Will groundhogs eat tomatoes? So far this new occupant of our back yard is just
nibbling on plantain, dandelions, and wild strawberry leaves. The tomatoes are
starting to ripen fast...will the groundhog become interested? Never had any
previous experience with this critter in my garden.

BT

On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 08:44:02 -0400, "BT" wrote:

Will groundhogs eat tomatoes? So far this new occupant of our back yard is just
nibbling on plantain, dandelions, and wild strawberry leaves. The tomatoes are
starting to ripen fast...will the groundhog become interested? Never had any
previous experience with this critter in my garden.

BT


The groundhogs were a big problem in our garden until we put up an
electric fence. They can and will climb a 4 foot chicken wire fence.
I baited a Hav-A-Hart trap with apple, but I kept catching possums and
squirrels, not groundhogs. I would not mind so much if they took a
few tomatoes, but the groundhogs would take a bite out of EACH tomato.
Tomatoes are growing exceptionally well this year, with all the rain.

I don't think there is anything a groundhog/woodchuck won't eat, except
maybe daisies.

I won't lie:
I HATE these animals, they can and will mow down and entire small flower
garden in a day - they SUCK! The best way I found to catch them is to put
stuff in the trap that they are currently eating -- like you said,
dandelions, strawberry leaves, etc., also if you have sorrel (soral?) they
love that (the green stuff w/the heart shaped leaves).

Right now you have one -- let it be and you'll have many many many and no
veggies or flowers.

LeeAnne

"BT" wrote in message
...
Will groundhogs eat tomatoes? So far this new occupant of our back yard
is just
nibbling on plantain, dandelions, and wild strawberry leaves. The
tomatoes are
starting to ripen fast...will the groundhog become interested? Never had
any
previous experience with this critter in my garden.

BT

In article ,
says...
I don't think there is anything a groundhog/woodchuck won't eat, except
maybe daisies.

I won't lie:
I HATE these animals, they can and will mow down and entire small flower
garden in a day - they SUCK! The best way I found to catch them is to put
stuff in the trap that they are currently eating -- like you said,
dandelions, strawberry leaves, etc., also if you have sorrel (soral?) they
love that (the green stuff w/the heart shaped leaves).

Right now you have one -- let it be and you'll have many many many and no
veggies or flowers.

But they are sooo cute!! Although I was ****ed when our resident
groundhog ate all our cucumber plants and cilantro. Hey, do you know if
grounhogs can jump - we are planning to put a fence around our garden
next year and were wondering if 2 - 3 feet would be enough.

-kim

On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 21:22:07 GMT, Kim wrote:

In article ,
says...
I don't think there is anything a groundhog/woodchuck won't eat, except
maybe daisies.

I won't lie:
I HATE these animals, they can and will mow down and entire small flower
garden in a day - they SUCK! The best way I found to catch them is to put
stuff in the trap that they are currently eating -- like you said,
dandelions, strawberry leaves, etc., also if you have sorrel (soral?) they
love that (the green stuff w/the heart shaped leaves).

Right now you have one -- let it be and you'll have many many many and no
veggies or flowers.

But they are sooo cute!! Although I was ****ed when our resident
groundhog ate all our cucumber plants and cilantro. Hey, do you know if
grounhogs can jump - we are planning to put a fence around our garden
next year and were wondering if 2 - 3 feet would be enough.

-kim

They don't jump, but the buggers can climb. The ultimate
recommendation is to put 60 inch fencing on 36 inch posts with a foot
or so underground, bent outward and buried, then bend the remaining
extra at the top out at right angles. I have the top overhang this
year for the first time and it appears to be working (he says with all
fingers and toes crossed).

DaveT

_rolling eyes_ I used to think they were cute too, then you come home from
work and find **all** of your hard work eaten to the ground and then they're
not so cute anymore.

2 feet? Nope, they'll climb it -- you need it taller and w/the top sorta
bent out and loose so when they do climb it it'll just bend outward from
their weight and they'll let go or get dumped off.

~LeeAnne


"Kim" wrote in message
But they are sooo cute!! Although I was ****ed when our resident
groundhog ate all our cucumber plants and cilantro. Hey, do you know if
grounhogs can jump - we are planning to put a fence around our garden
next year and were wondering if 2 - 3 feet would be enough.

-kim