Self care by growing a garden

[Smc]

Our "probably pregnant" bunny is now being considered "definitely pregnant". 🙂

I spent some time this afternoon fixing up a better hutch for her. The one she's in is safe and dry enough for an adult bun, but wouldn't be good for baby kits. This one has an elevated nesting box, front and top hatches for easy access and a solid floor instead of mesh. I've strengthened up a couple of weak spots, firmly attached a ramp down to the "playpen" area underneath the hutch, and put some wire panels with smaller gaps over the existing ones. Rats and mice could squeeze through the original mesh. Mice might still get in, rats won't. The "playpen" section still needs a bit more reconstruction, so she's confined to the bedsitter for now.

I put in fresh straw and an assortment of tasty greens to help her settle in. Went to get her, and discovered her in middle of building a nest, and not particularly happy about being interrupted! She's not meant to be due for another week and a half, so either she's very keen, or very early. Better if its the former. Oh, and I transferred the tummy fluff that she was lining the nest with to the new hutch, to encourage her to continue the process.

[Former-Member]

Bit of excitement there with the impending birth/s @Smc 

Noticed today that some white dahlias that I thought may not have been any good have all come up. Pulled a few weeds from  around them. 

[Smc]

@Former-Member, still trying to get on top of the weeds here. Which is of concern, with fire danger season pending. Our area's still green, but the fires further north definitly focus one's attention. 😞
Not helped by the fact that both Hubby and I have been under the weather. But I did get a bed out the front weeded just now.
Bunny's settled in to her new accomodation nicely. I try to give her little "treats" such as herbs, weeds, fruit tree leaves regualrly, so that she'll be used to me popping open the top hatch. Stressed rabbits don't make good mums, and as a result, their litters can end up with low survival rates.

[Former-Member]

Many moons ago when we lived on a lifestyle block @Smcwe took a week of annual leave so that we could do the preseason tidy up. One thing I have noticed is that if you tidy up in the garden it does seem to stay tidy for a while, indoors not so much.

Hopefully mother rabbit will soon associate your visits with treats and look forward to you lifting the hatch. 

[Former-Member]

Ongoing work continues to eliminate the running bamboo at our place as well as a little more weeding.

[Shaz51]

need some more weeding time at mum`s garden @Former-Member , @Smc , @Adge , @Former-Member , @frog 

[Former-Member]

I find weeding therapeutic @Shaz51. 

[Shaz51]

I think I need to go myself and do it @Former-Member 

would be nice xx

i get started and then mum says " cuppa time "

and mum is talking about putting newspaper and sugar can mulch on the gardens to stop the weeds , not sure if that will work

will it @Former-Member , @Smc , @Adge , @Former-Member , @frog  ????

[Former-Member]

@Shaz51  I love sugarcane mulch and use it myself. I don't put newspaper under it so I cannot say if that would work or not.  

I rather suspect if I tried putting newspaper under mulch would end up looking rather ordinary so am not tempted to give it a go.

[Adge]

Newspaper will work to suppress weeds @Shaz51

But it needs to be very thick (eg 10 or more layers) to stop weeds punching through from underneath (when they germinate).

Plus it breaks down quickly, when it gets wet - so won't last long.

Adge