Help rabbits ate my plants.

[chickenpal147]

So I’ve got a small veggie garden that I plant every year. I have done everything that’s organic that I can think of to rabbit proof it. I put up a fence that I can remove at the beginning of the year to till, I’ve made sure there ar no holes in the fencing, and we put old logs around the bottom to make it look pretty. I put up flash tape on all the posts and even planted an orange and red variety of marigolds to try and keep them out .
Well a sneaky little rabbit got into my garden and ate all the leaves off my bell peppers and one of my hot pepper plants.

My question is will my plants be ok and produce more leaves and start growing peppers for me, or am I out of luck on my peppersthis year?

I know the one picture looks bad but that is what my pepper plants look like. STICKS THEY LOOK LIKE STICKS.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I see tiny bits of leaf still on them.

Hang in there, water them, make cages around them to give added protection, and maybe they will make it.

Option 2 would be to buy new plants and still give extra protection from infiltrators.

 

[chickenpal147]

I see tiny bits of leaf still on them.

Hang in there, water them, make cages around them to give added protection, and maybe they will make it.

Option 2 would be to buy new plants and still give extra protection from infiltrators.

I really appreciate the advice. Unfortunately with how late it is in the season most of the stores and nurseries by me have started to start selling less and less veggie plants. So fingers crossed that I can get them to survive.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I really appreciate the advice. Unfortunately with how late it is in the season most of the stores and nurseries by me have started to start selling less and less veggie plants. So fingers crossed that I can get them to survive.

All you can do is try. Maybe give them a little nitrogen boost to help encourage leaf growth.

 

[pibb]

I don't think they will make it. If they do they will take longer to grow than just planting new plants. There is still enough time to put out some new pepper plants and harvest some around the second week of September so you may get a few peppers if you hurry and plant some new pepper plants. Lowes or Tractor Supply may have some peppers.

How did a rabbit get in there?

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

We have rabbits galore but we also have heeler mix dogs. They chase away rabbits. We also have an electric tape fence, with big visible white bands down low. Something was eating a watermelon, so I placed a row of bricks under the lowest rung of the electric fence. That way they can't squeeze under without touching the tape.

So far, that's worked. No more holes in the watermelon. The tape fence only cost about $70 in parts. But our garden is 10x your size. I found a fence controller for $1 at a yard sale after buying a new one for $25 ... oh well.

 

[NatJ]

I don't think they will make it. If they do they will take longer to grow than just planting new plants.

Depends on how established their roots are. New transplants get their roots disrupted, which also slows down growth. If the ones with no leaves have a well-established root system they might grow new leaves quickly and do well (assuming no more leaf-eating happens to them.)

 

[chickenpal147]

I don't think they will make it. If they do they will take longer to grow than just planting new plants. There is still enough time to put out some new pepper plants and harvest some around the second week of September so you may get a few peppers if you hurry and plant some new pepper plants. Lowes or Tractor Supply may have some peppers.

How did a rabbit get in there?

I’m not sure how the rabbit got in I think the part of the fence we use as an entrance got left open on accident while I was at work.

 

[chickenpal147]

All of my plants have successfully started to regrow their leaves.

 

[NatJ]

All of my plants have successfully started to regrow their leaves.

Glad to hear it!