Get ready to defend your love apple from squirrel with these tips .
Finding a prized homegrown tomato on the ground with a bite out of it may have you wondering , " Do squirrels eat on tomatoes ? " ( and maybe saying a few choice parole ) . The short answer is yes ; squirrels do find love apple to be a tasty snack . In fact , both tree squirrels and basis squirrel will feast on an array of ripe garden produce such asstrawberries , sweet corn , andbell Madagascar pepper . They usuallywait until the produce is absolutely ripebefore look at a morsel . And when squirrels corrode a tomato , they frequently take just one bite before moving on to the next ripe fruit .
Get to cognize these rodent ' habit and protect your produce with these tips .
Credit:Getty Images / Julien C
Getty Images / Julien C
Types of Squirrels That Eat Tomatoes
Two types of squirrels — Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree squirrels and ground squirrels — are known to eat tomato as they scamper through thesummer vegetable garden . Both squirrels are primarily active during the sidereal day and on a regular basis scrounge on ripe produce .
Ground Squirrels
priming squirrels are smaller than tree squirrels and do n’t have a bushy tail . Most earth squirrels are 12 to 16 inch long , include their tail , and have streak brown firm pelt . Some types have blanched and dark-brown stripes . priming coat squirrels live in colonies , building burrows withextensive tunnels2 to 6 foot clandestine . The burrows with multiple entrance hole popping up through the garden are often as frustrating as the ground squirrels ’ tomato - eating habits .
Tree Squirrels
Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree squirrels spend most of their time above the garden in trees . They fall to the garden to fertilize during daylight hours . Like primer coat squirrels , there are many types of tree diagram squirrels across North America , but their habits are alike . Tree squirrels are attracted to ripe produce ; they usuallypass by a light-green , unripe tomatowithout a second look . Their dieting changes weekly base on what ’s on nature ’s bill of fare .
Marty Ross
6 Ways to Protect Your Tomatoes from Squirrels
tree diagram squirrels , with their agility and eminent keep tail , along with speedy ground squirrel , have the upper hand in the garden . However , there are a few thing an world - bound , tedious - hoof it gardener can do toprevent squirrelsfrom turn a love apple patch into their favorite buffet .
1. Build a barrier.
It ’s inconceivable to hold in wandering squirrel , but you’re able to create a critter - free area around your prized tomato . Use big - duty hardware cloth to build a batting cage around tomato plant life . If ground squirrels are your chief scourge , the complex body part can be a simple fence 18 inches tall and eat up 6 inches below ground .
Thwarting tree squirrels from sample tomatoes involves building a cage that enfold the total plant . Not only will a whole - plant cage prevent Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree squirrels fromharvesting tomatoes , but it will forestall you from harvesting them , too . Add a doorway to the bodily structure or plan to lift the cage off the industrial plant whenever you want to piss or harvest .
2. Use a repellant.
Several commercial repellant are usable to deter squirrel from crunch on plants . The repellants work to vary degrees of achiever and must be reapplied after rain . peppermint candy andhot pepperare rough-cut repellant ingredient . take care for products in granular form that are spread around the base of the plant , as well as liquid state repellants that are applied to leaf . Be sure the foul is dependable to use around garden truck .
3. Promote predators.
Natural predators such as snakes , hawk , and owl help ascertain the squirrel universe . Snake River are especially effective at keeping ground squirrel community at a reasonable level . Welcome these visitor into your garden byproviding wildlife habitat .
4. Employ the family pet.
Both khat anddogs can be effective squirrel handicap . Just your pet ’s olfactory property in the garden is sometimes enough of a threat to scare squirrels away . examine call for fur your favorite has shed and placing it liberally around your tomato as they ripen to see if that does the trick . And dogs often love chasing away squirrel that dare enter their territorial dominion .
5. Get a professional involved.
Professional blighter companies often offerrodent controlservices . enquire with your local party about trapping and relocating squirrel . Fumigation is also a control alternative for ground squirrels in some area .
6. Share the garden.
The proverb “ when you ca n’t beat ‘ em , link up ‘ em ” applies here . It ’s closely impossible to completely keep squirrel from now and then take a bite out of a love apple or other green goods . If you may , plant a little more than you need , and portion out your garden with the 4 - legged wight . It is highly likely that they ’ll be perturb by another tasty bit within a few days , and you ’ll be left with plenty of fresh produce .
Tips for Ridding Your Garden of Other Scavengers
The good news show about animals in your garden is it means your flowers and produce are sound and thriving , attracting little nibblers to pander . If you want to decrease thepopulation of chipmunks , who can do damage to your lawn by digging cakehole and run through bulbs before they can bloom , remove bird confluent with seeds , which chipmunks sexual love , and keep your lawn manicure . If you surmise deer have been snack on your love apple plants , you may want toconsider these optionsfor keeping the critters at bay . Skunks play the bivalent - whammy of theirterrible odorused to protect themselves and their affection for corn and compost cumulus . Make certain you securely exclude trash tail end and compost ABA transit number to keep locoweed from enquire , and if nothing works , set a gob to enamour them and relocate them elsewhere . For help with insects overrun your produce , use this scout .
Credit:Marty Ross
