ornamental quince

Re-Purposing my Christmas tree

@JudyEv (325759)

Rockingham, Australia

January 2, 2018 7:27am CST

While Vince was in Nepal in 2016 and not due back till right on Christmas I made a base for a Christmas tree from some plastic mesh. You can see the basic tree shape in the photo. All I did then was cover it in tinsel and attach some ornaments. So that’s the backstory about the tree. We have been having a lot of trouble with rabbits. I have a lovely ornamental quince tree that was doing quite well until I noticed the rabbits had just about stripped it bare. So now I’ve put my tree base over the plant to keep the rabbits out. I am hoping the tree has enough leaves left to get going again. I was quite pleased when I came up with this idea. Hopefully it will do the trick really well - and it hasn't cost me a penny.

35 people like this

36 responses

@louievill (28851)

• Philippines

2 Jan 18

Cool idea, put the blinking Christmas bulbs to scare them off somemore

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@louievill (28851)

• Philippines

3 Jan 18

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

I'll put the tinsel back on and perhaps they'll eat that and get tummy-aches.

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@MALUSE (69413)

• Germany

2 Jan 18

Can Australian rabbits climb up trees to feed on leaves? European ones couldn't do that.

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

Our rabbits don't climb trees either but while trees and shrubs are small, they eat the leaves and the young bark and can easily kill vegetation. This particular shrub might always need protection but others are okay once they are fully-grown or at least a lot bigger. The rabbits also dig a lot of burrows. At our place they are digging burrows under the shed.

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@youless (112112)

• Guangzhou, China

2 Jan 18

I think Australia is an amazing land since it seems everything can grow very well there, the rabbits are the good examples. I even imagine that rabbits may be like rats in your country. However, in my country rabbits are regarded as adorable animals and some have them as pets.

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@youless (112112)

• Guangzhou, China

3 Jan 18

@JudyEv Yes, I heard about that people try to kill the wild rabbits.

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

We have plenty of pet rabbits in Australia too but the wild ones are very destructive and in the olden days were the ruination of many a farmer.

2 people like this

@ptrikha_2 (45467)

• India

3 Jan 18

@JudyEv oh never knew wild rabbits could be such a nuisance!

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@allknowing (130066)

• India

3 Jan 18

You are indeed creative unless rabbits find their way somehow They are creative too

3 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

I don't really expect to win easily against them but I might be able to save this one special bush.

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Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (45002)

• Preston, England

2 Jan 18

great initiative - hope it works

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Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (45002)

• Preston, England

9 Jan 18

@JudyEv sounds a good way to recycle

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

I hope so too. I really don't want to lose it.

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Jan 18

@arthurchappell I'll have to come up with a new Christmas tree now though.

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Belle Starr (Iz)

@BelleStarr (61047)

• United States

5 Jan 18

Very resourceful of you that is for sure.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

It seems the ideal solution at the moment.

2 people like this

@maezee (41997)

• United States

3 Jan 18

That is a good idea!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

I was pretty pleased with myself when I thought it up.

1 person likes this

@Letranknight2015 (51523)

• Philippines

3 Jan 18

What a way to keep the rabbits away, too bad those pluffy things had become more of annoyance there.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

They were brought to Australia many years ago by some of our earliest settlers and they've caused a huge amount of destruction.

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@Madshadi (8849)

• Brussels, Belgium

2 Jan 18

Very well done. I should do the same to keep the pooping cat away from my newly planted apple tree

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@Madshadi (8849)

• Brussels, Belgium

2 Jan 18

@JudyEv a friend of mine recommended some sprays but I’ve been delaying the visit to the shop. I will buy it this week and see how it works first. Also, your method seems to be cheap and effective.

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

@Madshadi Rabbits apparently don't like the smell of blood and bone (bonemeal) but I don't know if it works for cats.

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

There is supposed to be various things you can spray round trees to keep cats away. Do a post about it and you'll find the members here will have some good ideas to help.

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@garymarsh6 (23393)

• United Kingdom

3 Jan 18

I hope it keeps the pests away! So you have invented a multipurpose item. I hope you have patented it!!!! Happy New Year!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

However if I use the cone next year as a Christmas tree the rabbits will have a field day! I might have to repurpose something else.

@DianneN (246757)

• United States

2 Jan 18

Our garden of long ago had an 8 foot fence of chicken wire to keep the critters away. It was attached to wood poles and even had a little gate. Hope it works for you, too.

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@DianneN (246757)

• United States

2 Jan 18

@JudyEv Yikes! That certainly wouldn't work for you! Ours was 10x12 feet.

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

That would be the ideal but it's a bit expensive for 18 acres. Our friend has a five-acre garden which has about a four-foot fence but is dug into the ground as well.

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@Shiva49 (26200)

• Singapore

5 Jan 18

Nice that you are hands on and inventive too to protect the trees from marauding rabbits. Hope they do not see a way around your ingenuity! siva

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

They could burrow under but I doubt they will as they are not really short of feed.

2 people like this

@JohnRoberts (109857)

• Los Angeles, California

2 Jan 18

Those darn rabbits are a perpetual pest for you down under.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

They are. We will never get rid of them completely. The most you can hope for is to keep them under control.

2 people like this

@FayeHazel (40248)

• United States

2 Jan 18

Wow! That's perfect. I love when I can repurpose an item

2 people like this

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

I swaggered around for a couple of hours after coming up with this idea!

2 people like this

@FayeHazel (40248)

• United States

3 Jan 18

@JudyEv As well you should :-)

1 person likes this

@shshiju (10342)

• Cochin, India

2 Jan 18

There are no rabbits come in daylight here. Because they have lot of enemies including dogs . It's wonderful to see the rabbits come to your plant.

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@shshiju (10342)

• Cochin, India

3 Jan 18

@JudyEv Did they come in day light to destroy the crops?

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@shshiju (10342)

• Cochin, India

9 Jan 18

@JudyEv Is it against law to trap the rabbits?

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

@shshiju They probably come out more at night but they are also plentiful during the day.

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@cintol (11261)

• United States

6 Jan 18

I hope you can bring it back, those rabbits are pesky little critters. I had to line my garden with chicken wire to keep them out so I would have vegetables for summer last year so they went into my flower garden and ate all my flowers.

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@cintol (11261)

• United States

10 Jan 18

@JudyEv I just stuck it down in the ground so you couldn't see the end, they never tried to dig under it

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Jan 18

@cintol Our friends buried theirs but they were fencing a 5-acre plot so I guess it was worthwhile making sure it was secure.

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

They are really hard to keep at bay aren't they? Did you have to bury the wire a little to stop them?

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@andriaperry (116860)

• Anniston, Alabama

2 Jan 18

One year the deer and rabbits ate ALL of my green beans and snow peas. I have not grown them since.

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

We have raised beds but that doesn't always stop the roos. Rabbits can be really hard to deter.

@MarymargII (12422)

• Toronto, Ontario

3 Jan 18

That's because you are one smart cookie- Judy--ha! Fabulous idea- now tell me later if it works, as I'm crossing my fingers that your quince tree will prevail!

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

There are still a few leaves on it so I'm hoping I've stopped them in time. If I catch any of the little blighters I'll make them into stodge!!

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

12 Jan 18

@MarymargII Rabbit stodge. It might be the new food fad.

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@MarymargII (12422)

• Toronto, Ontario

11 Jan 18

@JudyEv GOOD idea- protein in a stodge stew is always welcome!

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@aureliah (24319)

• Kenya

2 Jan 18

You can be so creative. If the roots are intact, it will have life again

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

Thanks. And it still has a few leaves so I'm hoping it will recover. Here is a photo. As you can see, it is very pretty and my Mum gave it to me so I'd like it to live.

@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

@aureliah This is the parent bush. There is virtually nothing left of mine to photograph.

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@aureliah (24319)

• Kenya

3 Jan 18

@JudyEv Thats a pretty one to have and from the way it looks, it is going to recover

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Aashish Basnyat

@creativeaashish (2609)

• Kathmandu, Nepal

2 Jan 18

Oh! You have got a big plot of land out there! Yeah, your all your trick without any cost is great! Thank you!

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Jan 18

Yes, there is still plenty of land in Australia although some of the cities are becoming more crowded. We like making things out of nothing.

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@JudyEv (325759)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jan 18

@creativeaashish Much of our inland areas are too barren to support very many people. It is mostly only the coastal areas that are productive.

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Aashish Basnyat

@creativeaashish (2609)

• Kathmandu, Nepal

3 Jan 18

@JudyEv Well, Yeah vast land is still untouched while other land is systematically developed! I have heard of so!

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