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sewigardnut

chipmonks

SEWigardnut
17 years ago

I finally got two tomatoes on two different plants that were almost ready to pick and the darn chipmonks ate them..

Any suggestions for me???

Comments (6)

  • aka_margo
    17 years ago

    That's what have been eating mine!! I keep finding the green ones laying around with bites out of them...it all makes sense now!

    Here is what my neighbor does, got 13 of them already. Fill a 5 gallon bucket with water about half way. Make some kind of ramp to the top of the bucket and line it with sunflower seeds. Also sprinkle sunflower seeds into the water in the bucket. The will go in there and drown. I just can't get myself to do it, no matter how much damage they do. I am too much of an animal lover.

    However you could always try spraying the tomatoes with a mixture of crushed garlic, tabasco, and water. Just have to remember to wash it off before eating your tomatoes.
    Jen

  • janetpetiole
    17 years ago

    OMG, that seems so mean, but I can understand how an unwanted animal can drive a person to use extreme measures. Don't get me started on rabbits. lol

  • cantstopgardening
    17 years ago

    I read somewhere (Organic Gardening magazine, I think,)animals will eat tomatoes and other juicy fruits for the water. So, I put a pan of water out now whenever it has been getting dry. Seems to work, I have very little damage to my tomatoes now. I still lose my strawberries to field mice, but at least the field mice eat the whole strawberry, rather than just biting it and drinking the moisture like critters used to do to my tomatoes.

  • gardeningmomof3
    17 years ago

    My brother does the 5 gallon bucket thing also. Seems to work well for mice and chipmonks. DH even did it here this week and caught a mouse that was living under my flower bed up by the house. Rather him of done that than the critter getting in my house. Mostly it raccoon we have to deal with. Planted the pumpkins in with the corn this year, so far no problems there. :)

  • SEWigardnut
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    This morning I was out watering in the front yard and a chipmonk was about two feet from me I sprayed him a little (with a fine mist,I didn't want to hurt him) it would run away then appear again sitting on a rock so I guess the water notion is probably true. I also have gazania's in a metal bucket when I went out to dead head the whole plant looked like someone had taken a lawn mower to it....
    So I am going to try the dog hair in all of my plants in the back yard. It worked in the front for the squirrels they've been staying out of my window boxes. Wish me luck..

  • duluthinbloomz4
    17 years ago

    Like cantstopgardening, I leave my "resident" chipmonks access to water. Last year I watched them climb my Tiger Lilies and eat the buds and chew through the hens & chicks and figured out (a little too late) it had to do with moisture. Leaving water was a good thing; they have something they need and I have my plants in tact. It seems to keep them from digging all over the place too.

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