squirrels stealing tomatoes

[Gus]

I did have some good luck with vinegar last year and will try that again when the plants start to produce. Soaked some old socks every few days. No one had mentioned vinegar, but accidently noticed on the bottle: "protect garden from unwanted pests... soak rags every 7 to 10 days" on the back of a Kroger bottle. I think it did work. I assume if it rains, soak the rags more often. Not sure, but maybe the vinegar smells close to predator urine to a squirrel, or just unpleasant?

Building a cage around the plants is probably the only sure fire thing to do, but I went to do that at Home Depot last year and it started to get kinda expensive to do it right. Last year, I did get quite a decent crop of tomatoes; but the year before literally 2-3 puny tomatoes and then gave up as the squirrels ruined all the rest. Ended up uprooting the plants... Hopefully, vinegar will deter them this year at least so I get some fresh tomatoes. Nothing better than fresh tomatoes. The ones in store here are so bland, but garden ones full of flavor.

[David E. Ross]

Oops! Yesterday, I discovered that no animal repellant was used. The mixture consisted of cayenne, liquid dish soap, and urine. No, I don't know whose urine was used.

Two gardeners were assigned to the task. One was at the top of a ladder, doing the spraying. The other was on the ground, holding the ladder.

[Gus]

hmmm... I wonder if pure urine works best, or from a drug addict? Or maybe from an asparagus aficionado.

Why soap? Were the tree rats swearing and uncouth?

[Gus]

After what happened two years ago, that is how I see them. One morning, I opened my back door and there was a ripe tomato in front of the door, with one bite out of it. I looked around and there was a squirrel looking at me. Sitting on top the deck, smirking.

I live in the city and cannot shoot or trap tree rats. I would build a cage but I'm not terribly good at building things. And to do it right, it was more than I wanted to spend on supplies. After what happened two years ago, I am willing to use biological or chemical warfare. I have tried cayenne pepper and animal repellant from the vegetable stand, but it had no aeffect. Vinegar soaked rags were somewhat successful last year, but I may need a two or more pronged defense. Yond, this year the squirrels have look like Cassius...

[David E. Ross]

Whenever I spray -- which is rarely -- I always pour some liquid soap into my sprayer. It acts as a wetting agent so that the spray does not bead and run off from waxy or fuzzy foliage.

[Natural Girl]

What kind of vinegar?

[Natural Girl]

OMG!!!!!!!!!! That's histerical!!! smirking?? LOL

hahaaahaha I'm only laughing because I totally understand just how frustrating those tree rats can be. One year I had some gorgeous tomatoes that were nearly ready to pick. I told myself I'd pick them tomorrow... when I went out to get the ... EVERY tomato was gone on that bush!!!!!!!! I was livid. Now, I don't wait to pull them!

[Gus]

White vinegar, gallon jug from Kroger.

[Gus]

When I had the serious problem two years ago, I started started to pull green ones, but they aren't as fun to pick. And then you have to wait for them to ripen indoors, just sitting there. The squirrels starting biting and taking the green ones on the plants, even small ones. They don't have much sense. Or, maybe they are just very vindictive jerks. They may look cute, but they are not good neighbors. I had a couple get into part of my roof last year and had to get an exterminator. Cost a couple hundred dollars to eradicate them.

[Natural Girl]

I just may try that! thanks.

[Natural Girl]

I bet it was satisfying tho! 2 down ... a zillion to go! DIE TREE RATS! DIE! :)

[Todd]

The animal supply stores have some really strong stuff

[Pat Kiewicz]

Late to the party, but...

1) Provide a source of drinking water for the squirrels, birds, etc. They may be going after the tomatoes mainly for the water content.

2) My daughter ran an experiment as an assignment for one of her zoology classes. She offered various 'flavors' of peanuts to hungry winter squirrels, including smoked, two levels of hot pepper seasoned and wasabi flavored peanuts.

Their obvious preference was for plain or salted peanuts. They would eat the hot pepper and smoked peanuts. They mainly ignored the wasabi flavored. Which suggests that wasabi (similarly, horse radish or mustard oil) could be worth looking into as a squirrel deterent.

3) When all else fails, a cage of 1" hex wire netting ("chicken wire") will exclude squirrels. You need to bend the wire out at the bottom (to prevent them going under) and either let the top flop outward or put a cap on the cage (to prevent them going over). I've used panels of 48" chicken wire stapled to 1" x 2" strapping. The panels can be moved around as needed. Tie them using temporary stakes. You can make circles, triangles, etc. They should be rolled up and stashed out of the weather when not needed .

4) A sturdy 4' fence which is lined with chicken wire (bent out or buried several inches deep at the bottom) and topped with a shock wire or two will keep out a whole lot of potential pests.

[Gus]

Thanks Pat in Plymouth. Good suggestions. I had read they bite the tomatoes for the water content, that they not intentionally trying to piss off the gardener by only taking one bite... Not sure about water source. There is a major problem with mosquitoes in the summer around here, so not supposed to leave standing water around. I suppose I could use put something out though and dump the water every 2-3 days. But I don't think it's water that is a problem around here, but maybe they just prefer water from tomatoes or are just lazy squirrels. They will bite even green ones that aren't that watery. I think I will try leaving water out.

Are you suggesting leaving peanuts out, but away from the tomatoes? I don't have a big yard, but could maybe put some at the other end. Or in the front yard. How do you know if the squirrels have a peanut allergy. (Actually, that might be a good thing!)

I didn't mess with chicken wire too much because to do it right was getting kinda involved. I had read that cheap chicken wire with larger hole they can still get through. Though I did have some lying around and I did kinda lay it around the plants. I think it did dissuade them a bit but not too much. I didn't stake it thinking maybe if it was flimsy and gave way some when they stepped on it maybe they would be skittish?

My SMIL suggested plastic snakes. But those are worthless. I've seen the squirrels step right over a couple on the deck railing. I tried to tie a couple with string so they should move a bit but that didn't have any effect either. Not on the squirrels. I also put out some tinfoil. That may have kept away some birds, but not squirrels.

I don't like wasabi, so afraid that would get into the tomatoes, but maybe I can try spreading some around one of the plants and experiment. Maybe in conjunction with the white vinegar.... What do you mean by mustard oil? I like mustard so would try that. Spicy mustard??

[Frank]

Someone sent me this this morning:

[Smitty]

I feel happy and sad at the same time... emotional dissonance.

[Natural Girl]

[Billy]

And she can't spell either.

[Natural Girl]

yeah .. you got me. {{hangs head in shame}}

[Gus]

I thought you misspelled it on porpoise. ("histerical" since a male-oriented discussion. Like some say "herstory" when talking about women in "history".)