I need advice on how to ward off crazy tomato-stealing squirrels!
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Anonymous
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I have tomato plants in pots on my back porch. Squirrels keeps picking tomatoes off the plants even before they're ripe, and leaving the rotten remains around the backyard!
I do not want to pick all the tomatoes while they're green, but I'll *****. if I let those critters eat every one of them! lol Any help appreciated! |
Anonymous
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Internet advice is to put four large tomato stakes in the container and then cover with bird netting secured by a bungee cord or string. If that fails, the next step is a cover with chicken wire.
I looked into this briefly when I bought one of those self-watering box containers for DH as a present. The squirrels have run off with all our fruit. But so far they do not seem to have discovered the tomatoes. |
Anonymous
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We get this shiny silver streamer stuff and staple it to stakes. Works well. Keeps birds at bay too.
https://www.amazon.com/Bird-X-Irri-Tape-Holographic-Iridescent-Length/dp/B000KGYXGQ |
Anonymous
This works for squirrels, not just birds? |
Anonymous
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As soon as you see the slightest bit of pink on them, pull the tomatoes and put them in your house to ripen. At that point, they are no longer producing sugars and can ripen on your counter or windowsill. After years of having the little critters steal our tomatoes we have had a bumper crop this year with this strategy. 6 tomato plants and we've harvested almost 2 dozen tomatoes in the last four days, all green with the faintest bit of color and then they ripen within 36hours on the countertop.
Caprese salad for days. Mmmm.... |
Anonymous
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The Red Ryder BB Gun, of course!
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Anonymous
| You'll poke your eye out, PP! |
Anonymous
| I had luck covering the tomatoes (just the fruit) with dollar store knee high pantie hose. The hose material keep the squirels from getting to the fruit. |
Anonymous
| They normally steal bites out of tomatoes when they're hungry. Set out a dish of water or a birdbath nearby and see if it helps. |
Anonymous
| I also pick now as soon as any color as I am so over these rats with long tails others call squirrels. I wasn't going to plant any at all this year but succumbed. I do end up planting more cherry tomatoes than I want as an offering/distraction I guess but all the other methods mentioned I have tried - ribbon, water, netting - just over it. I did just pick a huge tomato this morning that has color. Even just 10 years ago I never had problem with wildlife we have now. |
Anonymous
| Get a dog. |
Anonymous
| Agree you need to provide an alternative. Shallow birdbath so they have water (but won't breed mosquitoes), and some bird seed. |
Anonymous
| Rat terriers. And don't go on vacation. |
Anonymous
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I bought an inflatable snake on Amazon. Seriously, it's cheap and it works. I built a chicken wire cage for one pot, but that was a hassle so I didn't bother for the other two and tried the snake.
Every couple days I send my kid out to move the snake around so the squirrels don't get complacent. |
Anonymous
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Gamo pellet gun, ideally in .22 caliber. Kill ever squirrel that comes in range.
Eventually, they'll stop coming. |