On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:32:00 -0500, "Mike"
wrote:


"Frank" wrote in message
...
On 2/12/2010 12:46 PM, Mike wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Feb 12, 11:21 am, wrote:
I live in FL and I have built garden boxes that stand about 40+ inches
off
the ground. First something was eating the spinach only. So I build some
chicken wire boxes, spinach safe now. Then they when after the radishes.
Covered those. Then the swiss chard. Covered those. Then the Cucumber
plants. Ate all of those. Now they are going after the tomato plants.
Whatever it is is not eating a lot but eating each night. I don't think
rabbits can jump that high. I do have squirrel and raccoon in the area.
Any ideas.

Mike

Deer? Squirrels and raccoons will dig stuff up but deer will eat
practically anything.

They are not digging, just eating. No Deer where we are. Maybe rabbits
somehow jumping. We have wild cats too.


I suggested deer because they are ruminates and only animal mentioned that
would eat tomato plants. I seldom see the ones around here but they come
out at night and leave plenty of sign. I've had rabbits come up on the
front porch and eat flowers but have never seen them jumping that high.
If you are super curious you could buy a game camera and photograph the
culprit.

It must be squirrels. I didn't think squirrels would eat tomato plants (and
leave the fruit) and my yard is full of acorns. Very odd as I have had
tomato plants before in a different spot low to the ground and they never
bothered them. I will have to look into the camera idea.

Mammals will eat tomtoes but they won't eat tomato plants, they are
smart enough to know that tomato plants are toxic to mammals... but
slugs and snails will eat tomato plants, as will many insects and of
course reptiles... are there no lizards in FL... they will munch the
plants in order to get to the insects within, so will birds. It's a
cruel world out there.