Why do the rabbits do this? Why do they chew off the flower and then leave it lying on the ground!? Luckily for this flower, I found it and brought it in and put it in a vase. Otherwise, it would have been wasted outside.
Outside… where it is like summertime right now. Too hot, too fast, if you ask me. I think the plants are in a panic now with the sudden warm temperatures as buds, blooms, and leaves are popping out all over the place, literally overnight it seems.
I’d like for a bit of a cool down please, let’s do this whole spring thing gradually, shall we? I get into a tizzy, too, when it is warm like this! I’m not ready! I can’t keep up!
Back in Illinois, this would happen to my plants, Carol, and it was usually the prettiest daffodil or best Siberian Iris. Sometimes I think cutworms were the culprits, but other times I wondered whether animals were looking for something juicy.
It didn’t always work, but putting a few clay saucers with water around the flower beds seemed to reduce the damage.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
You’ve lived in Indiana all your life. You know this is going to change, so just relax and enjoy it
I was out planting pansies and everywhere I turned, I found tulips that had been eaten to the ground. I got some new kind of spray that is supposed to repel them (safely). I hope it works! I am tired of feeding the rabbits of the neighborhood.
Kathy, the older sister
I know what you mean about the dizzying change in weather! The snow disappeared here almost overnight.It is suddenly short-sleeved shirt weather … although it will cool down this week with the possibility of snow. argh…
Carol…we’ve had a sudden jump into spring too…but there’s no guarantee we won’t be back to cold weather…maybe you’ll get some nice real spring weather this week!
Carol, I think rabbits just have a mean streak! I’ve had this happen also – many times. And I agree, this weather is way too hot – 77 here! The early bulbs don’t do well at all. And neither do I when it’s this warm this early. Hopefully there will be more seasonable temps on the way. Hang in there with the “bun buns”. Alyssa
I know what you mean…all of my bulbs are bursting out of the ground. Which is fine, as long as we don’t get another snow now… I agree with you, too: a nice, normal spring would be great. I’m in no rush for the heat and humidity of summer!
Carol,
Say “here kitty, kitty, kitty….” I’m telling you — 2 little kittens are your answer!
Another great answer is to invite some owls to live in your neighborhood. I think the rabbits do it by accident. They are lolloping along, looking for forage, and they chew through that nice big step and discover. . . “EW Ick! This is full of poison alkaloids!” and don’t finish eating it. Daffodils are poisonous.
Unfortunately, tulips are not, and that is why they are such tasty comestibles to everything from bugs to deer.
I hate it when it gets too warm too fast. The daffodils just can’t take the hot temperatures. And it had better not get too cold now. All my fruit trees are blooming and I would be devastated if we had a hard freeze now: no plums, apricots, apples or pears.
What I despise about these swift switches is that I go into full-blown spring panic mode. Must Get It All Done NOW. Very irrational, as there are many hard frosts ahead.
Oh and how about this for an unexpected nature encounter: I looked at my seedlings yesterday in the garage and they were mostly gone! I thought, wow. Must be damping-off disease. Nope: My husband said he saw a mouse. A mouse obviously with discriminating taste for fresh spinach sprouts…dang things.
What a pity about your daffs. No fun that!
So spring has sprung quite high in temperature all of a sudden? Here it’s fine, agreeable but not too hot for the time of year.
Randy said this morning below temps are headed are way next week.This will put things back in perspective I hope.Things are budding,and blooming way to fast here in the hoosier state.
All, thank you for the suggestions on how to get rid of the rabbits, the commiserations on their destructive tendencies (misery loves company!), and reminders that this warmth won’t last. We will still have some cooler days before we go “frost free” in mid-May! (Hopefully!)
Carol,
Perhaps unusually I’ve never had a problem with rabbits eating my daffs – either in bulb or when in bloom – seems to be the one thing they don’t touch!
Oh dear, so this is what’s going to happen with the rabbits that are in my yard for the first time ever? I was kind of hoping they would just hop around and look cute.
Lost Roses Unfortunately, the rabbits will not just hop around and look cute. They will eat your most expensive plants and anything you try to plant in a vegetable garden!
John I was also surprised that they tried a daff!