Rabbit Manure Organic Gardening 101

Rabbit Manure

solanaceae 16 years ago

I wasn't sure if anyone had need of the following information but thought I would share it.

Rabbit manure used as a plant fertilizer is superior to many other manures due to its unique composition. It is higher in nitrogen than some poultry manures and contains a large amount of phosphorus which is important for flower and fruit formation.

When the manure has been aged and air-dried, rabbit manure will not "burn" the plants when applied directly to the plants."Fresh" manure is extremely high in acid content from the urine and is perfect for acid loving crops like azalea, holly, and rhododendrons.

Rabbit manure is great for composting. It is relatively low odor compared to other kinds of manure.

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trigger 16 years ago said:

I do not have rabbits ,I have a worm farm to make worm castings which are oder free an does not burn the plants either, and I can get free manure from a farmer around the corner,he has a huge compost pile of it.

Great information Solanceae on the rabbit manure thank you

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solanaceae 16 years ago said:

If you've got bunny poop, you've got worms!!! My compost pile is usually full of them. Worms are awesome for the garden for a number of reasons and important for sustainable soil. Cheers to you and your worms!!! :) (Well now, that's not something you get to say every day!! hehe)

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kelawrence 16 years ago said:

I have used rabbit manure for years with wonderful results - there are so many "pros" and I haven't found a "con" yet. I have been a Vermont Master Gardener since 2006 and the use of this manure and others were discussed in my classes - I highly encourage its use!

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theresal 16 years ago said:

I have bunny's coming out of my ears at my house.... and to keep them away from my garden, I've planted onions around the whole exterior of the garden... The bunny's seem to hate onions.... and to keep them off my flower garden, I've taken used coffee grinds and spread it over and around the leaves... that seems to help as well.

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trigger 16 years ago said:

Great information Theresa thank you for sharing with the group and Welcome Aboard!
I thank everyone for their participation in Organic Gardening 101
You all have made this site a great resource.

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solanaceae 16 years ago said:

Marigolds are an attractive and excellent bunny deterrent. There are also many perennials they don't like. But I would caution against foxglove aka digitalis as it is harmful to pets and kids if they put it in their mouths.

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trigger 16 years ago said:

Marigolds serve a duel use they attract bees to help with pollination as well as repel the little critters.
I heard Marigolds were a good for repelling white flies and aphids , any truth to that?

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solanaceae 16 years ago said:

I found this information from the Arizona Cooperative Extension. I confirmed it by comparing to several other sources.

http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/marigoldsandnematodemanagement.html

Marigolds are relatively pest free and many people interplant them in their vegetable gardens to deter insect pests. While the data is lacking as to whether marigolds actually deter insect pests, they definitely attract beneficial insects such as lacewings, ladybeetles, and parasitic wasps.

Recent research indicates that marigolds contain compounds toxic to root knot and other plant-parasitic nematodes (microscopic round worms that damage plant roots). Root knot nematodes are not native to our area, but can be brought in with infected plant materials (see the July 7, 1999 Backyard Gardener for more information). The research showed that marigolds, especially certain varieties of French marigolds, significantly reduced root knot nematode populations the following year. Varieties of French marigolds shown to have nematocidal properties are: Bolero, Bonita Mixed, Goldie, Gypsy Sunshine, Petite, Petite Harmony, Petite Gold, Scarlet Sophie, Single Gold, and Tangerine

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olsenlives 16 years ago said:

Thanks for the article - I didnt realise how beneficial rabbit manure is... I have 4 worm farms on the go and compost most of our food items- lawn clippings etc ... Now I have a good excuse to clean out the rabbit cage also....
We live on a 5 acre blook with fully established vegie gardens am looking forward to this years harvest

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thegoldminer 16 years ago said:

I can'f find s..t. Well rabbit ( bunny berries) anywhere. I have been poo pooped. I will continue my search for poop. Hard to find rabbit breeders in Sac area. I am pooped out out looking :-(

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pizzaqueen 16 years ago said:

I would like the say thank you for this site. I haven't put a garden in for years. This year I started with two large tomato plants and four small ones.Right now the only one that are living are the two large tomato plants the rest die. But the good new I have three tomto growing right now and have lots of flowers on them. I also plant a cucumber plants it is growing well, there are many flowers on the plant too, but no start of a cucumber. I have been reading this site with all the great tip that people been putting on . I been learning a little bit more about each time I read. HAPPY PLANTING!!!!!!!!!!

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razorfamilyfarms 16 years ago said:

We have free-range meat rabbits but they always leave their droppings in the same place so we scoop them up and put them in our compost bin. We love the results of our garden this year and feel that it is largely in thanks to the droppings from our rabbits. I'm thrilled to see others recognizing the benefits of keeping them (the rabbits) since many people think we are very silly!

You can see pictures of our rabbits, chickens, turkeys, ducks, dogs, cat, and more at our site: www.razorfamilyfarms.com where we write about our adventures in small-scale organic free range farming and sustainability.

Blessings!
Lacy

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mystic_river1 16 years ago said:

Wonderful information from everyone. Thank you.

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