As if blight, canker and drought aren't enough...

[LMinAL]

Now I do believe I have a thief in my garden. First tomatoes just starting to blush and I walk outside to the following crime scene beneath my Black Prince:



Does this look like critter or hornworm damage? I haven't had a hornworm problem in the past, so it's my first year dealing with them. The only animals I've seen around here (I live in the city) are birds, squirrels, rodents and opossums. These were the tomatoes on the lowest branches of the plant.

Which leads to the question - I have a Boxcar Willie and Cherokee Purple that are blushing. Should I pick them to ripen indoors or try to protect them outside? I usually try to let tomatoes get a little riper than this before bringing them in.



If it's a critter, it is about to be Fort Knox around that bed. I also have a Havahart trap I can set if necessary. If it's hornworms, I'll likely use spinosad tonight after the bees go to bed. I try not to spray for pests for the most part, but I will if it gets to a critical point. (Like eating my tomatoes!)

Laura

[cythaenopsis]

Ouch, sorry you're running into all these troubles Laura. Looks to me like rodents of some kind, given the extent and pattern of the eating. Hopefully the traps will help take care of those pesky buggers.

I think you can pick them once they start blushing. It's not a clear/cut thing as some people feel there's a difference with vine ripening, but if you're worried about losing crops, it's better to ripen them indoors than not enjoy them at all!

[KarenO]

Oh definitely pick that big blushing beauty! before the rodents get it.
K

[ricman]

I would pick anything with a blush that is low hanging....IMO

Rick

[clkeiper]

Looks like chipmunks to me. Such a waste, too. sorry for you on that. Pick them as soon as they start to blush, though.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Squirrels or rats, in my view.

[brooksville]

I have had squirrels do something similar. If it is squirrels, use sunflower seeds to catch, they love em. Maybe you can catch the one that is raiding the tomatoes.

John

[ginger2778]

I had rats doing similar damage. My husband put an infrared camera out and we saw it first hand on video. We put out peanut butter on the platform of our have a heart trap. Caught it, took it for a 5 mile ride to release. Put the trap out again just in case... Another rat was caught by morning!
After those 2 we didn't have any for months. Sooner or later they will come again though.
Rats love peanut butter more than tomatoes, just sayin...

Marsha

[LMinAL]

I think it's rodents as well. Tonight I used what I had on hand to construct a barrier around the cages. If whatever it is gets in, it should give me an idea what I'm dealing with for sure and I can come up with the proper barrier.

Marsha, that was the first thing my husband said - we need a camera to record it. If it continues, I will. Our conundrum is what to do if we catch say a rat in the Havahart....I won't say what my husband suggested, but it certainly wasn't humane. We live in an old house and had an awful time with roof rats last winter. I would be hard pressed to release one anywhere alive. I would be afraid to set a regular rat trap as I wouldn't want to trap a bird.

On a positive note, I did pick my two blushing tomatoes. At least those are safe and sound. Can't wait for them to ripen!!

[Balr14]

I have had problems with chipmunks for years. Fortunately, they only eat the low hanging tomatoes that are ripe. Between chipmunks and birds, I lose about 50 tomatoes a year.

[CrazyAboutOrchids]

I agree with chipmunk damage. I have that issue in my garden as well. Last year their fav tomato was my orange minsk. We'll see what happens this year. They don't seem fizzed by any of the normal rodent deterrents, we do have fencing but they can chew through, squeeze through, or dig under. They are quite determined and once they start, they are bold as well!

[LMinAL]

This morning my inground tomatoes were safe and sound, so my impromptu fencing may have worked, but one of my tomatoes growing in containers was bitten:



This I believe was the work of a birdie. Humph. It hasn't rained here in almost 2 weeks, so maybe they are after the water? I filled up the birdbath on the other side of the yard just in case and may fill the bird feeder. I guess all tomatoes are coming in the house at any sign of blush from here on out.

[LMinAL]

Now, I think they're just messing with me. Here is my Sungold in a container in relation to my cucumber trellis:



And here is what I found beneath the cucumber trellis:



Along with some chewed up cucumbers. Guess they decided to have what we were having last night - cucumber and tomato salad. Grrr. Hope at least the cukes gave them some indigestion as they have been a little bitter with all the hot weather.

[b54red]

I think you are dealing with rats. Of course it could be anything from chipmunks to a possum but it sure looks like rats. I tried all kinds of traps and never caught them a few years ago and finally bought a bait station and got 6 dead ones within a week. No more fruit damage after that other than the occasional bird pecks in dry weather. If it is rats and you have bell peppers they will go after them also. They love bell peppers.

Bill

[LMinAL]

I do have bell peppers right behind the cucumbers. Bait station it is! Where did you place yours? Next to the beds you saw damage? Do they need to be up against a "wall" (like a fence or side of the bed) the way you would place a trap indoors or just out in a more open area?

This is probably happening this year because I put up a fence around the garden so my dog who was eating tomatoes couldn't get in. Can't win for losing.

Thanks Bill!