Phlox and rabbits

4 years ago

I planted phlox 'blue paradise' last year, which bloomed nicely, and added another this spring. Both were completely decimated by rabbits this year (the rabbits are everywhere). I managed to save one with some chicken wire protection. Other people in my neighborhood have tall purple phlox--whatever the most common pinkish purple variety is--that aren't protected and don't seem bothered by bunnies, though. I'm not sure why the rabbits ate mine and not the neighbors'. Any ideas or tips on rabbit-resistant phlox for next year?

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prairiemoon2 z6b MA

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

I've had 4 generations of rabbits in the yard this year. I pretty much gave up and let them eat what they want. Even when we had our daughter's dog here, they quickly figured out the dog couldn't catch them. [g] They get under our fence and I haven't had the energy or motivation to tackle a job like trying to make the entire fence line inpenetrable.

They did a job on the vegetable garden, the hostas in the spring. They eat my lily foliage and my lilies have been getting smaller each year. The asters were their prime focus this year. I barely have any left.

I only have one phlox plant and they ignored that entirely. I wonder if it's because it is 'Nora Leigh' which has variegated foliage? In the vegetable garden, they also ignore red leaf Bok Choy and eat all the green instead. I think there is no rhyme or reason for the rabbits taste from one season to the next. They like a lot of plants. Maybe your neighbors have something more interesting that they like. I'd think about getting 'Nora Leigh' I love that plant and if rabbits ignore it, all the better.

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Comments (8)

Lalala (zone 6b)
Original Author
4 years ago
Interesting theory about the variegated foliage! Thank you for the recommendation for 'Nora Leigh.'
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
you must have one friend among the neighbors.. get some of the plant the rabbit dont care about ... seems pretty simple to me ...

ken
Lalala (zone 6b)
Original Author
4 years ago
Haha, good point. I don't actually know the folks with the phlox (they are not my immediate neighbors but a couple of houses on the next street over have them) but I can try to make friends!
Lalala (zone 6b)
Original Author
4 years ago
Talked to an expert who had an interesting theory: that young nursery plants are heavily fertilized with nitrogen to push their growth, and rabbits prefer them as more nutritious. After a year or two they will be back to normal levels like others in the area. No idea if this is correct but it was intriguing!
Esther-B, Zone 7a
3 years ago
I put up a 6' white vinyl fence around my backyard. I then installed DigDefense fencing all around the bottom of this fence, to prevent rabbits and other vermin from digging their way into my backyard. I am putting thin PVC boards on the bottom of the fence gate to prevent anyone from sneaking in under the gate. Hopefully I will not have any rabbits or voles nibbling up my plants back there. I planted some Japanese Soft Touch hollies, a yucca, a few dwarf spireas, and a dwarf crape myrtle in the front yard. They were said to be unpopular with deer and squirrels, and so far, it seems to be so.
beesandblues88_z7a
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I had good results misting my Asiatic Lilies with Alaska Fish Emulsion. Rabbits would eat them back down to the ground in the spring, sprayed the the following spring as they started to emerge and the rabbits never touched them. Just remist after it rains.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Esther, I would love to hear an update about how that is working out for you.

BeesandBlues - That sounds like worth trying too