A chewed tomato: squirrel or woodchuck?
Hmm, I harvested a half-eaten red tomato this morning that had been chewed, but noticed evidence on this one (a green tomato) this afternoon.
There are distinct chew marks visible (diagnostic of a squirrel?); I've never had squirrels eat my tomatoes, but I know through fellow garden bloggers that they do eat them. I've never had woodchucks bother my tomatoes or anything else in the tomato (Solanaceae) family, but you never know.
My gardening companion spotted a very young woodchuck nibbling on Impatiens flowers (near my lower raised beds) this afternoon. Hmmm. I do hope s/he doesn't develop a taste for squash (or tomatoes)!
There are distinct chew marks visible (diagnostic of a squirrel?); I've never had squirrels eat my tomatoes, but I know through fellow garden bloggers that they do eat them. I've never had woodchucks bother my tomatoes or anything else in the tomato (Solanaceae) family, but you never know.My gardening companion spotted a very young woodchuck nibbling on Impatiens flowers (near my lower raised beds) this afternoon. Hmmm. I do hope s/he doesn't develop a taste for squash (or tomatoes)!
Isn't that frustrating? The rabbits got all of my green beans and a good portion of the cantaloupe plants this year...and then there were the squash vine borers. I suppose it is all part of the adventure...trying to out smart mother nature each year to get a few vegetables to grow. ;D
ReplyDeleteWell, Lisa, it's a vegetable, so we can rule out children. It may be a squirrel. Here in the big bad city, we grow one tomato for the squirrels for every two tomatoes we grow for ourselves. They have their own little mafia, and that's their cut if I want to grow tomatoes in their territory. It's when they start taking more is when we have to negotiate. And they are animals when it comes to negotiating.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have not had squirrels actually eat my tomatoes, I have observed them climb the plant, test a few bites of a tomato, and move on . . . to another green tomato! Finicky eaters. They tend to bother my plants only when the weather is dry.
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