Do Squirrels Bother Tomato Plants?

Tomatoes are a delicious and nutritious addition to any garden, but they require a lot of hard work to grow. Gardeners often face numerous challenges when growing tomatoes, including pests and animals that can damage or destroy the plants. Squirrels are one of the animals that can cause problems for tomato plants, but do they really bother them? Let's take a closer look.

Why Squirrels Like Tomatoes

Squirrels are known for their love of nuts and acorns, but they are also attracted to other types of food, including fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes are a particularly appealing food source for squirrels because they are sweet, juicy, and easy to access. Squirrels are expert climbers, and they can easily scale tomato plants to reach the fruit at the top. They are also adept at digging up and eating tomatoes that have fallen on the ground.

How Squirrels Can Harm Tomato Plants

While squirrels may seem harmless, they can actually cause a lot of damage to tomato plants. Here are some of the ways that squirrels can harm your tomatoes:

Squirrels can eat the fruit off of a tomato plant, leaving nothing behind for the gardener.

Squirrels can damage the plant by climbing on it, breaking branches and leaves.

Squirrels can dig up and eat the roots of tomato plants, killing them.

Squirrels can spread diseases and pests to tomato plants by carrying them on their fur or in their droppings.

How to Keep Squirrels Away

If you want to protect your tomato plants from squirrels, there are several methods you can try:

Use a physical barrier, such as a wire mesh cage, to keep squirrels away from the plants.

Apply a repellent spray that contains ingredients that squirrels find unappealing, such as hot pepper extract.

Plant tomatoes in containers that are too tall for squirrels to climb.

Use decoys, such as a fake owl or snake, to scare squirrels away from your garden.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, squirrels can indeed bother tomato plants, and they can cause significant damage if left unchecked. Gardeners who want to protect their tomato plants should take steps to keep squirrels away, such as using physical barriers, repellent sprays, or decoys.

With a little bit of effort, you can enjoy a bountiful tomato harvest without the interference of pesky squirrels!