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Chickory (Cichorium intybus) Family: Asteraceae (Compositae) Chickory is a prolific and hardy perennial herb with a well-developed tap-root. The flowers are blue. It is often sold with the root removed, but the stump is capable of re-rooting. When I made my first plantings the survival rate was about 50%. The resulting plants flowered and produced seed, and now I have all the plants I want -- and more! The Rabbits of the Manor reckon it's their favourite vegetable. |
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Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Family: Asteraceae (Compositae) Dandelion is a prolific and hardy perennial herb with a well-developed tap-root. The flowers are a bright yellow. If the plant is completely dug up (taking care to preserve the root) and replanted as soon as possible, the survival rate is nearly 100%. Rabbits enjoy both the leaves and the flowers. Dandelion roots have been used to make country wines and herbal infusions. |
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Brome grass (Bromus uniloides syn. B. catharticus) Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) Brome has occasionally been sown as a pasture species in Australia but does not survive well under grazing. Originally from South America, it can be found in suburban gardens. I got my first plants from my own suburban Sydney garden. In the garden environment it does very well as long as you don't cut it right down to ground level. Leave an inch or two and it will recover quickly, growing more than 1.5 inches a week. Remove flowering parts early as the seed heads are sharp. |
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Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) Rhodes grass was originally imported from South Africa for use in improved pastures. It is naturalized in most mainland States and can be found in gardens in metropolitan areas. The leaves appear to be tougher than those of Brome. |
| Paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum Poir.) Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) Paspalum was introduced from South America as a pasture species and is widely naturalized in all Australian States. It is often troublesome in gardens, particularly in lawns. The long and narrow leaves are usually bright green and can grow to 45cm long. The seed-heads of this plant are often parasitized by the ergot fungus, which at certain states of its development can be extremely poisonous to animals. As a precaution, all seed heads must be removed before feeding to your rabbits. This plant contains substances which cause rabbit urine to become orange-brown in colour when exposed to air.
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Buffalo grass is a stout, creeping, stoloniferous perennial that readily forms roots at the nodes. It is indigenous to tropical America and warmer parts of the African continent.
Buffalo grass was introduced to Australia as a coarse lawn grass and is naturalized in all States.
Related to the sorrel (Rumex acetosella L.), Swamp Dock contains soluble oxalate in its leaves and flowers which may cause poisoning if eaten in great quantities. Feed sparingly, discarding the flowers.
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Compost bins are a great way to dispose of kitchen waste and
organic rabbit litter. These bins contain a thriving colony of earthworms, which eat everything including the shredded newspaper I use as litter. Earthworms, insects and microbes co-operate to turn the waste into a rich dark compost in about a month (depending on conditions), at which time it can be "harvested" by opening the little doors at the base of the bin and digging it out with a fork. Trowels have the rather undesirable trait of cutting worms in half; unfortunately the legend about bisected earthworms being able to regenerate into two new individuals is not correct! Worms can either be returned to the top of the bin or relocated with the compost. Worm compost is much better than commercially-produced material and is excellent in planters, pots or the vegetable patch, producing vigorous plants.
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