Squirrels commonly eat tomato plants, causing frustration for gardeners. They primarily target ripening fruit, making them the main suspect when tomatoes disappear or are found partially eaten. Since squirrels are active during the day, this behavior helps homeowners identify the culprit responsible for the damaged harvest.
The Squirrel Diet and Tomato Plants
Squirrels are opportunistic foragers, making ripe tomatoes an attractive and easy target. They are drawn to the fruit for its sweetness and high water content, especially during hot, dry summer months when hydration sources are scarce. Squirrels typically ignore the leaves and stems, which contain the mildly toxic compound tomatine, focusing instead on the soft fruit.
The damage squirrels leave behind is distinct, characterized by medium to large, clean-edged holes chewed into one side of the tomato. They often take only a few bites before abandoning the fruit for the next one, resulting in several ruined tomatoes rather than one completely consumed. Sometimes, they carry a partially eaten tomato away from the vine to consume it in a safer location.
Effective Deterrence Strategies
The most reliable way to protect a tomato harvest is using physical exclusion barriers. Since squirrels are adept climbers, a successful barrier must fully enclose the plants on all sides, including the top. Cages constructed from sturdy materials like chicken wire or half-inch hardware cloth are effective, creating a physical shield the rodents cannot chew through.
Physical Barriers
For plants in containers or raised beds, build a full cage around the structure using metal mesh, ensuring the top is covered to prevent entry. A simple wire tomato cage can be wrapped in fine mesh or bird netting, but the netting must be secured tightly to the ground to prevent squirrels from slipping underneath. The mesh size should be a half-inch or less to block access without impeding air flow or sunlight.
Taste/Scent Deterrents
Taste-based deterrents use capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers hot, to repel squirrels after they take a bite. These products, typically sprays, must be reapplied frequently after watering or rain to maintain effectiveness. Other scent-based strategies involve applying strong odors squirrels dislike, such as garlic or mint, around the garden perimeter.
Diversionary Tactics
Addressing the squirrel’s motivation for seeking tomatoes is an alternative to exclusion. Since the animals often seek the fruit for hydration, placing a shallow dish of water or a bird bath away from the tomato patch provides an easier source of moisture. Planting a small sacrificial crop, such as corn cobs, in a different area of the yard may also divert their attention away from your tomatoes.
Ruling Out Other Common Garden Pests
Correctly identifying the pest is necessary to apply the right solution, as several other animals also enjoy ripe tomatoes. Rats and mice are nocturnal; damage appearing overnight is likely caused by them. They often eat the fruit while it remains attached to the vine, and rats tend to leave droppings near the plant, which is not associated with squirrel activity.
Birds typically leave small, shallow peck marks or tiny puncture wounds, unlike the large, clean-cut holes left by a squirrel’s incisors. Groundhogs and chipmunks also nibble the fruit. However, groundhogs are more likely to consume the entire plant, while chipmunks feed closer to the ground. If large sections of the vine are defoliated, the culprit is likely the tomato hornworm caterpillar.