What are you NOT eating from your garden today, or human pests?

In my case, it's two almost-ripe Moreton tomatoes. Like the two others last week that were almost ripe that I'm not eating. Some jackwagon is stealing almost ripe tomatoes from my garden. The same thing has happened two times in a row now. One day I have two tomatoes blushing nicely and approaching ripeness. The next morning I let my dog outside and take a walk around the garden, and the tomatoes are gone.

Now, all around these nearly-ripe tomatoes are ripened and almost ripe cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, roma tomatoes, etc. None of these have bites out of them, none seem to be missing. Just the tomatoes that look like your traditional tomatoes are gone missing.

The only animal I can think of with behavior like that is a human. I haven't had a problem with food being eaten all spring and summer - the chipmunks are mostly staying away (probably thanks to the dog); besides, these tomatoes must weigh more than a chipmunk anyway. Somehow, I can't imagine that if an animal like a chipmunk or a squirrel had found my garden that they'd have taken the two tomatoes last week and ignored the rest of the banquet for an entire week, waiting for two more big tomatoes to ripen.

Any suggestions on how to keep human pests away?

Don't get me started on my dog again..........I bet she'd taste good, though.

- I'm not quite ready for cannibalism as a solution.

lots of similar ideas if you google 'garden hose motion sensor'

I'm being raided by squirrels. They took the very last heirloom green zebra striped tomato off the vine today. Sad way to end the season. Humans? Hm. Let's see...squirrel guns, bear traps, fire hoses, red ants, tar and feathers...

Oh man! I love the garden hose motion sensor!

Me, too! I love the garden hose motion sensor! It's a shame there's not some way to put that dye in the water that they put in packets of money at the bank that, when it explodes, it shoots colored dye all over the culprit! Talk about being caught "red-handed" with the tomatoes!!!

Moswell you asked "Any suggestions on how to keep human pests away? I have my garden right out front not a one vegie has been touched. I'm not sure if the giant pentagram hanging on the fence next to it has anything to do with that or not. Perhaps my neighbors believe a curse comes with stolen vegeis.

i like Boffer's idea. Hose 'em!!!

shannon1 wrote: I have my garden right out front not a one vegie has been touched. I'm not sure if the giant pentagram hanging on the fence next to it has anything to do with that or not. Perhaps my neighbors believe a curse comes with stolen vegeis.

LOVE IT!!!

@Boffer - lol, I especially love the "cat" in that video. Alas, my garden is close to the road, so I'm afraid any sensor would end up getting general passersby, kids waiting for the school bus, etc.

The pentagram, however, I can do.

My dear neighbor Joyce thinks I should paint it red.

I found this an interesting thread. Two days ago my Scarlet Runner green beans disappeared, literally ALL of them. I cannot reach the top of the trellis myself and had my very tall youngest daughter pick some of them for our dinner and get the dried ones for seed stock for next year. We went out to the garden to get some beans to cook for dinner and they were all gone as well as the two closest tomato plants stripped of ripening tomatoes.

Whatever or whoever it was did not touch anything else and I suspect that they triggered the flood lights and left without finishing the shopping trip. The plants were not damaged either.

I have locks on my east and west gates to the back yard now, unbelievable. I never would have thought I would need to lock my garden. I am considering putting a hasp on the chicken coop now. And to think I didn't lock my front door for years. This "nana" says times have changed and the 45 makes big holes.

Wow, that is unbelievable, folks these days. Well I guess there has been garden theives as long as there have been gardens. I think locking up the hen house is a good idea. I had a friend that had a neighbor who was flatening her tires regularly. She rented a security camera with night vision and had them on tape in no time. I think if I had this happening in my garden I would go ahead and do this so they guilty party/parties could be punished.

Funny how if they are sneaking in and taking it, it is acceptable to them, but try to give stuff away FREE and suddenly it is either work or charity - neither acceptable! See WardInWake's Watermellon Giveaway thread!



So far I have had only one thing disappear from my garden - a GREEN tomato. Not even close to blushing, but it was just about softball size and perfect for throwing. Also growing at the extreme end of my garden closest to the alley that kids walk through all the time and I think it probably got splatted on someone's house.....

GG

We used to have trouble with the neighbors dogs (and yes, they had trouble with ours) bothering our livestock. I came up with this idea (still not implimented yet). Use the motion sensor sprayer WITH an electic fence, just at the time they get near, they get sprayed, jump, AND get zapped. Problem solved.

FarmerValerie wrote: I came up with this idea (still not implimented yet). Use the motion sensor sprayer WITH an electic fence, just at the time they get near, they get sprayed, jump, AND get zapped. Problem solved.

I likes!

GG

blow darts would be fun

I have a real problem with tomatoes going missing in my garden. First one I noticed missing was my biggest but still green Roma and now I walk out in the morning and my almost ripe Early Girl toms are missing. I am going to try some mouse traps around the tomato plants. I am thinking about setting the traps and then leaning sticks or popsicle sticks on the spring mechanism. This way if they step on one of the sticks the trap springs and whatever is stealing my tomatoes will be scared off. I will post some pics of the set up after I place them in the garden this weekend.

Well I came outside this morning and 3 traps were sprung and an almost ripe tomato was missing.

I guess I will be moving up to land mines next.

Holy crow! I would have had a hard time believing this rude behavior really happens if it weren't that my daffies and narcissus went missing 2 years ago...a whole bunch just cut right out of the center of the big grouping of each. Like I wouldn't notice. I planted beach/ragosa roses between the daffies and the road. None went missing this year.

Guess I'll have to start thinking about more thorny plants to put in front of the veggie garden....geesh.

H_TX_2 wrote:Well I came outside this morning and 3 traps were sprung and an almost ripe tomato was missing.

I guess I will be moving up to land mines next.

Time to get a motion-sensor yard light and a motion-sensor sprinkler! (along with a motion-activated recording "You are being videotaped for prosecution. A copy will be sent to the police department."

GG

Yup - missing toms here too! Except I'm pretty sure the squirrel I saw high-tailing it out of the garden the other day is the culprit. Our SFGs are right next to the pond and to get to them someone would have to take a swim or come past my bedroom window. Thankfully the tomatoes were off of two plants the geese had already pretty much taken care of.....We have had lots of problems with raccoons in our chicken coop in years past - we finally got a motion sensor alarm and put it out in the backyard. Mostly the cat sets it off, but we have had 'coons do it too. They're cheap at Harbor Freight and the work from a pretty decent distance.

shannon1 wrote:
I had a friend that had a neighbor who was flattening her tires regularly. She rented
a security camera with night vision and had them on tape in no time.

Goosegirl wrote:

H_TX_2 wrote:I came outside this morning and 3 traps were sprung and an almost ripe tomato was missing.

I guess I will be moving up to land mines next.

Time to get a motion-sensor yard light and a motion-sensor sprinkler! (along with a motion-activated recording "You are being videotaped for prosecution. A copy will be sent to the police department."

Ten years ago, you could not Garden here, as every other house was a rental, some subhuman turned into a drug-house. Had I known that, would not have moved here; but increasingly most people are owners, & it's pretty safe most of the time. Still I wonder about the one side we have no fence on. Praying daily for safety...

Wonderful ideas everyone! It's just ridiculous that the innocent ones have to put so much time, money and effort into thwarting the guilty four legged creatures and the two legged ones also! How about a big sign saying they are being filmed until you can get it set up! Can one electrify a wooden fence?

moswell wrote:In my case, it's two almost-ripe Moreton tomatoes. Like the two others last week that were almost ripe that I'm not eating. Some jackwagon is stealing almost ripe tomatoes from my garden. The same thing has happened two times in a row now. One day I have two tomatoes blushing nicely and approaching ripeness. The next morning I let my dog outside and take a walk around the garden, and the tomatoes are gone.

Now, all around these nearly-ripe tomatoes are ripened and almost ripe cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, roma tomatoes, etc. None of these have bites out of them, none seem to be missing. Just the tomatoes that look like your traditional tomatoes are gone missing.

The only animal I can think of with behavior like that is a human. I haven't had a problem with food being eaten all spring and summer - the chipmunks are mostly staying away (probably thanks to the dog); besides, these tomatoes must weigh more than a chipmunk anyway. Somehow, I can't imagine that if an animal like a chipmunk or a squirrel had found my garden that they'd have taken the two tomatoes last week and ignored the rest of the banquet for an entire week, waiting for two more big tomatoes to ripen.

Any suggestions on how to keep human pests away?

Just to be sure .. tie a nicely ripening tomato in a bit of netting and anchor it to the groun d by a cord if it is undone it's humans or a bloody clever squirrel .
many of the crow family are partial to ripe fruit so are dogs . MY golden retriever gun dog Hazel was a sod for snafffling them off the vine so was Leopold our goose .
Leopold managed 18 x 1 " cherry toms before he gave up for the day .
(We experimented one afternoon to see just how many he'd take )
Next step is to make a notice saying caution all tomatoes in this have been sprayed with a toxic pest killer " Killoffif " , if consumed seek urgent medical aid
If no more toms go missing it is a literate human thief