So my tomato plants have been growing like weeds since it's gotten warmer this spring, and I'm quite proud to say I've eaten two tomato sandwiches from my own tomatoes so far this year! I was talking to my Dad today about my garden while he was working on fixing an old lawnmower in our back yard (which he did end up getting to run, but took home to finish the job), and I thought I would check the garden for any new produce!
I had remembered one tomato that was just about ready yesterday, about the size of a baseball, nearly ripe... it would have been perfect today I was absolutely sure...
I walked into the garden, and it was GONE. Not bitten, not bruised, but GONE! So were the 8-10 other tennis ball sized or smaller green tomatoes! GONE! Like PICKED or PLUCKED or CHOMPED off of my tomato plant. (yes, I only have one regular sized and one cherry sized) The cherry tomatoes fared no better! All of them were GONE TOO!!! The tomato plants themselves looked OK, except for some pruning to the top branches of the cherry tomato plant, it looked like a deer leaned over the fence to have a taste; but the fruits down in the plant were all missing, and there were no remnants to be found. No seedy mush scattered around...
What in the world is happening in my garden???? I'm quite worried now about my 2 poor little plants. And the quickly maturing cucumbers (I counted 5 thumb-sized fruits), and squash (3 6" fruits, and several more smaller - which seems finally over the blossom end rot). I'm also worried about my artichokes and carrots... will they be next?
What am I to do??? Should I build a larger fence around my little 8'x8' plot of land? Should I put out a radio to scare anything off? I have already (this evening) taken Buster's hair from his brush and spread it around the tomato plants and the fence near them... I'm paranoid that I'll wake up in the morning and the whole plant(s!) will be eaten down to nubs... I've never had this happen before! I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight - I may have to sit out there, by my little garden, lying in wait for whatever comes. I have a flashlight...
I can find some bug spray and a sweatshirt...and jeans...
5 comments:
I can see you now!! What a hoot- sitting in the dark-- You could put up a net across the top- but wait a minute, that won't keep out the gnomes!!
HaHa
LOP
Could it be some of your chicken hating neighbors? If nothing else was disturbed-sounds like a human. So be careful if you do go out there. You could get one of those sneaky cameras to see.
It's funny how we come to defend our gardens almost like our children *s* I sat under the umbrella one day with my super soaker squirt gun to blast any little furry intruder that might think of taking a nibble. Spreading around dog hair is a good idea that seems to help with squirrels. I have it all along the fence line with extra at known points of entry. Good luck - deer are destructive.
Oh, no! I am so sorry to hear that, Em. I would be tempted to sit out by the plants too. Completely plucked off? That's worse than chewed or holey. It could be an animal but what?
I'm sorry about your plants. And I am TOTALLY LOL about the skirt thing. I *thought* it was an interesting tag. But hey, it gives me an excuse to sew. ;)
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