21 Inch Tall Rabbit Fence with Zip Ties

So I wrote a whole blog post about adding a 9 inch tall welded wire fence around the base of my aluminum fence in order to keep my small dog(s) in the yard. The aluminum fence is attractive, but the rungs are a little to wide to keep the dogs in if they are motivated to wiggle out. The 9 inch tall addition did the trick no problem, but I noticed that it did absolutely nothing about the rabbits. I was aggravated to no end all last spring, especially when they decapitated my Dusseldorf Pride.


I would let the dogs out at night and watch the rabbits run away and simply jump the 9 inch fence between the rungs, no problem. Since I actually watched them hop it a few times, I was guessing that 21 inches would be enough to prevent them from getting in. They might be able to clear 21 inches if it were out in the open, but since they also have to aim through the vertical rungs I'm hoping this will be tall enough to stop them. The whole point of having an attractive aluminum fence is so you don't have to have this wire mesh or chain link. I think at 21 inches tall, it's still subtle enough that the overall impression of the fence isn't too tacky.

This spring, I'm not messing around, I bought the same kind of fence from last time: 16 gauge black vinyl coated welded wire fence with 2"x3" rectangles. I used zip ties to hold it in place, just like last time. With a little help from my super handy room mate, we installed it in a couple hours.

Each rectangle is 3 inches tall so we have 7 rectangles vertical for 21 inch fence that should be enough to keep the rabbits from simply jumping over. They might be able to clear 21 inches if it were out in the open, but along with the aluminum fence it should be enough of an obstacle - fingers crossed. 

Of course after the fence was in place, it only took the rabbits a day or so to find the gaps around the bottom where they could just duck under and get in. So then I took a spare piece of fence and stuck it into the ground temporarily blocking the low spot where they got in.

Rabbits found the low spot, and slipped under the temporary block with this spare piece of fence. My next step was to dig the tongs 3 inches into the ground and add some fill to actually raise the ground level in this spot. 

As you can see from the photo, they actually dug under that and bent the tong back that was touching the ground. Arrrg! That does it! I cut off a strip and stuck the wires 3 inches into the ground and had extra rectangles at the top, then I filled that in with some left over soil and sod scraps to actually raise the level of the ground up to the fence. So far so good, no rabbit poop in the yard since adding the bottom layer in these particular low spots.

Installing P3 Mole Chaser

Took me a while to dig a hole for the P3 Mole Chaser, it's a narrow vertical shaft in thick clay soil

I blogged before about my vole / field mouse problem in my lawn thanks to my neighbor not cutting his grass. When I visited my dad this last weekend, he gave me two of these Mole Chaser devices that emit a beeping tone underground that disturbs any underground critters like moles and voles so they pack up and make their home somewhere else.



There's a variety of these "chaser" devices that are supposed to work on voles, moles, gophers, etc. 



No idea if it's going to work yet. The web says it can take 2 weeks to really get rid of the voles, and that more might come around thinking the vibration is food before leaving for good. Ironic huh! This is the old school cheap battery kind - I've also seen solar powered and even wind powered mole chasers.

I had to try something, these voles probably spent all winter eating through the roots of my yard. I don't know if I have the heart to kill them, and I can't really hunt them down or mow down the grass because they live in my neighbor's yard - they just come into my yard to eat all my delicious healthy roots!

I placed the Mole Chaser right at the edge of the bed, not very discrete but very targeted to the problem area

I just hope I don't send them running.... into my garage or house or into my flower bed. Here's some more information on how I installed it (duh, dig a hole and drop it in) but seriously, I tried hammering a broom stick into the ground, I tried using a survey stake to loosen up the soil. I ended up digging down with this Hori Hori Garden Knife that did a great job, but still tough with all the clay.

I'll let you know if this does the trick! It's worth a shot, especially since I got 2 of these free from my dad. They're not very expensive though. I was worried you'd be able to hear the beeping noise above ground but once the soil packs in around the device you really can barely hear it - but it's loud enough for you to check the batteries to make sure it's still working. 

Vole Trenches in Lawn (Photos)

My neighbor's grass is so long and dead, it's the perfect place for voles to romp around all winter long. Then people like me with healthy lawns are targets for voles to come through and eat a trench through the roots of the delicious grass. They're called vole runs or vole damage, and it's a clear sign they've been busy this winter. Apparently they don't hibernate.

Vole tunnels through the grass, about 2 inches deep and 1-2 inches wide

It looks kinda like a river or ant colony from above, little ditches that spread out through long pathways about 2 inches deep. I thought for a second maybe it was just cracks from the freezing and thawing of the lawn, but now I think it's definitely voles.

Filled in the trenches with topsoil, it took an entire 40 pound bag

Not much I can do right now, I added topsoil to the trenches. My dad says I might have them year round but in the summer you just don't notice because the grass grows so fast, but in the winter you can really tell. He's going to give me an underground ultrasonic wave thing that is supposed to scare them away for a 60 foot radius.

It's not a huge deal. I'm sure the grass will fill in with the new topsoil I added. And if this is the damage they can do over an entire winter, I doubt it gets much worse in the next few weeks while I'm waiting for the grass to start growing again.

Filing this post under #critters for sure!

Dear Rabbits, Urine for a Surprise

Even though my yard is brown and drab all winter, it is a relative oasis for rabbits compared to the houses around me. All my neighbors have a few small juniper shrubs from the builder's original landscape package. I'm the only house with any kind of soft tissue perennials that should be coming up this spring.

That scares me a little because the rabbits definitely have me on their feeding trail right now. I let my dogs out at 3am only to see two large rabbits make a dash for the fence. Even with my 9 inch dog fence around the base of the aluminum fence, they jump over that and squeeze through mid-air. The rabbits are bigger than the dogs!

They've worked some of my plants down to a nub this winter. The only things they haven't touched are the woody plants like bushes and trees, and the lavender for some reason. They scalped my Dusseldorf Pride down to a painful looking nub, like looking at a starfish with all its legs cut off.

Armeria maritima 'Dusseldorf Pride' with hungry winter rabbit damage

I'm thinking about moving to heavier ammunition. Predator urine all around the house and maybe even some moth balls on the side yards (where the dogs can't get them). I'm not sure how my dogs would react to wolf urine in the flower beds, but I 'found' some free large mammal urine earlier tonight and already started spreading that around the yard. I don't know if he's much of a predator, but this is chemical warfare now.

The other plan is to make a chicken wire cloche (I just learned that word) or more like a dozen of them to cover my emerging plants. These are freaking expensive! My mom also suggested maybe just wadding up some screen over the plants and weighing it down with rocks - it doesn't necessarily have to be formed onto a fancy frame like that as long as the plants aren't crushed. 

Ferns on the Menu in Latest Rabbit Attack

Curse you rabbits! The local cottontails struck again, once again hitting my ostrich fern [Matteuccia struthiopteris], Japanese forest grass [Hakonechloa macra], and this time the Japanese painted fern [Athyrium nipponicum 'Pictum'] on the other side of my house too.

A young Japanese painted fern with rabbit damage

My precious baby Japanese forest grass undergoing its third devastating attack

Tiny new ostrich fern sprout compromised by rabbit snacking

 The rabbits seem to come through in waves. They must have other places they patrol as well, because they aren't in my utility box planter during the day - although I know this is their home base in my yard because I scared one out of here one morning.

I know exactly where they hide at night, so it's my own fault I guess. This is the only brush in the whole neighborhood, so it makes sense they would be here and nibble on things close to this area.

I sprinkled more repellent in the brushy area and around a couple of the plants they seem to like. I'm not ready to start putting chicken wire cylinders around all my young fleshy sprouts just yet, but so far the repellents don't seem to be working too well.

New Addition Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'

This is my first miniature Hosta, it's a little tiny Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' that I'm trying out in my dry side yard and hoping to divide and fill in little spaces in both of my shade gardens. It only gets to be about a foot wide and 8 inches tall. Reading up on it a little, I'm thinking I may have to keep it watered quite well on the dry shade side until it is established.

This hosta is considered 'blue' because it is dark blue/green in contrast to other types that are lime green or yellow

Tiny blue mouse ear leaves!

This miniature hosta is a perfect size for my dry shade garden that curves in to only 9 inches wide at the narrowest point (to give me access to the water spigot).

Speaking of tiny Hostas, I noticed what I believe to be Hosta 'Libby' sprouting a baby. Rather than dividing this entire plant, I cut the baby off and planted it in a new spot. I'm not sure if all Hostas have babies like this, but I didn't notice the same thing happening with my Hosta 'Patriot'.

What I think is Hosta 'Libby' with a little baby off-shoot. I harvested this one instead of dividing the entire plant for a new division.

Free plants, can't beat it! Let's see if this one survives the winter.

Update 9-20-2015: The next morning I found that a rabbit had immediately enjoyed the young hosta leaves from my baby transplant (not my store bought Mouse Ears thankfully). I had my first sighting of the actual rabbit as well! He was hiding in the Russian sage by my utility box and went running. I sprinkled some Animal B Gon all around the bed and the utility box and I haven't seen him since.

My divided baby off-shoot hosta immediately became rabbit breakfast

Toad in the Hole

It's not just a "traditional British dish consisting of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter" (source) - because I found a real toad in a hole hiding in the mulch. That explains where they've been going during the dry spells.

I hope they come out at night and continue to eat spiders.

I think I've seen enough critters now to justify a new tag on my blog posts for critters. I'm keeping an eye out for rabbits.

I saw about 5 monarch butterflies today sipping water off my grass presumably on their way from Canada to Mexico? I couldn't get close enough for an iPhone photo of them, so I don't know if they were real monarchs or not.

Closer Look at Critter Ridder and Animal B Gon

Something's been nibbling my Japanese forest grass, my ostrich fern that is just trying to re-emerge, and my European wild ginger. My dad told me about these products that you sprinkle on the ground and it deters rabbits by the smell and taste of the powder. I ordered a shaker of Animal B Gon [Ortho], and he brought me a half can of Critter Ridder [Havahart]. There are similarities and differences I thought I would point out here in case anyone is Googling these products.


I'm pretty sure my culprit is a rabbit, but I haven't seen it to be sure - so I think a "critter" repellent is a safer bet than something marketed as rabbit-only. Both products use essential oils rather than chemicals to repel or deter small mammals. I started with the Critter Ridder and if that doesn't work I'll also try the Animal B Gon.

Critter Ridder 2-lb size, it doesn't specifically mention rabbits on the label

I also realized I could use it to keep my dog from digging in the mulch in this one specific spot she always goes to, so I sprinkled some there as well.

The rabbits aren't particularly aggressive, and I don't have tomatoes or any produce, so I'm just trying to make it inconvenient enough for them to not nibble the meager emerging stalks of my transplanted plants. I don't need them to run screaming, I just need them to find my plants a little too spicy for their liking.

Critter Ridder is a spicy mix of oil of black pepper, piperine, and capsaicin. It smells like a really strong dry rub for barbecue. It actually doesn't smell that strong, and I'm hoping it will really keep animals away for weeks. Hopefully the rabbits don't thank me for seasoning their salads!

Smells and looks like strong black pepper

Shaker top looks like something from the spice rack with both a shaker side and a spoon side

Animal B Gon (I keep wanting to type Animal B Gone) by Ortho is a different scent but also uses oil extracts rather than other chemicals or animal urine. This one is a pleasant mix of peppermint, cinnamon, and rosemary. It's actually kinda nice, but it made my cheeks feel puffy after I took a big whiff.

Animal B Gon specifically includes rabbits on the label

A strong but pleasant mix of rosemary oil, cinnamon oil, peppermint oil, and putrescent (rotting) eggs. It smells like cinnamon and peppermint and made my cheeks tingle after taking a whiff

Looks like fine grain cat litter

Animal B Gon shaker top snaps on, not as secure as the top on Critter Ridder that screws on

So there you go. I know this isn't exactly a 'review' of the products, but a closer look. I thought people might want to read the active ingredients and see what the product looks and smells like before buying it. Overall reviews of these types of products are hit or miss, people seem to love them or think they don't work at all. If they keep the last 3 leaves on my Japanese forest grass from being eaten, I'll be a fan!

What's Eating My Japanese Forest Grass?

Haven't you ever heard of picking on someone your own size? This poor Japanese forest grass has been through a lot. It's just barely hanging on after being transplanted on July 4, and it was just starting to sprout a new shoot - when what do I find?? Chew marks! Snipped stems!

My guess is this is a sure sign of rabbits.

Looks like teeth marks to me

They bit off one of the 3 green stems, that's a big hit to this struggling plant!

Sliced clean through

We haven't had any rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, or any other mammals move into our neighborhood yet. When they built all the houses, they basically stripped the whole area down to clay. Since then we are seeing plenty of bugs, worms, even frogs and toads - but no signs of mammals until now.

Since other blogs indicate rabbits eat Japanese forest grass, and since this plant is in my side yard and not protected by my dog fence, it seems like the best answer.

This was the new growth coming through a couple days ago, but this morning it was sliced clean to the ground. I'm hoping at least the roots are strong enough to make it through the winter, because above ground we are down to just 2 green stems and a few leaves!

Identify American Toad and Northern Leopard Frog

My suburban Indiana backyard is feeling much more exotic this summer compared to last year. In this post I'll show some photos I took of a common toad in my backyard and a new frog I saw today for the first time. I like to try to identify plants as precisely as I can, and so I'll do the same with these backyard garden guests.

Northern Leopard Frog - Rana pipiens

My housing development was completely stripped down to bare clay when the houses were built all around the same time. That means wildlife is coming back bit by bit from basically a blank slate. We had a super rainy June/July, and now a rather dry August/September.

American Toad (Eastern American Toad Anaxyrus americanus)

American Toad, very similar to a Fowler's Toad except this only has 1-2 warts per dark spot whereas the Fowler's Toad will have 3+ small warts in each dark spot. Check out this description by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and also Wikipedia. I still can't tell. The Fowler's Toad has a white chest/belly and this one appears to have a blotchy chest.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

As the name suggests, this frog has a gorgeous leopard print of dark brown spots with a lighter edges. Compared to the toad, this frog has a narrower head and no parotoid glands. The Northern Leopard Frog has a very striking pair of dorsolateral folds running down its back like bright ridges or white stripes.

I wasn't sure if maybe this was the Southern Leopard Frog because it's lacking a snout spot. Indiana is on the border where I'm thinking it could be both. My friend Mike told me it's Northern Leopard Frog and he's like SUPER into herpetology so I'll take his word for it. Hi Mike!! :) He just told me he was distracted when he looked at the pic on his phone, and it could be the Southern Leopard Frog because of the lack of nose spot.

Hosta la vista, June!

My hostas have been just loving this rainy June weather. Swampy side yards? No problem! Standing water? They love it! In fact, my Hosta 'Patriot' are blooming and my Hosta 'Sum and Substance' are sending up stalks. 

Hosta 'Patriot' flowers

Hosta 'Patriot'

Hosta 'Sum and Substance'

Hosta 'Sum and Substance'

I also noticed that my 'Patriot' look-alikes are not blooming yet, another distinction between the two. These 3 are ever so slightly beige around the edges where the Patriot is much brighter white. I tried to look online to see what they could be, but with hostas it's hopeless. I remember seeing another type of white variegated hosta at Lowe's that was similar to Patriot but not quite - I'm guessing that's what it must be because I doubt they are some fancy special order variety. Update: Similar hosta at the store is Hosta 'Libby' with slightly darker slightly twisted leaves.

These look similar to Hosta 'Patriot' but there are some notable differences - probably Hosta 'Libby'

This hosta has slightly beige edges that aren't pure white like the 'Patriot' and a slightly darker leaf color

Hosta 'Patriot' leaf detail, lighter green with pure white variegated edges

Pretty sure this is Hosta 'Patriot' on the left, and Hosta 'Libby' on the right. Libby doesn't bloom until August and has slightly darker leaves.

Hello there garden toad! I looked him up online and it seems to be an American Toad, very similar to a Fowler's Toad except this only has 1-2 warts per dark spot whereas the Fowler's Toad will have 3+ small warts in each dark spot.