Now you see it, now you don't

[sheysd1]

Sometime, late last night, in the darkness, something absconded with this beautiful, almost totally ripe, Cherokee Purple tomato. This tomato was near the top of the plant. All the smaller, still green tomatoes near the bottom are still there.

There is not a trace to be found. No seeds, no specks, nothing. This tomato weighed at the least, a little over a pound. Well, I will admit, the culprit has good taste!

Tonight...........I am guarding my plants with a shotgun

[matereater]

sounds like maybe a two legged critter, like a neighbor??

[sheysd1]

Hey Steve.........No, I don't think it was human. This plant is in my backyard, surrounded by 7 foot block walls and a locked gate.

I live in a city suburb, with a freeway up the street. Just 15 minutes north west of the San Fernando Valley by the Los Angeles/Ventura County line in a neighborhood of "Cookie Cutter" homes, you know, the kind of houses where you stick your face out your windows and rub noses with your neighbors.

We do have squirrels and rats and the occasional possum and racoon too. I'm suspecting one of the latter. Although I don't know how he could have reached up so high into the plant. I don't think the branch could hold the weight.

We are moving to Texas. Boy, if all I have are these pesky little creatures here, I am city, born and raised, I can't wait to find out what I will be up against in Texas!

[Sunsi]

Sorry about your loss--we have some kind of caterpillar eating out best ones this year. So moving to Texas you'll be able to grow two crops per season? I envy you!

[feldon30]

Any tomato in Texas at that degree of ripeness would already have several bites out of it.

I'd take a valuable lesson from this: Never let a tomato get that ripe without picking it.

[tomakers]

Originally Posted by feldon30

Any tomato in Texas at that degree of ripeness would already have several bites out of it.

I'd take a valuable lesson from this: Never let a tomato get that ripe without picking it.

It doesn't have to be Texas either, I have to pick all mine before they are completely ripe or risk losing them to birds, possums, bugs, you name it.

Originally Posted by matereater

sounds like maybe a two legged critter, like a neighbor??

Did you look for foot prints????
With the whole tomato disappearing, I would also think of 2 legged pests.
JMO,
Tom

[ScottinAtlanta]

Squirrel! No doubt in my mind. If you look in the area, you will find the remains with little satanic teeth marks in it.

[sheysd1]

You know what Scott..........I thought maybe it might be a squirrel. I have a couple that run up along my block walls. I have put seed, nuts and different tidbits of food up on the wall at the opposite end of my yard to try and keep the little buggers away from my crops.

They sure are cute but right now they are trying my patience

I do try to pick my tomatoes before they are fully ripe. This one missing tomato just seemed to still need a couple more days. From now on, I will pick them very early!

[recruiterg]

Do you have a dog? My dog has a developed a habit of waiting until the tomatoes are just perfectly ripe, then she picks them herself and devours them in the yard. I always get mad at my wife for leaving the dog in the backyard unattended this time of year.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by sheysd1

I do try to pick my tomatoes before they are fully ripe. This one missing tomato just seemed to still need a couple more days. From now on, I will pick them very early!

I dont know how much experience you have with black tomatoes but--------
With many blacks Cherokee Purple included you will never get those green shoulders to go away completely.
IF that was what you were referring to in your post as to needing to ripen more.

Worth

[sheysd1]

I caught the culprit............It was a rat, who is no longer among the living now. I was sitting outside in my garden, enjoying the evening when I saw him run up to my tomato plant. Now, earlier in the day, I moved the Cherokee Purple tomato plant to the other side of the garden and put a Lemon Boy tomato not bearing fruit yet, in it's place. This is easy to do when they are in containers. He did seem a bit confused to find a tomato plant with no tomatoes on it.

I went and fetched a spring trap and loaded it down with Skippy Peanut Butter. 15 minutes later, I got him. I made my son dispose of his remains. I really hate using those traps. I really hate taking the life of a little critter but I work hard to grow my food and I am not growing it for the rats to eat.

[JaneMartin]

Ahh, Thank You for your discovery!!!

My only one big tomato was gone (not the fancy type like yours but still MY first big Better Boy tomato). I saw some droppings but could not figure out "mystery creature(s)" that can climb on the earthbox, up to the branch to get that. Couple days later my 2nd tomato had many bite marks around it.

With your discovery and the size of droppings around the container it indeed fit the "rat" profile!!!!

I'm not that brave like you so I have to find the stuff that deter it (like the deer repellent). I wonder if I can find "rat repellent" or not...

I live in Thousand Oaks, not far away from you. Hi neighbor

[peebee]

I know how you feel. I used traps for years before I quit totally this year, after finding a beautiful black and white bird in one...still alive, but mortally wounded, I could tell, it was just a matter of time. I approached it, and it CRIED at me, not a squawk, or a typical bird-like sound, but an eerie cry I can still hear to this day. It was getting dark and no one else was home so I had to end its misery quick. The experience was so traumatic, I vowed no more traps. I have trapped lizards before too, and twice I've found rats still alive...shudder.

Strangely, ever since I've banned traps, not one rat has appeared. No more hair-pulling in the mornings near half-eaten almost ripe tomatoes. Gone! I've decided to grow so much that I wouldn't care if half were eaten, so now I have such an abundant harvest. BTW, I read that opposums only eat what's on the ground--fallen fruit, etc. So don't ever suspect them. Its most likely the rats that are so common here in So CA. Don't use poison either cuz they will die away from your garden and dogs and cats might get to them and die too. Found one in my yard last year and had to tell my neighbors to stop as I have dogs.

Good luck! Wish I could keep cats!

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by sheysd1

You know what Scott..........I thought maybe it might be a squirrel. I have a couple that run up along my block walls. I have put seed, nuts and different tidbits of food up on the wall at the opposite end of my yard to try and keep the little buggers away from my crops.

They sure are cute but right now they are trying my patience

I do try to pick my tomatoes before they are fully ripe. This one missing tomato just seemed to still need a couple more days. From now on, I will pick them very early!

I pick mine at first blush. Too many mocking birds, pill worms ( or sow bugs?), fire ants, chickens and who knows what else, not to mention sun scald, if I leave one on the vine to ripen.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by sheysd1

I caught the culprit............It was a rat, who is no longer among the living now. I was sitting outside in my garden, enjoying the evening when I saw him run up to my tomato plant. Now, earlier in the day, I moved the Cherokee Purple tomato plant to the other side of the garden and put a Lemon Boy tomato not bearing fruit yet, in it's place. This is easy to do when they are in containers. He did seem a bit confused to find a tomato plant with no tomatoes on it.

I went and fetched a spring trap and loaded it down with Skippy Peanut Butter. 15 minutes later, I got him. I made my son dispose of his remains. I really hate using those traps. I really hate taking the life of a little critter but I work hard to grow my food and I am not growing it for the rats to eat.

Ooh, I hate rats! And possums. As much as I'm a farm girl, I just hat giant rodents. They give me the creeps. Yuck.
I also hate huge cockroaches. We didn't have any of these creatures in Boulder, CO when I was growing up. Just cute prairie dogs. Carrying bubonic plague.