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Can I put grass seed down in a run

vee-jay

Mama Doe
Hey :)

Poppy's run is mostly grass however there are some patchy bits of soil. I was just wondering if I could put grass seed down on these patches, or would she try and eat the seeds?

thank you
 
Hey :)

Poppy's run is mostly grass however there are some patchy bits of soil. I was just wondering if I could put grass seed down on these patches, or would she try and eat the seeds?

thank you

Yes she may, and they may have been 'pre-prepared' with fertiliser or some such ...

Can you move the run to a different part of the garden? Otherwise cover with some chicken wire raised up (a mini run within the run) so she can't access it (remove it when she's to there so as to to kill the existing grass ... unless she has access 24/7?)
 
Some grass seed may have been treated - so you don't want birds or your rabbits to eat it. The grass will also need a few weeks (at least) to grow enough roots to cope with the leaves being eaten. It is really best to cordon off the seeded area for a couple of months to give it a good start. Small areas can be protected by something like a giant sieve or bottle crate until they have sprouted.
 
Thank you for your replies!

her run is attached to her house and I would feel bad restricting her, I think ill wait and see if it manages to grow by itself over the summer.
 
Thank you for your replies!

her run is attached to her house and I would feel bad restricting her, I think ill wait and see if it manages to grow by itself over the summer.

Yeah, I wondered as much from your post. It may grow back - or at least stretch itself into the barren patch by some distance :D
 
You could collect the grass seeds from the bottom of a bag of hay and use those to re-seed any bald patches. At least you know they won't have been coated in anything. If you scratch / lightly rake them into the soil, they will have a chance of germinating and you have nothing to lose.
 
You can buy grass seed for rabbits which is just plain/uncoated and would be safe - however she may well eat it :lol:

You could maximise the chance of it getting to grow if you disturb the surface of the soil and mix it in. However, it still might have a bit of a job if she eats the new shoots.

One option would be to do it in sections, use something like the top of an old rabbit cage to cover a section of the run and just seed that area. Pop a clear board on top and she can sit on it and the grass will still grow. You could also try something like this: http://www.wilko.com/propagators/wilko-clear-propagator-lid-35x21cm-/invt/0300425 use a hook shape piece of plastic/wire to pin it to the ground so she can't pick it up to through.

You could also returf or for a budget option make your own turf in seed trays and transplant :)
 
Mine don't eat it, but then they're pretty fussy about what grass they do and don't eat! :lol: Tamsin's suggestion is really good. My grass seed tends to take 10-14 days to come up: it comes up much better if mixed in with the dirt rather than simply sprinkled on top: mix in some crumbled-up rabbit poo for extra nutrient help!
 
Thank you for the suggestions :)

I have had a look around and think ill buy some seeds from galens garden as they must be bunny safe and then put an old cage top over it while it grows.
 
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