I need advice on how to ward off crazy tomato-stealing squirrels!

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[Post New]08/02/2017 08:00
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Gamo pellet gun, ideally in .22 caliber. Kill ever squirrel that comes in range.

Eventually, they'll stop coming.


My friend has offered to send her army sharp shooter son over to our yard. My DH feels that is not enough. We need to hang one in the trees as a warning to others.
[Post New]08/02/2017 08:14
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote: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.


This is brilliant and hysterical. I'm picturing your kids telling their kids stories about rotating the snake one day.
[Post New]08/02/2017 08:22
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Anonymous
We put a huge net around our bushes (grapes, tomatoes and blueberries). We have problems with the deer snacking too. I think the bunnies can still go under our net and get at the fruits, but the majority stay fine.
[Post New]08/02/2017 08:39
quote
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Gamo pellet gun, ideally in .22 caliber. Kill ever squirrel that comes in range.

Eventually, they'll stop coming.


My friend has offered to send her army sharp shooter son over to our yard. My DH feels that is not enough. We need to hang one in the trees as a warning to others.


I love you!
[Post New]08/02/2017 08:40
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Anonymous
I wonder if something like spraying bitter apple would work?
[Post New]08/02/2017 09:11
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Anonymous
Trap and euthanize. They took every single tomato and plum I had last year. I had about 20 plants. Now a bunch of them are buried in my garden as fertilizer.

Circle of life, ****ers.
[Post New]08/07/2017 22:42
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote: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.


Based on this comment I went out and covered a bunch of our tomatoes with knee highs this weekend. Too soon to tell whether it will work with our out of control squirrels but it has me in stitches because the tomatoes all look like they're planning a bank heist!
[Post New]08/10/2017 12:36
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ZachF
Member Offline
Anonymous wrote: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....



That^^^^^ is the ONLY solution. It's a fools errand to think you can outsmart a squirrel. They will ALWAYS get to their food, but they won't eat a tomato until it at least starts to ripen. If you let them ripen on the vine, as you've learned, you are just feeding the wildlife.
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