Eating Pecked Tomatoes?

jeffma · June 13, 2014

I have had a really good crop of tomatoes over the last few weeks but have recently noticed a few are getting pecked. My question is would you still eat these tomatoes after removing the affected parts or toss them?

ricman · June 13, 2014

I will usually pick mine when they blush so the birds don't peck them. If I miss one that is ripe and it gets pecked I cut off the pecked part and eat the rest after a good rinse.

Rick

habitat_gardener · June 17, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricman

I will usually pick mine when they blush so the birds don't peck them. If I miss one that is ripe and it gets pecked I cut off the pecked part and eat the rest after a good rinse.

I also agree.

Last year, however, I had one plant with very dense foliage and no ripe tomatoes yet. I reached for one in the center of the plant that looked like it was starting to blush. Half of it had already been eaten! I checked another (green!!!) tomato on that plant, and it had been pecked (and was turning moldy around the peck). I eventually found 17 pecked greenies on that plant!! That plant turned out to be prolific enough to give me a bumper crop even though some minor predation continued.

KarenO · June 13, 2014

agree, especially if cooking, just wash and remove the damaged bit.
Also agree with picking at blush stage to prevent bird damage and splitting from an unexpected rain.
KO

Worth1 · June 17, 2014

Your from Louisiana of course you would eat them, I would.

Worth

heirloomtomaguy · June 17, 2014

I am not a big fan of birds. Yeah i have chickens but they give me eggs. Anyway if a bird pecks the mater i cut off the affected area and save the seeds from the remainder. Better to be safe than sorry. You never know what birds may carry disease wise.

zeuspaul · June 17, 2014

I plant extra tomatoes so I can afford to be picky and toss the ones with insect, bird or rodent damage. I also do as heirloomtomaguy does and use them as seed tomatoes.

Zeuspaul

budfaux · June 17, 2014

Within the last year or two, I read that birds don't want the tomato... they want the fluids from the 'mater cuz they're thirsty.It was suggested that a bowl or two of water, or a birdbath be located in close proximity to your patch.
I have no clue to the validity of this.
If I were a bird, I'd be after the tomato.

I've had squirrels go for my tomatoes in a late season heat and lack of rain because I do believe they are thirsty.
And yes, I will eat around bird peck marks or squirrel buffet marks, no problem here.

Redbaron · June 17, 2014

I'll eat the tomato and the bird if he keeps it up! Muahahahaha

bower · June 18, 2014

I've eaten mushrooms that were pecked by birds, but wasn't tempted by tomatoes with teeth marks in em last year.

The pecking may be serious here this year, as missus Ruffed Grouse has nested and just today hatched her chicks right at the bottom of my yard. They are cute as can be but she was having fits, flapping and hissing like mad, and I couldn't get close enough for a picture of the little ones... yet. I hear the chicks need a lot of protein, so I'll be happy to have them dine on the insects in my garden. If they are savage about eating MY food though, well...
Yep, grouse are good eatin...

Worth1 · June 18, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by bower

I've eaten mushrooms that were pecked by birds, but wasn't tempted by tomatoes with teeth marks in em last year.

The pecking may be serious here this year, as missus Ruffed Grouse has nested and just today hatched her chicks right at the bottom of my yard. They are cute as can be but she was having fits, flapping and hissing like mad, and I couldn't get close enough for a picture of the little ones... yet. I hear the chicks need a lot of protein, so I'll be happy to have them dine on the insects in my garden. If they are savage about eating MY food though, well...
Yep, grouse are good eatin...

She has a real serious look on her face.

You come near my babies and I'll peck you!!!! So help me I will.

Worth

bower · June 18, 2014

Yeh.... never mind her peckin on tomatoes or other of my foods... I'll be lucky to escape being pecked myself!

June 13, 2014	#1
jeffma Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Louisiana Posts: 8	Eating Pecked Tomatoes? I have had a really good crop of tomatoes over the last few weeks but have recently noticed a few are getting pecked. My question is would you still eat these tomatoes after removing the affected parts or toss them?

June 17, 2014	#6
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	I am not a big fan of birds. Yeah i have chickens but they give me eggs. Anyway if a bird pecks the mater i cut off the affected area and save the seeds from the remainder. Better to be safe than sorry. You never know what birds may carry disease wise. __________________ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

June 17, 2014	#9
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	I'll eat the tomato and the bird if he keeps it up! Muahahahaha __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

June 13, 2014	#2
ricman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Ardmore,Oklahoma Posts: 172	I will usually pick mine when they blush so the birds don't peck them. If I miss one that is ripe and it gets pecked I cut off the pecked part and eat the rest after a good rinse. Rick

June 13, 2014	#4
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,933	agree, especially if cooking, just wash and remove the damaged bit. Also agree with picking at blush stage to prevent bird damage and splitting from an unexpected rain. KO

June 17, 2014	#5
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Your from Louisiana of course you would eat them, I would. Worth

June 17, 2014	#7
zeuspaul Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: North County, San Diego Posts: 419	I plant extra tomatoes so I can afford to be picky and toss the ones with insect, bird or rodent damage. I also do as heirloomtomaguy does and use them as seed tomatoes. Zeuspaul

June 17, 2014	#8
budfaux Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Birmingham, ALABAMA Posts: 68	Within the last year or two, I read that birds don't want the tomato... they want the fluids from the 'mater cuz they're thirsty.It was suggested that a bowl or two of water, or a birdbath be located in close proximity to your patch. I have no clue to the validity of this. If I were a bird, I'd be after the tomato. I've had squirrels go for my tomatoes in a late season heat and lack of rain because I do believe they are thirsty. And yes, I will eat around bird peck marks or squirrel buffet marks, no problem here.

June 18, 2014	#12
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Yeh.... never mind her peckin on tomatoes or other of my foods... I'll be lucky to escape being pecked myself!