A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 THAT THEIF!

hi everybody. I'm having a little trouble. Something keeps stealing my tomatoes..i know it sounds like a very stupid question, but it is true. Whenever a tomato would be almost ready to pick, but not quite, it would just "disappear" overnight. I can suspect a raccoon or a bird, but I'm really not sure. Does anybody know what is stealing my tomatoes and how i get rid of it/them? thanks for every bodies help!

hi, its me again...i just found out that this was a squirrel that was stealing my tomatoes, not any type of bird. I caught it red-handed! anyway, i hope this gives a little more info and i hope it helps! Thanks!

Hi badplanter. I'm glad you caught that squirrel red-handed. Does he eat the tomato or just take it for the heck of it? They are nipping off my Goober Daisies in my flower box on the back porch. I could see it if they were eating them, but I find the flower on the floor. So they are just playing with me. :rolleyes: Sue

My dad used to tell my mom to put crushed chili peppers or white pepper on top of the soil around the tomato plant. The capsaiasin (spelling?) from it irritates them. also works well to control slugs and snails. make sure to reapply after a few days (about once a week) cuz watering will disperse the oil (even though oil and water don't mix).

i think i have a squirrel too. all my "almost" red tomaotes disappeared overnight too. i was so disappointed. there are more getting ready to turn so i won't have to wait too long but still. and today i found a corn missing and parts of the husk all over the graden. will squirrels steal corn too? i saw no footprints in the soil so i couldn't be anything too heavy. anyhow i made my concoction the same day my mater were gone=

2 cups water
2 eggs
2 Tbs tabasco sauce
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbs ground cayenne

Mix in blender. let sit in jar overnight (outside preferrably- stinky). strain into spray bottle (i use old pantyhose) and spray on veggies.

it does stay for a bit once it dries but you will have to reapply after rain. it worked last year for the deer and seems to have kept my tomatoes so far since the last thief....

Squirrel-- the squirrel is taking nibbles out of the tomato. Just a few nibbles--i find a "picked at " tomato lying around here and there.

Thanks for every1's help, i'll be sure to try these different techniques.

I've also been seeing raccoons around more often....hhmmm......

i found out it was definantly a squirrel. so i was walking around the back yard and i heard a bird so i looked around for it and lo and behold i found my corn cob! i had seen the husks and silks laying around but never did see the cob. well when i looked for the bird i heard i saw the cob sitting on the top of my neighbors roof of her garage! yup- that's where the squirrels always go. little bugger! so i sprayed my stuff on my corn cobs too. at least the mystery is solved. hey- the kids thought it was pretty funny to see the corn way up there though!

I've found the squirrels will take anything and everything that's not tied down, but they're so darn cute! You've got to love then!

I am having the same problem. I was told that the squirrels get the tomatoes and drink the water out of them. I wish they would take the little ones that turn red too soon, but they always take the nice Big ones. I will try the mixture above today! Thanks

Hi Ken!

Welcome to the forum! I wouldn't think there is much water in the green ones and I have enough bird baths for them to drink out from and they do. So, I don't know what's going on.