This makes you so mad

flgatorguy87 · July 5, 2015

This makes me so mad. To have a nice beautiful tomato that is wonderful in shape just waiting for that first blush. Then the next time you check on it the squirrels have decided to mutilate it.

This was a brandywine. Anything I can still do with it?

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kayrobbins · July 5, 2015

If they would just take one or two it would not be as bad. My squirrels like to take just a bite or two out of as many as they can. I really do have to do something to control them. Sorry you lost such a nice tomato to them.

pauldavid · July 5, 2015

I would use it as bait with a pellet rifle nearby

Sorry you lost such a nice tomato.

Worth1 · July 5, 2015

My possum picks the tomato and eats it like a good little critter out by the watering hole.
None of this stuff goes on much.

bower · July 5, 2015

Squirrels eh?
Well that explains who happened to my outdoor tomato with the low hanging fruit last year.
I've grown some tomatoes outdoors before and they didn't touch em... must've just figured it out. They've done the same to zucchini though, any chance they get.

We have snowshoe hare here that will cut down your crops just for the exercise of using their teeth, leave it all lying on the ground. One year they even mowed the garlic.

Worth1 · July 5, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by bower

Squirrels eh?
Well that explains who happened to my outdoor tomato with the low hanging fruit last year.
I've grown some tomatoes outdoors before and they didn't touch em... must've just figured it out. They've done the same to zucchini though, any chance they get.

We have snowshoe hare here that will cut down your crops just for the exercise of using their teeth, leave it all lying on the ground. One year they even mowed the garlic.

Please dont delete this it is hilarious.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_...abbit_incident

bower · July 5, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Please dont delete this it is hilarious.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_...abbit_incident

Excellent story and pretty much on topic afaict.

I could tell you rabbit tales that would make your hare stand on end.

panic:

b54red · July 6, 2015

The problem with squirrels eating your tomatoes is that once they find them they keep coming back and they start bringing their friends. The only way to stop them for sure is to kill them. If you kill enough of them they might get the message. It took me several years of steady work with the pellet rifle and they finally stopped raiding my garden. I don't know how long it will last since the population seems to have exploded again.

Another thing it could be is a rat. That is even worse because they will come back every night until you kill them. Squirrels are usually more random but rats are dedicated destroyers.

Bill

Deborah · July 5, 2015

I feed my wildlife species-appropriate foods and keep shallow pans of clean water for them and no one ever shows any interest in my garden.

stevenkh1 · July 5, 2015

We have black squirrels up here (actually, gray squirrels but they're black as coal) and those little buggers eat EVERYTHING. It doesn't matter we have plenty of black walnut trees, they'll target the top of my garbage cans and chew the darn lids off. They've even eaten thru the siding of my house, power line, telephone line, and cable line. If I didn't live in town, I'd shoot every one of the little *bleep*s.

Tracydr · July 5, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevenkh1

We have black squirrels up here (actually, gray squirrels but they're black as coal) and those little buggers eat EVERYTHING. It doesn't matter we have plenty of black walnut trees, they'll target the top of my garbage cans and chew the darn lids off. They've even eaten thru the siding of my house, power line, telephone line, and cable line. If I didn't live in town, I'd shoot every one of the little *bleep*s.

I had a Mockingbird eating a few pecks out of my biggest green tomatoes, until I gave him a pan of water.
My hubby has a pellet gun that he used on the doves that were eating all the chicken feed when we were in the city.

FLRedHeart · July 5, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by flgatorguy87

This makes me so mad. To have a nice beautiful tomato that is wonderful in shape just waiting for that first blush. Then the next time you check on it the squirrels have decided to mutilate it. ...

This was a brandywine. Anything I can still do with it?

You might save the seeds if there is no rot. Not an optimal situation, but Brandywines don't grow on trees. It might let you enjoy the next one that those sly dastardly excuses for mammals decide you can have if you don't wait too long.
Grrrrr.

Cole_Robbie · July 5, 2015

I get horn worms taking out huge bites from fruit. They seem to like the fruit as much as the leaves.

flgatorguy87 · July 5, 2015

It's not really anything to do with not having enough. It really just bothers me after all the effort that you put into it. Oh well....I had a good mess of veggies waiting on me when we got back from our weekend trip as well.

I will try saving the seeds. Will they be viable since the tomato is so green?

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ContainerTed · July 5, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by flgatorguy87

I will try saving the seeds. Will they be viable since the tomato is so green?

If you had a good blush of color on the blossom end, then you have a good chance. Save the seeds and plant extra seeds next season to maximize your chance to get a good plant. I don't see a problem with getting a new plant even if the germination rate is a little on the low side.

July 5, 2015	#1
flgatorguy87 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Pleasant View, TN Posts: 66	This makes you so mad This makes me so mad. To have a nice beautiful tomato that is wonderful in shape just waiting for that first blush. Then the next time you check on it the squirrels have decided to mutilate it. This was a brandywine. Anything I can still do with it? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

July 5, 2015	#2
kayrobbins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 820	If they would just take one or two it would not be as bad. My squirrels like to take just a bite or two out of as many as they can. I really do have to do something to control them. Sorry you lost such a nice tomato to them.

July 5, 2015	#3
pauldavid Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NE Louisiana, Zone 8A Posts: 1,179	I would use it as bait with a pellet rifle nearby Sorry you lost such a nice tomato.

July 5, 2015	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	My possum picks the tomato and eats it like a good little critter out by the watering hole. None of this stuff goes on much.

July 5, 2015	#5
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Squirrels eh? Well that explains who happened to my outdoor tomato with the low hanging fruit last year. I've grown some tomatoes outdoors before and they didn't touch em... must've just figured it out. They've done the same to zucchini though, any chance they get. We have snowshoe hare here that will cut down your crops just for the exercise of using their teeth, leave it all lying on the ground. One year they even mowed the garlic.

July 6, 2015	#8
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	The problem with squirrels eating your tomatoes is that once they find them they keep coming back and they start bringing their friends. The only way to stop them for sure is to kill them. If you kill enough of them they might get the message. It took me several years of steady work with the pellet rifle and they finally stopped raiding my garden. I don't know how long it will last since the population seems to have exploded again. Another thing it could be is a rat. That is even worse because they will come back every night until you kill them. Squirrels are usually more random but rats are dedicated destroyers. Bill

July 5, 2015	#9
Deborah Riding The Crazy Train Again Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, California Posts: 2,562	I feed my wildlife species-appropriate foods and keep shallow pans of clean water for them and no one ever shows any interest in my garden.

July 5, 2015	#10
stevenkh1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 172	We have black squirrels up here (actually, gray squirrels but they're black as coal) and those little buggers eat EVERYTHING. It doesn't matter we have plenty of black walnut trees, they'll target the top of my garbage cans and chew the darn lids off. They've even eaten thru the siding of my house, power line, telephone line, and cable line. If I didn't live in town, I'd shoot every one of the little bleeps.

July 5, 2015	#13
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I get horn worms taking out huge bites from fruit. They seem to like the fruit as much as the leaves.