Squirrels are eating my tomatoes

[Martin McCaffery]

Any suggestions short of rat poison or a shotgun to keep the squirrels from pillaging my tomatoes?

[sueb]

Borrow a poodle.

Susan B.

[simy1]

Leave a water pan around. They only care about the water. It takes them a few weeks to switch to water and leave the tomatoes alone. I use the dishes of houseplant pots for that task.

[George]

They wiped out 100+ ears of corn on us last year. We got to eat maybe

6 ears out of the whole garden. They are relentless and evil, the devil's spawn. Worse than woodchucks.

We trapped and relocated about 15 - not in time to save the corn, but at least reduced the population. And we didn't plant corn this year.

George

[simy1]

yes, I do not plant corn (in fact my corn is destroyed by the racoons). But everything else I manage except jujube which they clean up completely. During dry years they would destroy the raspberries until I chanced upon the water thing. Water also attract birds, and they keep the caterpillars cleaned up.

[DigitalVinyl]

Keep water out for them and birds. they are thirsty and know the ripe ones are juicy. You might want to colocate some nuts/seeds and water toghether somewhere to try to train them to find the water. Locate a couple of spots and find which one they go after more. Keeps a higher one for birds. They will peck out the water too.

I had a light-weight rubber pail that collects water from the downspouts. I kept finding it turned on its side. I think the local skunk was tipping it over to drink the water. DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY,

[~patches~]

Base ball bat ;) Actually, two easy remedies I use are electronic rodent devices and a motion activated sprayer. Squirrels are rodents and since installing the erd we have had no squirrels in the yard. The efficacy on these devices are reported to be questionable but we have found they work. The motion activated sprayer works not only on squirrels but other critters so is a worthwhile investment. OTOH, a shot gun would provide you with inexpensive meat :)

[~patches~]

Hot pepper spray and/or powder is supposed to work too. We tried it and found two problems. You have to reapply it after a rain and the squirrels tie their napkins around their tiny throats waiting for us to put out their treat. I guess someone didn't clue them in or they are Mexican squirrels ;)

[xx1xx]

I have a question about the pan of water for the squirrels, chipmunks and birds, might it attract more of them and cause more problems than before?

alan