAN GIVE.
username_5
20 years ago
Interesting. My beans and peas are intensely targeted by the little furballs, but I have never noticed a sunflower even nibbled on.

In my yard the rabbits seem to only be attracted to seedlings. The beans and peas for example will be mowed to 1" nubs, but those that grow back are not bothered again.

I have noticed the same thing with some perennials, they get mowed once and then the rabbits leave them alone.

I did see a rabbit nibble on an established shrub at my mother's home, but the damage was unnoticeable and sustainable.