Row covers. Netting won’t necessarily help.

Anonymous wrote:Our whole row of tomatoes were eaten in 2 days by Horn worms. They look like fat green caterpillars with eyes all over them and a huge horn in the front.

Ugh, we had these last summer. They’re awful. Supposedly planting basil right next to the tomatoes helps, as the odor discourages them.

Squirrels or groundhogs.

https://instagram.com/chunk_the_groundhog?igshid=cwzaim10b2pu

Our whole row of tomatoes were eaten in 2 days by Horn worms. They look like fat green caterpillars with eyes all over them and a huge horn in the front.

Anonymous wrote:Squirrels take the tomato, take a bite, and leave it on the ground by the plant for you to find.

Yes. Squirrels take the tomatoes in search of hydration - a quick bite or two gives them access to the water and then they're done.

A couple years ago, something ate probably 90% of the tomatoes in my garden, and generally when they were still green. It was strange because there were few half eaten ones- they were just picked clean, even the big ones. Never figured out what it was. Got better fencing last year which helped.

Squirrels take the tomato, take a bite, and leave it on the ground by the plant for you to find.

Groundhogs can decimate gardens literally overnight. I had two of these jerks marauding around my flowers and vegetables until they had the misfortune to venture into a less benign neighbor’s yard.

You must protect your tomatoes! If they’re removing the tomato, it could be a squirrel. If they’re taking little pokes, it could be a bird. If you’re finding big chewy bites, it could be a rat. Rats will go after green tomatoes in my garden.

Squirrels are glass bowls. The worst is when they take one bite and leave the nearly intact discarded fruit to taunt you.

Put netting around the plants. I haven't put mine up yet but will as soon as it starts to fruit.

Squirrels do this.

I think it’s squirrels. We put screens around ours which helped.

I have two potted tomato plants near my front porch. Every time a tomato gets to be larger than a cherry tomato to about the size of a plum tomato a critter comes along and snatches them. I have had trouble with deer and rabbits with other, veggies in th peat, but never tomatoes.