Those are some huge onions, Dillard.

Excepting the rabbits, the coyotes have made an impact on our ground-dwelling creatures over here as well. Four times in the past three weeks we've had packs of three or more coyotes on our property, and now the turkeys (that used to come around quite often) don't show their beaks anywhere around our property.

Our rabbit (and squirrel) populations go up and down in tune with the predator populations - quite noticeably. We do have a lot of cottontails around - but a 2-1/2-foot-high fence around the garden keeps them out.

Right now the snow in some places is up to the top of that fence and I saw a bunny inside the garden a week or so ago and figure it was thinking - "my mom used to tell me about this place, how there were such tempting things that grow here but it's impossible for us to get inside... but hey! here I am inside! and there's nothing to eat " (I went out later to make sure it found its way back to the outside of the fence.)

Johannian, is there any way you can just consolidate your plantings (or at least most of them) in one area that you could put a fence around? That way it would be worth dressing it up a bit so it was more attractive (we made wooden frames, 8 or 10 feet long (lumber length) and then attached wire to them - makes a pretty neat looking fence

I'm rather hoping that the discussion of killing rabbits will end now. I'm mother to 5 domestic lagomorph little ones.
A few years ago I fed, watered and cared for cottontails.
I knew and could recognize from a distance each one.
Their names were Pointy Relaxing, Deerina, Mousianna and T'Lears.

Sandy, thanks for the info. I know I could successfully put fencing around my crops, I just want to make sure I have the absolute need. I was a bit dumb with my crops last year, underestimating the critters, but with some simple chicken wire it should be ok this year.

Deborah, I understand, but unfortunately, humans for the entirety of history and the years to come have needed to kill animals in order to survive, whether for meat, fur for clothing, or (less common) garden protection. It is sad that things die in this world, but humans wouldn't be at the level of accomplishment they're currently at without having killed many animals. Hunting also can control animal infestations, such as mountain lions; two years ago, the Black Hills had a very bad infestation of mountain lions, causing a huge impact on ranchers' livestock. They had to open the hunting season on these predators so that peoples' lives and businesses wouldn't be ruined from loss of money from killed livestock. We now still have mountain lions in the black hills (there's one on our very land that's come around), but they had to be hunted in order to be kept under control.

Mountain Lions killed my brother's dog, he's in suburban area too, not that rural or remote.

Yes, I forgot to mention that certain predator infestations can be fatal for dogs as well, because their so protective of, and will kill themselves for, their owners. Our neighbor just recently had to shoot an old female mountain lion because she was killing his dog.

My point is that FOR RABBITS there are far kinder methods to protect your gardens.
They're helpless. Not killing any other animal.
Just trying to eat same as you.
What choice do they have? WE crowded them. WE are destroying their habitat.
I've left other garden forums over this same hopeless topic. I'm probably going to bail out of this one too.
I know from experience that there's just no win.

French Breakfast seems to grow the best for me! But only when we still have the cool spring weather

Fencing is the answer for protecting your carrots from rabbits. Check the results from Google: What is the best way to protect your carrots from rabbits? ...'tis my last post regarding this particular rabbit trail.

Hang tight, @Deeby .

@MochaJoe, Gary, 'French Breakfast' looks so good.

Intheswamp said: Fencing is the answer for protecting your carrots from rabbits. Check the results from Google: What is the best way to protect your carrots from rabbits? ...'tis my last post regarding this particular rabbit trail.

Thanks for the link, Ed.

I had some good results with French Breakfast and a lookalike one, once I planted earlier in spring and took better care. they aren't like tomato which are just beasts you can ignore for early growth and only suffer later with disease etc.
Have had great results with a fall Korean radish, looks like Tae Baek, was ordered as Sweet Glade, I'm a little confused about what I really have but they grow great, super easy, and can be used like a root vegetable, in soup, or a fresh snack vegetable. Lots of greens but I haven't eaten those.
I grew Yellow Giant beets from Baker Creek (not in catalog this year?) and used them for the greens. Really nice big leaves, none of the bugs that bothered my swiss chard, I did not try them as beet roots, but have some going to try for greens again this year.
Carrots would be new to me and possibly in pots, with the reputation for hating dense soil. Baker Creek has given me 2 packs free.

My order of French Breakfast arrived today, that was very quick.

Intheswamp said: Oh, yeah! They do work nicely in salads....I fugodabout that!!!

I like chomping on them, too. I wonder how they would be sliced up and pickled with some peppers???

My great auntie used to mix them with peppers and onions in vinegar for a side relish dish. Delicious and very different. I am eating lower carb these days and I like radish added to stews and soups.

Think I will see if we have any seeds in the house, if not, time to go buy some. It is getting to be a good time for planting them here on the FrontRange.

Howdy! That sounds interesting, I might have to try it!

Uh, where's the "FrontRange"?

coyotewoman said: My great auntie used to mix them with peppers and onions in vinegar for a side relish dish. Delicious and very different. I am eating lower carb these days and I like radish added to stews and soups.

Think I will see if we have any seeds in the house, if not, time to go buy some. It is getting to be a good time for planting them here on the FrontRange.

Yes, radishes are good in stews & soups as well, we forgot to mention that. Sometimes certain radishes are a bit too spicy for regular eating, so I'll chuck 'em into a soup, usually only in my serving though. As I've mentioned, really only my mom and I like radishes in the family.

Intheswamp said:Uh, where's the "FrontRange"?

I was wondering that as well, Ed.

My French Breakfast radishes, ready to picked this weekend.

Wow! When did you plant them? Apologies if you've already told us.

Maybe in Feb, I think before you started this thread. Once I pick them, I'm ready to start my melon bed, at least that's the cue.