Since reading this post, I have been motivated to dry and store greens for the winter. I now have a ton of apple twigs, plantain, mallow, prickly lettuce, dandelions, and sticks for chewing stored. I think my neighbors think I am turning into some crazy lady, with all my plants hanging from rafters in the garage, other plants drying in my son's wagon, and still others drying in a non-working food dehydrator. Yep, I think I'm getting pretty good at this!
Gathering and Storing Greens for Winter - Now is the time!
- Thread starter MaggieJ
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Way to go, BoxerMom! I foresee happy bunnies at your place next winter! :bunnyhop:<br /><br />__________ Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:20 am __________<br /><br />Lovely COOL breezy morning here. I'm sure it will get hot later, but David and I took advantage of the weather to go across the road to where they are building two new houses. On the sides of the huge mounds of earth that the bulldozers left are beautiful stands of Queen Anne's lace and prickly lettuce. The prickly lettuce is about four feet high and just beginning to go to seed. We took an old bedsheet for a carrier and brought back about 20 pounds of prickly lettuce. We're planning to go back for a load of Queen Anne's lace, which will be easier to harvest because it grows around the base of the mounds. David is shaking his head and laughing at me for getting so excited :bouncy: but I don't care. This is terrific!
There is a house in foreclosure just down the road. It's obviously in rough shape, no one has lived in it for over a year and no one is taking care of the yard. Every day I drive by and practically drool at all the prickly lettuce, clover, and dandelions growing. I wonder if anyone would mind if I helped clean up their yard a bit...
I can't see why they would mind, BoxerMom. Sunday morning was a perfect time for my raid... no builders on the site.
I just finished process my haul. Something interesting... About a third of the prickly lettuce plants did not have the typical row of spines on the bottom of the leaves. Much easier to strip from the stalks for drying and likely more pleasant for the bunnies to eat. I saved the flower and seed heads from the smooth plants separately and I hope they retain that feature in next year's weed garden.
I just finished process my haul. Something interesting... About a third of the prickly lettuce plants did not have the typical row of spines on the bottom of the leaves. Much easier to strip from the stalks for drying and likely more pleasant for the bunnies to eat. I saved the flower and seed heads from the smooth plants separately and I hope they retain that feature in next year's weed garden.
sjlattimore88
Well-known member
Rabbits can eat marsh mallow I have a bunch of seeds to plant is it to late for that
Usually the best time to plant the seeds is when they naturally ripen and fall in the wild.
I'm a newbie 
I have loads of raspberry bushes. What do I do to them for the rabbits?
__________ Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:13 am __________
I also have loads of trees...unfortunately the only thing I know about trees are their big and shady. lol. Well, other than the fruit trees I planted this year, but their too young to do anything with. So basically, I have no clue which ones I can harvest leaves from for the bunnies. Oh, I lied...I know an oak tree and a weeping willow tree when I see them. lol. Which reminds me, someone said something about willows... Did they mean weeping willows? or something else? And if they meant weeping willows, what do you do?<br /><br />__________ Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:15 am __________<br /><br />I also have loads of trees...unfortunately the only thing I know about trees are their big and shady. lol. Well, other than the fruit trees I planted this year, but their too young to do anything with. So basically, I have no clue which ones I can harvest leaves from for the bunnies. Oh, I lied...I know an oak tree and a weeping willow tree when I see them. lol. Which reminds me, someone said something about willows... Did they mean weeping willows? or something else? And if they meant weeping willows, what do you do?
I have loads of raspberry bushes. What do I do to them for the rabbits?__________ Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:13 am __________
I also have loads of trees...unfortunately the only thing I know about trees are their big and shady. lol. Well, other than the fruit trees I planted this year, but their too young to do anything with. So basically, I have no clue which ones I can harvest leaves from for the bunnies. Oh, I lied...I know an oak tree and a weeping willow tree when I see them. lol. Which reminds me, someone said something about willows... Did they mean weeping willows? or something else? And if they meant weeping willows, what do you do?<br /><br />__________ Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:15 am __________<br /><br />I also have loads of trees...unfortunately the only thing I know about trees are their big and shady. lol. Well, other than the fruit trees I planted this year, but their too young to do anything with. So basically, I have no clue which ones I can harvest leaves from for the bunnies. Oh, I lied...I know an oak tree and a weeping willow tree when I see them. lol. Which reminds me, someone said something about willows... Did they mean weeping willows? or something else? And if they meant weeping willows, what do you do?
FurBabies":3pp2fdo8 said:I'm a newbie
__________ Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:13 am __________
I also have loads of trees...unfortunately the only thing I know about trees are their big and shady. lol. Well, other than the fruit trees I planted this year, but their too young to do anything with. So basically, I have no clue which ones I can harvest leaves from for the bunnies. Oh, I lied...I know an oak tree and a weeping willow tree when I see them. lol. Which reminds me, someone said something about willows... Did they mean weeping willows? or something else? And if they meant weeping willows, what do you do?
Welcome to the forum, FurBabies! :hi:
If you don't know your plants and trees you need to be very, very careful about what you give to your rabbits. Raspberry leaves and weeping willow are both very safe and good for them, so you have a start. Both can be fed fresh during the growing season or dried for winter use. When introducing rabbits to greens, it is important to just give them a small amount to start with. It takes time for their digestive tracts to adjust to fresh foods, so go easy.
To dry the raspberry or willow, cut whole stems and tie them together and hang them up in an airy place to dry. You can also use large mesh bags (like the ones that onions or oranges come in) to dry loose leaves.
If you like the idea of feeding gathered greens, begin now to learn about the plants in your area. That way you will be ready by springtime to take full advantage of the new greens.
