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| We have great difficulty here growing the larger varieties of tomatoes here due to predation by squirrels. Tomatoes often ripen to the point of starting to turn pink, and then they're gone. From time to time we see a squirrel running across the yard with a tomato in its mouth! They don't seem to bother the small tomatoes, e.g. our Sweet 100s, or else these are so plentiful that they ripen faster and in larger numbers than the squirrels can steal. Shooting, or trapping and removing the squirrels doesn't seem to work. Squirrels are territorial and if the population in our yard and woods is depleted, they move in from other areas. It's a little like trying to bail out a swimming pool with a coffee cup! Has anyone solved this problem? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Solved it? Don't think so. Lots and lots of discussions about it - everything from completely enclosing the garden with netting (even the top) to various home-made sprays, to dogs and shotguns. Over the years i have tried all of them except the fence ceiling with only marginal success. But the most crop saves comes from picking at color break. Lots of discussions here about that too. Nothing is gained by leaving color on the vine and if you don't leave color on the vine they don't get eaten by the squirrels. Dave |
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| I use mothballs, dog hair, and pepper mix. But that is as much for deer repellent as squirrels. And I make sure at least half my plants are cherry tomatoes. They are good in the fall when large fruit tomatoes taste like store-bought. |
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| OP's problem has a SIMPLE solution, as Dave pointed out: PICK THE MATERS AT THE COLOR BREAK. and beat the squirrels ! Since, as said, squirrels get the fruit with color (not green ones) this should do it. |
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| My dog keeps them away. He's not out 24/7 but they know if caught in the yard they are dead. That seemed to work. I have tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, peachs, plums, raspberries, and blackberries all unprotected and all untouched. Even the birds know better than to try. Jesse the wonder dog "On patrol". |
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| Hey Drew! Wanna trade Jesse for a chocolate Labrador who EATS tomatoes, windfall apples and pears, plus she picks her own plums? (LOL) Linda |
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| A dog is a great way to go if you already have one. Mine will eat cherry tomatoes if offered, but does not seem to eat them off the plants. This year we've got deer and racoons also. If you don't have a dog, collect some dog hair at the nearest pet grooomers, or comb the neighborhood dogs. A backyard gardener does not have to make his garden defenses perfect -- just better then the other nearby neighbors! |
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| Of course this isn't practical for lots of people but our cat has done wonders keeping squirrels out of my garden. All my neighbors complain that they can't grow tomatoes because of them but I didn't lose a single one this year. She is constantly out prowling for critters and keeps them at bay. |
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| Yeah animals are tough, and I'm lucky it's working out. As even with dogs, if hungry enough they will chance it. I lost two dogs last year and started growing more fruit to fill the void in my heart, and the time I used to take care of them. And to keep my mind off our loss. I planted fruit trees and such, expanded the present garden a lot. Adding 3 new raised beds.. My wife was so missing our two dogs that died 3 days apart, I had to get another. Then I found myself having this new garden, and a new dog to take care of. I went from nothing to do, to no time to do nothing! But it worked out, he has been keeping the animals away and after taking one tomato, and not liking it, leaves them alone. He's really a great dog too. Again I feel blessed and lucky. Humbled by it all. I could have got a tomato snatching, plum stealing lab like Linda has! Phew! That bullet missed me! Labs are great dogs. Jesse an Aussie has a lab friend, chocolate too! Ollie is his name, great dog! Oreo is a beagle and Jesse's friend too. His best friend, my daughter's dog, the same age (1 year) is a black pug Axel! They are so cute playing together! I often have to baby sit the pug. They are growing up together. Life is good. |
This post was edited by Drew51 on Wed, Sep 11, 13 at 15:28
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- Posted by Lorna1949 none (Lorna@bell.net) on Wed, Sep 11, 13 at 16:51
| here they don't eat my tomatoes maybe because I feed them sunflowers seeds I have 5 squirrels in all and come every day and 2 chip monks |
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