Grrrrrrrrr. Tomato thieves

[GreenThumbGal_07]

I've been waiting ALL SUMMER on Ernesto, Andes, and Campbell 1327.

One big fruit was ripening on Andes (a remarkably healthy big plant) and two huge ones were on Campbell 1327 (plant had only three fruit on it total), one of them beginning to blush. I was keeping an eye on them...

... and this evening I noticed they were GONE. Now they're probably finishing up their ripening on some neighbor's windowsill.

I put a note on the door asking please, please do not pick the tomatoes, if you want some, just ask.

I know the vines look awful and spent and ready for the compost heap, but it's no excuse for people to help themselves.

Sigh.

GTG

[Suze]

Ugh, what a bummer. Do you have a fenced in yard or is it open?

[GreenThumbGal_07]

It's open, a shared yard. People have left the plants and their fruit alone all summer, interestingly enough. I wonder what compelled someone to snatch a couple of them?

I want them to leave Ernesto alone! The plant has only about four fruit, and one of them is starting to blush. Maybe if I put a paper bag on it, they'll ignore it. You think it'll work?

GTG

[Suze]

Well, the paper bag has the potential to slow the thief down enough that they might think twice -- especially if you tighten it a little at the top with some stretchy tape or twine. I suppose you could always write something "creative" on that bag with a sharpie, too. Personally, I think I'd just start picking anything when it starts blushing.

Any ideas on who it might be?

[Lomatia]

I once had a problem of theft in a community garden that I was a member. My rockmelons were disappearing so I thought a sign on the plot saying " I have put a nasty chemical in/on one of these fruit - I know which one and you do not" Eventually I had second thoughts and didn't proceed. Interestingly I suppose I could have put up the sign and not added any chemical!!!! (We all had keys to the garden so the culprit had to be another member)

[jhp]

Are you sure it was a human and not an animal? I have trouble with my own kind of tomato thieves, the furry kind.

[dcarch]

You can probably get a sign that says, “THIS LOCATION IS UNDER 24 HOUR VEDIO SURVILLANCE".

dcarch

[jwr6404]

Get yourself a Bulldog that is alert and doesn't like tomatos. My Bulldog is alert and thinks tomatos are colored balls that he can play with.

[daylilydude]

I think i would go out to the garden when everyone is watching and throw a hog wild fit hollering , slinging shovels , kicking up dirt , fliping the wheelbarrow,eat the fertilizer (well mabey not that far) screaming at the top of my lungs about my missing tomatoes and mabey they would think twice about taking my tomatoes . :wink: