Birds? Mice? Rats? Squirrels?
 

I'm harvesting less than I'm giving away! Well, I'm not giving away any yet, they are being taken away... at least parts of them.

I have mostly raised beds as well as 5 gallon and half-barrel containers. Most of my tomatoes are getting eaten before I have the chance to pick & eat them.

Is there any way to determine what are eating them? Sometimes I see a ripe tomato deep inside the foliage cover and reach in and--bleck--less than half the tomato is left! Other times, it's the top half of a tomato missing its shoulders. Sometimes it's a patch about the size of a nickel.

I know I have ferral cats living in or under a shed next to the garage.

I know there are rats in the neighborhood, not to mention a vacant home next door. (next door in a city means 8ft away.)

And I know we have squirrels that travel on the phone lines in front of houses, tree to tree, and at the back of lots (in a city that means about 70 feet from the back of the house.)

And I know we have new neighbors 2 houses down with a direct path to my yard unblocked--matter of fact, the vacant houses's owner (a bank I think), removed the last 15 feet of the house recently, leaving a gaping opening that some can use to enter, or my dog can use to run away--hence the cable to limit her to a 30ft radius.

So are there any guesses? I was going to buy some snap traps, but don't want to buy something for rodents if it's birds, or vice-versa...

And yes, I know we are at a rainfall deficit of around 8 inches so far this year. The typical answer to this is that birds are pecking away at tomatoes for water, but I have some big beefsteak types missing the entire top halves!

Thanks for any help.

mice and rats love them,lost some to bird pecks also.
You need fence with real small holes around the plants.

Can you post pictures of the damaged/eaten tomatoes on the vine ?
Each of those will have differeng eating mark and pattern. Rats likely eat them on the vine but squirrels might knock the fruit off the vine.
There is nothing you can do about rats, squirrels other than trapping them. Birds often eat tomatoes for the juice. Rats night do that for the same purpose. I leave water under my plants, in the shade. I have seen them birds having fun with it. In deep containers like half full small bucket, rats fall in and get drawn. Put a ramp on it so that they can go to top and dive in.
Sey

I am in NY and a lot of people are having the same problem. I was told by a neighbor that when there is drought conditions the Racoons will take just ripened fruit for the water content. That's why there are multiple partially eaten fruits each time there is an attack. Interesting theory anyway..

Put a pan of water out... far away from your plants. maybe that would help lure them away. Hang a milk jug over it with a pinhole to let water drip out making a bit of water noise, too.

If you can find a good bait station get it and set it out for rats and mice. It is probably rats and they will return every night and leave you with nothing. I tried all kind of things but nothing worked til I got a bait station. The reason you need a bait station is to stop dogs or cats from eating the rat poison. Even if it is just mice the station will get them just be sure to use the smaller pellet rat and mice bait and keep it filled for a few days according to the instructions that come with it. Usually it takes about two days and then you will start finding some dead rats or mice.

If it is squirrels the only thing that really works is shooting them and that can be difficult in town. Like rats they are smart and not easy to trap and if you do trap one then you probably won't trap many more. Chipmunks, possums and raccoons can also do damage so a good dog or cat can help keep them out but then again some dogs love tomatoes also.:)

Bill

[QUOTE=Gardeneer;588034]Can you post pictures of the damaged/eaten tomatoes on the vine ?
Each of those will have differeng eating mark and pattern. Rats likely eat them on the vine but squirrels might knock the fruit off the vine.
There is nothing you can do about rats, squirrels other than trapping them. Birds often eat tomatoes for the juice. Rats night do that for the same purpose. I leave water under my plants, in the shade. I have seen them birds having fun with it. In deep containers like half full small bucket, rats fall in and get drawn. Put a ramp on it so that they can go to top and dive in.
Sey[/QUOTE]

I'll try to take pics, though not sure what's left, I pulled some...

Most of your fruit damage is from rodents, though the initial attack is often done by birds (cardinals, catbirds, and goldfinch are the main culprits in my garden). Then the grey skirls, red skirls, and chipmunks go to town. These are all day shift critters though. If your losses occur at night, then it's a different cast of characters. I am now forced to either pick fruit at first blush and ripen indoors, or to cover fruit with a plastic bag at first blush and ripen on the vine. Too be sure the later is a colossal PITA, but it is effective (prolly 95%), and I'm a vine ripened is much better disciple I guess. I use the bags with the slider closure, they're MUCH easier to work with in tight spaces. Also helps to have some sort of system in place to know when to finally pick the fruit, since the bags obscure most of the visual cues.

[ATTACH]65607[/ATTACH]OK, here are some pics, I'll post each in a separate post with a description--I don't know how to post pics with text between.

I'll start with this one, this is what is left of a Big Zac/Boudyo 6.82 pounder... it was up about 18-24" and inside the CRW cage. I will try to find a "before" pic...

Here's what's left of Korney's Cross F9, it's a green when ripe, it may be a little hard to see...it's a couple inches below the white label, just follow the thin wooden stick up to it.

[ATTACH]65611[/ATTACH]Here's what's left of a New Big Dwarf, the top has been eaten off... also note, at about 1 o'clock to this one, see the sepals of another one, completely gone!

Here, the entire side of a Cherokee Purple is missing...

Here's a Special K that looks like bird damage, however, it was about 12 inches inside a CRW cage and in lots of foliage...

I am south of you a little bit. Suffering the same kind of damage you are. I saw one of the culprits in my case- voles. Otherwise known as field mice. Always a problem at this time of year. I pick before fruits are ripe and let them ripen on the counter. I still lose a few. Had to throw out half a dozen half eaten fruits yesterday while picking. Fruits that cracked because of recent rain after drought are at most risk. Already an opening in the fruit. Slugs and insects make holes in the tomatoes that the voles then keep eating. Ya fight off one set of garden eaters and another one is right there waiting. At least the voles usually finish one fruit before starting on another. Deer, on the other hand, will take a bite from everything in sight.

[QUOTE=Susan66;588111]I am south of you a little bit. Suffering the same kind of damage you are. I saw one of the culprits in my case- voles. Otherwise known as field mice. Always a problem at this time of year. I pick before fruits are ripe and let them ripen on the counter. I still lose a few. Had to throw out half a dozen half eaten fruits yesterday while picking. Fruits that cracked because of recent rain after drought are at most risk. Already an opening in the fruit. Slugs and insects make holes in the tomatoes that the voles then keep eating. Ya fight off one set of garden eaters and another one is right there waiting. At least the voles usually finish one fruit before starting on another. Deer, on the other hand, will take a bite from everything in sight.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for replying Susan. I can rule out moles & voles because all these are in containers, except the Cherokee Purple which is in a raised bed.

Where about are you, and are you coming to our 10th anniversary of the Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest this coming weekend? I may not have any tomatoes to bring!