North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Tom Olenio <tolenio@sentex.net>]

Hello All,

I have been mowing my new little vineyard and have noted a nice carpet of 
thistle/nettle
underfoot.  It is only as tall as the mower deck allows, and is only a 
problem if you kneel without
looking.

This got me wondering...  Will this thistle carpet discourage rabbits this 
fall?

I never really thought about the life cycle of thistle/nettles before and I 
am not sure what
happens to the plant when frost hits.

>From what I have read, thistle is a biennial, producing a large rosette of 
>spiny leaves the first
year.  It's leaves looke like the dandilion, only with stinging nettles.  My 
guess is that in year
three all the thistle will be gone, as I never let is seed, only allow it the 
low growing leaves of
the first year.

The low carpet of thistle is not an issue for the grapes as they have weed 
block around them.

Has this type of rabbit barrier been explored?  A carpet of thistles keeps my 
shoes on, and careful
about kneeling.  Seems like it should work on rabbits too.  Possibly there 
are other low growing
nettles that would work in the orchard to discourage varmits.

Thanks,
Tom


Thomas Olenio
Ontario, Canada
Hardiness Zone 5b