Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are stout, herbivorous rodents with a voracious appetite that often leads them directly to cultivated vegetables. Their presence can quickly turn the anticipation of a summer harvest into a frustrating battle for gardeners. Understanding their interaction with garden plants, especially tomatoes, is the first step in protecting your yield.
Yes, Groundhogs Eat Tomatoes
Groundhogs consume tomato plants, making them a common pest for home gardeners. They are attracted to both the tender foliage and the ripe fruit, which offers a soft texture and high water content. This consumption results in the rapid disappearance of low-hanging tomatoes and significant defoliation of the vines.
The damage is distinct from that of smaller pests. Groundhogs leave large, clean bites taken out of the fruit or stems, unlike the ragged edges left by slugs or insects. They frequently chew off entire stems or branches near the ground, sometimes dragging the missing fruit away to be consumed near their burrow entrance.
Beyond the Tomato Patch: Understanding Groundhog Diet
Groundhogs are primarily herbivores and opportunistic feeders, capable of consuming up to one and a half pounds of plant material daily. This substantial intake is necessary to build up fat reserves before winter hibernation.
Their natural foraging targets leafy greens, grasses, and legumes, including alfalfa, clover, and dandelions. They are drawn to succulent and easily accessible vegetation, making a lush vegetable garden a tempting target. While their diet focuses on tender green plants in spring and summer, they shift to higher-calorie items like fruits, nuts, and tree bark in the fall. Their attraction to garden vegetables like tomatoes, beans, peas, and squash is due to a preference for soft, nutrient-dense food sources.
Effective Strategies for Protecting Tomato Plants
The most reliable strategy for protecting tomato plants from groundhogs involves physical barriers that prevent access.
Exclusion Methods
A perimeter fence is highly effective, but it must account for the groundhog’s ability to both climb and burrow. The wire mesh should be at least three to four feet high above the ground, constructed of heavy poultry or welded wire with a mesh size no larger than two or three inches.
To stop groundhogs from digging underneath the fence, the wire must be buried. The lower edge of the fence should extend at least 12 inches below the soil line. A technique called the “L-footer” involves bending the bottom six to twelve inches of the buried wire outward, away from the garden, at a 90-degree angle. For groundhogs that attempt to climb, leaving the top section of the fence unsecured or bending the top 10 to 15 inches outward at a 45-degree angle can create an unstable barrier.
Deterrence Methods
Deterrents are less reliable than physical exclusion but serve as a secondary measure to discourage feeding. Groundhogs possess a strong sense of smell, making scent-based repellents a common choice. Commercial repellents often contain putrescent egg solids or capsaicin to make the plants taste or smell unpleasant.
These products must be reapplied frequently, especially after rainfall, to maintain effectiveness. Motion-activated sprinklers or visual scares, such as reflective Mylar balloons, can startle groundhogs, but these animals quickly become accustomed to non-threatening disturbances. Planting companion crops with strong odors, such as mint, garlic, or marigolds, can also help mask the appealing scent of the tomato plants.