Hi All,

I'm in Southeastern Virginia.

Went out this morning and something destroyed one of my tomato plants. It
was cut off on the main stem, just above ground level. There were two main
side shoots and these to had been cut off. One of the side shoots was cut
off, but the upper half of it was "scraped" away revealing the hollow tube
inside. So picture cutting a drinking straw on a long lengthwise diagonal
and you've got it. I'm thinking, upper part scraped away, Rodent?

I know we have a groundhog, and I know we have a Rabbit. I have Eggplant and
Pattypan Squash and all the leaves were eaten off them soon after planting.
They've grown back and I think will be OK if nothing else gets to them.

I had one other tomato have the same thing happen early on, and I bought a
replacement. I kept the original and it too has grown back - enough so that
I replanted it. It too had the main branch "chewed" off.

The only odd thing this time was that there was a bit of "goo" - basically
looked like bug guts or "poo" from a bug (though had white in places so
could be bird poo that just happened to land there).

Is this probably a varmint, or are there insects that do this kind of
damage? I know there are cutworms but I thought this is too big for that -
this is over the top of a standard tomato cage already.

I've looked at a couple of websites - but what's wrong with these people -
none of them have pictures (of course I didn't provide one either!). Insects
I can spray for. Varmints I have to go buy some fencing, and I'm not crazy
about that. I think I'm going to have to leave the dogs out more.

TIA for any help.
Steve

On Jun 12, 2:34 pm, "Steve Latham" wrote:
Hi All,

I'm in Southeastern Virginia.

Went out this morning and something destroyed one of my tomato plants. It
was cut off on the main stem, just above ground level. There were two main
side shoots and these to had been cut off. One of the side shoots was cut
off, but the upper half of it was "scraped" away revealing the hollow tube
inside. So picture cutting a drinking straw on a long lengthwise diagonal
and you've got it. I'm thinking, upper part scraped away, Rodent?

I know we have a groundhog, and I know we have a Rabbit. I have Eggplant and
Pattypan Squash and all the leaves were eaten off them soon after planting.
They've grown back and I think will be OK if nothing else gets to them.

I had one other tomato have the same thing happen early on, and I bought a
replacement. I kept the original and it too has grown back - enough so that
I replanted it. It too had the main branch "chewed" off.

The only odd thing this time was that there was a bit of "goo" - basically
looked like bug guts or "poo" from a bug (though had white in places so
could be bird poo that just happened to land there).

Is this probably a varmint, or are there insects that do this kind of
damage? I know there are cutworms but I thought this is too big for that -
this is over the top of a standard tomato cage already.

I've looked at a couple of websites - but what's wrong with these people -
none of them have pictures (of course I didn't provide one either!). Insects
I can spray for. Varmints I have to go buy some fencing, and I'm not crazy
about that. I think I'm going to have to leave the dogs out more.

TIA for any help.
Steve

Could be tomato cut worm:
http://www.yourgarden.com/article/ma...toProblems.htm
Frank

On Jun 14, 3:20 pm, Frank wrote:
On Jun 12, 2:34 pm, "Steve Latham" wrote:



Hi All,

I'm in Southeastern Virginia.

Went out this morning and something destroyed one of my tomato plants. It
was cut off on the main stem, just above ground level. There were two main
side shoots and these to had been cut off. One of the side shoots was cut
off, but the upper half of it was "scraped" away revealing the hollow tube
inside. So picture cutting a drinking straw on a long lengthwise diagonal
and you've got it. I'm thinking, upper part scraped away, Rodent?

I know we have a groundhog, and I know we have a Rabbit. I have Eggplant and
Pattypan Squash and all the leaves were eaten off them soon after planting.
They've grown back and I think will be OK if nothing else gets to them.

I had one other tomato have the same thing happen early on, and I bought a
replacement. I kept the original and it too has grown back - enough so that
I replanted it. It too had the main branch "chewed" off.

The only odd thing this time was that there was a bit of "goo" - basically
looked like bug guts or "poo" from a bug (though had white in places so
could be bird poo that just happened to land there).

Is this probably a varmint, or are there insects that do this kind of
damage? I know there are cutworms but I thought this is too big for that -
this is over the top of a standard tomato cage already.

I've looked at a couple of websites - but what's wrong with these people -
none of them have pictures (of course I didn't provide one either!). Insects
I can spray for. Varmints I have to go buy some fencing, and I'm not crazy
about that. I think I'm going to have to leave the dogs out more.

TIA for any help.
Steve

Could be tomato cut worm:http://www.yourgarden.com/article/ma.../TomatoProblem...
Frank

If you know you have groundhogs, that'd be my guess for your tomato
eater. Those things are pigs. I don't think it's a tomato cutworm
because you're in SE VA and by now, your tomatoes are probably pretty
big. Cutworms go for new transplants. Our garden is fenced and we
still have to hit the groundhogs with BBs.

wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jun 14, 3:20 pm, Frank wrote:
On Jun 12, 2:34 pm, "Steve Latham" wrote:


Could be tomato cut
worm:http://www.yourgarden.com/article/ma.../TomatoProblem...
Frank

If you know you have groundhogs, that'd be my guess for your tomato
eater. Those things are pigs. I don't think it's a tomato cutworm
because you're in SE VA and by now, your tomatoes are probably pretty
big. Cutworms go for new transplants. Our garden is fenced and we
still have to hit the groundhogs with BBs.


Yes - they were big enough that I don't think it would be the cut worms (and
that's happened to pepper plants before right after transplant).

So - they get through the fence?

I might have to send the dogs out more frequently.

Do the tomatoes ever get to a size that the GH will stop messing with them,
or will they pretty much eat them anytime.

Thanks,
Steve

"Steve Latham" wrote:
-snip-
If you know you have groundhogs, that'd be my guess for your tomato
eater. Those things are pigs. I don't think it's a tomato cutworm
because you're in SE VA and by now, your tomatoes are probably pretty
big. Cutworms go for new transplants. Our garden is fenced and we
still have to hit the groundhogs with BBs.


Yes - they were big enough that I don't think it would be the cut worms (and
that's happened to pepper plants before right after transplant).

So - they get through the fence?

Possibly under- or if it is a good tight fence- they climb.


I might have to send the dogs out more frequently.

A good Crossman and some pellets might work better.

Do the tomatoes ever get to a size that the GH will stop messing with them,
or will they pretty much eat them anytime.

Anytime - anyplace - any thing.

Jim