Hairnets to protect ripening tomatoes?

[rhoder551]

Has anyone tried this? Last year some critter bit into every one of my Ananas Noir tomatoes, my favorite! I was thinking about how to protect my tomatoes this time around and a couple of days ago I got an idea while conversing with a friend who happened to be wearing a hairnet. In the past I have used those fine mesh draw string produce bags sold as green alternatives to plastic bags but they are so so expensive and I would need several for each plant. If you have tried hair nets or anything else please let me know, I would sure appreciate it....

[Starlight]

Neat idea. : ) Would probably work great if you could find some with smaller holes.

[oakley]

The tule netting bags are cheap. 5 bucks for a hundred small ones and 5 bucks for 50 larger ones. They come with draw strings. I have a bunch for fruit and some other projects. Amazon is eye rolling but i got mine from a website where i got a large roll of tule to protect some early salads. (can't find the site)

I pick toms early once they show some good color. They ripen just as well on my counter and i can keep a better eye on that perfect moment. I get them before the critters. With all the varieties and the greens and the purples i want them right in front of me.

[rhoder551]

I should look at Amazon for the mesh bags... thank you for letting me know. I have been buying them at the market and using them for melons and just needed a couple, never had a problem with critters eating my tomatoes. They cost me about 2 bucks apiece...

[imp]

You could also just buy some chiffon or tulle at the fabric store in a few yards, depending how much you need and shape a bag over the fruit and staple it into a bag of fabric dirt cheap.

Some one suggested that for isolating on the forums.

[Jeannine Anne]

I have a rat that eats mine too but I think he would bite right through the hair net, but I think the idea is good, I am thinking about those mesh things that the supermarkets put round fruit that is easily damaged. They are made of a sort of soft mesh Styrofoam, it stretches like the mesh bags but is a bit more substantial without being heavy..just a thought,

I will watch this as I woud like to see a great idea too.

[rhoder551]

Jeannine Anne, the mesh bags do work pretty well although I had a critter rip one open and ruin a melon but usually they work fine. I think your idea is good, in fact I believe that stuff can be bought in lengths and cut to size.

[rhoder551]

I think I'll try the hair nets and see if they hold up to the critters. I'll report back.... I did use some tulle fabric around my melons but for some reason it seems to encourage mold if it touches the surface of the fruit, the mesh bags do not do that in my experience. I'll try the tulle with the tomatoes and see what happens...

[TexasTycoon]

Originally Posted by oakley

I pick toms early once they show some good color. They ripen just as well on my counter and i can keep a better eye on that perfect moment. I get them before the critters. With all the varieties and the greens and the purples i want them right in front of me.

I second this suggestion after losing many tomatoes to bird last year, just pick them when they're blushing on the bottom!

[rhoder551]

I have done that with tomatoes that get squishy but for some reason they attacked the Ananas Noir just when they started to color and I lost all of them. Don't know why they went for that one and left the others alone

[oakley]

The tule bags are super cheap, used for wedding party favors and such crafty things. I have olive green thinking i can disguise the blushing tom from attracting any nuisance critter. It has been a couple years since i purchased but i did get a bolt as well and remember clearly that it was 9 dollars and covered my two salad beds easily and still have extra.
My AnnaRussians do not produce much but i still grow them out of deep nostalgia being one of my first from seed years ago. If mine were poked and prodded from a critter it would be war...
Tule bag and deer-x first.

I'm such a freak that i grow 'diversion tactic' plants. Lots of sunflowers outside my garden for the deer to fill up on...they get about 1/10th a big double row and the birds are happy come fall with the survivors. At the feet of the sunflowers i plant a flat of cull toms to sprawl and do whatever they want. Rarely water them unless total drought. I overplant so i have enough for everyone.

[rhoder551]

oakley, your garden sounds wonderful....