Help! Tomatoes disappearing!

[Douglas14]

For the past 5 days or so, I've had many green tomatoes taken totally off my plants with no trace of them. Frequently the calyx is still remaining. It's mostly the bigger tomatoes that disappear, but also some that are only an inch in diameter.
I'm thinking it's either a large woodchuck that's in the area, or deer that are plentiful around here. I did notice some deer tracks in the tomato patch today....so I'm leaning towards them being the culprit. I've never had this happen with my tomatoes before; at least not to this extent. I need to stop this soon, or I'll have no tomatoes left.

Any suggestions besides erecting a fence around the garden? Do you think Liquid Fence, or another animal deterrent might work. I've also hear that making an "invisible" fence with fishing line going around an area can deter deer. I could do this around the tomatoes.....anyone have experience with this?

[Chucker]

I have a problem with chipmunks. They especially like cherry tomatoes. They remove them and eat half and leave the other half laying on the deck.

[tnkrer]

For me its been the squirrels that do it. They climb the tomato plants and take away the green tomato stem and all. Sometimes I see half eaten tomatoes under the oak tree couple hundred feet away. I have not found a solution for these thieves yet. However, as the season progresses, they find other food sources and leave the tomatoes alone.

[PaulF]

My experience for the past nine years deterring deer is that the only way is to build a fence at least seven feet tall and maybe eight would be better. The fence around my garden is a sturdy black nylon net purchased on-line. The expense is relatively small for the netting. The expense is in the posts. I use steel "T" fenceposts and extend upward with wooden dowels wired onto the post. The deer fence is stapled to the wood and wired to the steel. I also tie white rags at deer eye level every few feet so they notice there is a fence.

Our state extension people have done tests on all kinds of liquid and other deterrents and have found they are ineffective. My deer fence has been in place for three years with no problem. I leave it up year round.

With deer populations exploding even shooting the deer won't do much to stop them. Woodchucks are another situation. Thank goodness we do not have that as a problem.

[zero244]

I wouldn't rule out opossums or raccoon's either.

[lycomania]

I don't know if this solution will work for you, but I eliminated my problems with one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101...ords=scarecrow

You'd have to decide if it will be worth it based on the size of the area you need to cover, but it completely ended my problems with losing tomatoes to varmints.

[friedgreen51]

Hi Douglas14,
I have used a fishing line fence in the past and it works very well. I doesn't have to be over 4 feet tall, but the key is to have a fence inside of a fence. The two fences should be about 3 feet apart. The reason this works is that deer have poor depth perception and can't figure out where they would land if they try to jump the double fence. You can make a gate using some metal S hooks. We successfully used one for 2 or 3 gardening seasons.
We now have a permanently installed electric fence which also works for well. It is also only about 4 feet tall and has the fence inside of a fence design. The reason that we put the electric fence in is that the fishing line fence will only last about a year because the fishing line breaks down in the UV light. If you are looking for an inexpensive, low tech solution for deer, I would go for the fishing line double fence. Be sure to use catfish fishing line as it holds up much better.
Deborah

[SharonRossy]

That would be squirrels or possibly raccoons. I've had tomatoes and peppers disappear and something is trying to rip into my smart pots. I've been surrounding my plants with a rigid plastic netting to hopefully deter the buggers. I'm going to make a garlic spray which apparently they dislike.

[trainwreckz5]

Try a motion activated sprinkler. I had a friend use one because of the deer eating the garden and it was very effective. They are also good at keeping cats and dogs out of your stuff. You will probably spray yourself a few times when you forget to turn it off when tending the garden.

[madddawg]

Try using a radio turned up as loud as you or your neighbors ( if you have any) can stand. Put it in plastic storage box for more bass, the sound will carry further. I have something in my garden eating my red ones. I had to turn the radio down to an ineffective volume, my neighbors were complaining. I was thinking it was a rabbit. But this morning I think I saw a groundhog down there. It was just a glimpse. That lil sucker Is also eating the end of my cantaloupe vines.

[Douglas14]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. Last evening I put up a fishing line fence on the south end of the tomato patch(the direction the deer would likely come from). I sprinkled granular Liquid Fence around the patch as well. The live trap(placed about 40 yards from the garden) had a woodchuck in it today, so that critter is history. The trap is set again. Hopefully these preventions will do the trick. Thanks again!

[Darren Abbey]

Originally Posted by tnkrer

For me its been the squirrels that do it. They climb the tomato plants and take away the green tomato stem and all. Sometimes I see half eaten tomatoes under the oak tree couple hundred feet away. I have not found a solution for these thieves yet. However, as the season progresses, they find other food sources and leave the tomatoes alone.

One of the things I've read is that they may be taking your tomatoes as a water source, rather than food. Are there other water sources around for them?