Growing tomatoes often involves protecting them from foraging wildlife like raccoons, deer, rabbits, squirrels, and birds, which view the ripening fruit and foliage as accessible food sources. Protection requires a proactive, non-lethal approach focused on making the garden an unattractive feeding site. Successful cultivation depends on layers of defense, combining physical barriers with sensory deterrents and sound garden practices.
Physical Exclusion Methods
Physical barriers are the most reliable defense, eliminating access entirely. A perimeter fence is the first line of defense, but its specifications must be tailored to the target animals. To deter deer, the fence must be substantial, ideally reaching seven to eight feet high, as deer are capable jumpers.
To stop smaller, ground-level pests like rabbits and woodchucks, mesh size and base installation are important. The bottom portion should use small mesh (one inch or less) to prevent rabbits from squeezing through. This lower section needs to be buried six to twelve inches deep, or bent outward at a 45-degree angle, to block burrowing animals.
Individual plants can be protected using modified tomato cages. Wrapping standard wire cages with finer material, such as hardware cloth or chicken wire, creates a chew-proof barrier for squirrels and chipmunks. This localized strategy is effective for container gardens or smaller patches where a full perimeter fence is impractical.
For protection against birds, which target ripening fruit, overhead netting or lightweight row covers are necessary. Durable polypropylene netting can be draped over hoops or support structures to create a ceiling. The mesh size must be small enough to block birds without trapping them, and the netting should be secured to the ground to deter crawling pests.
Scent and Taste Repellents
Repellents discourage animals by targeting their sense of smell or taste. Commercial options often use ingredients like putrescent egg solids or predator urine, which mimic the smell of predators or spoiled food. These formulations trigger an instinctive fear response in herbivores like deer and rabbits, signaling that the feeding area is unsafe.
Capsaicin, the compound in chili peppers, is widely used as a taste deterrent. When applied to foliage, capsaicin creates a non-harmful burning sensation that discourages mammals from taking a second bite. Garlic oil and strong essential oils also rely on intense odors to make plants unappealing.
Repellents are categorized as granular or liquid. Granular products are best used as a perimeter treatment, establishing a scented boundary that can last up to 60 days. Liquid repellents are applied directly to the foliage for targeted protection and are more versatile for plant coverage.
A drawback to topical repellents is the need for consistent reapplication, especially after heavy rainfall or watering washes the active ingredients away. For taste deterrents to be effective, the spray must fully coat the vulnerable parts of the plant. Formulations combining both scent and taste deterrents are often the most successful against mammals like deer.
Active and Motion-Activated Deterrents
Active deterrents condition animals to avoid the garden by startling or surprising them. These methods are most effective when combined with other strategies, as animals quickly become accustomed to unchanging stimuli.
Motion-activated sprinklers are a popular, humane option, using infrared sensors to detect movement up to 30 to 40 feet away. When a pest crosses the path, the device unleashes a sudden, harmless burst of water. This combination of unexpected movement, noise, and spray provides strong negative reinforcement. To maintain effectiveness, the location or sensitivity settings should be changed periodically to prevent habituation.
Visual deterrents utilize light and movement to confuse animals, particularly birds. Items like reflective tape, old CDs, or aluminum foil strips are suspended near plants to flutter in the breeze, creating unpredictable flashes of light. Decoy predators, such as plastic owls or scarecrows, must be moved frequently to avoid animals realizing they pose no genuine threat. Auditory deterrents, like ultrasonic devices, emit high-frequency sound waves intended to irritate pests. However, their effectiveness is highly variable and often limited, as sound waves are easily absorbed by foliage or animals adapt to the constant noise.
Garden Management and Prevention
Effective garden management reduces the overall attractiveness of the tomato patch by removing incentives. Sanitation is a fundamental preventive step; fallen or overripe tomatoes must be removed immediately from the soil surface. This prevents the smell of fermenting fruit from attracting scavengers like raccoons, rodents, and possums.
Managing water sources is important, as animals often seek water during hot, dry periods. Eliminating standing water or securing pet dishes and bird baths outside the immediate garden area reduces thirsty visitors. A tidy garden perimeter also contributes to prevention by removing potential hiding spots.
Regularly clearing away weeds, brush piles, and low-lying ground cover near the garden edge eliminates the secure shelter preferred by rabbits and rodents. Without this protective cover, the area becomes less appealing for nesting or foraging.
Companion planting is a supplementary tactic that uses aromatic plants to mask the scent of tomatoes and confuse pests. Strong-smelling herbs and flowers are often planted nearby. While this is a minor deterrent against large mammals, it contributes to a diversified and less appealing environment for various smaller pests.