Birds eating tomatoes?

[MOFISHIN]

Some of the uppermost branches of my tomato plants have been seemingly just chopped off. It's high up enough that it could only be birds or deer. And I would think the deer would eat more. I have shiny (And sometimes noisy) things flapping in the breeze, but it hasn't seemed to be enough or a deterrent so far.
Any advice/insight? Other than this problem, my tomatoes are by far the healthiest looking plants in the garden, so I'd like to find a solution ASAP.
Thanks!

 

[Chuck]

Some of the uppermost branches of my tomato plants have been seemingly just chopped off. It's high up enough that it could only be birds or deer. And I would think the deer would eat more. I have shiny (And sometimes noisy) things flapping in the breeze, but it hasn't seemed to be enough or a deterrent so far.
Any advice/insight? Other than this problem, my tomatoes are by far the healthiest looking plants in the garden, so I'd like to find a solution ASAP.
Thanks!

HVLP

 

[Beth_B]

HVLP

High Volume Low Pressure (sprayer)?

Anyway, I've never had birds eat my tomato plants. Maybe a woodchuck?
Can dogs get to your garden? One of my dogs will nibble on leaves and eat tomatoes right off the plant.

 

[MaterMan]

In my veggie garden I have trouble with squirrels. I battle them when the tomatoes begin to ripen. I have read they eat the tomatoes for the moisture content, which makes sense, but I don't know it as fact. If they would just take 1 tomato and finish it, it wouldn't bother me. But they like to go along and take a few bites out of several tomatoes. Not good.

I declare war each summer with every squirrel I catch in my tomato garden. If I miss it sure scares them, hopefully enough to keep they away.

I don't know if it is squirrels causing your problem, but since we both live in Missouri I know there is no shortage of squirrels. 2 neighbors pay a pest control guy to trap and remove them. If they behave I leave them alone. When they get destructive it's another story.

 

[Chuck]

High Volume Low Pressure (sprayer)?

Anyway, I've never had birds eat my tomato plants. Maybe a woodchuck?
Can dogs get to your garden? One of my dogs will nibble on leaves and eat tomatoes right off the plant.

High Velocity Lead Projectile. Day before yesterday deer attacked my okra. Ate everything but about a foot of stalk. They also ate the tops out of a few tomato plants. I can see venison stew in the near future

 

[Beth_B]

High Velocity Lead Projectile. Day before yesterday deer attacked my okra. Ate everything but about a foot of stalk. They also ate the tops out of a few tomato plants. I can see venison stew in the near future

Ha! Well I'm a painting contractor so I immediately thought of an HVLP spray rig.
Carry on.

Mind you that's not a (legal) option for most city or suburban dwellers.

 

[Chuck]

Ha! Well I'm a painting contractor so I immediately thought of an HVLP spray rig.
Carry on.

Mind you that's not a (legal) option for most city or suburban dwellers.

Then how about a HVCA? (High Velocity Crossbow Arrow) Desperate action is sometimes unavoidable and I have often told those deer that if they eat my garden I will eat them but apparently they didn't believe me, so now it is time for justice to prevail. Those despicable actions taken against my innocent okras will be avenged!

 

[MOFISHIN]

I hadn't thought about dogs. But I doubt it. I've never seen a dog in my garden. The reason I'm thinking birds is because it is ONLY upper branches, none of the lower ones.
And just to clarify, so far it is not the tomatoes themselves. Just branches. My tomatoes haven't been coming in for long though.

 

[Chuck]

I hadn't thought about dogs. But I doubt it. I've never seen a dog in my garden. The reason I'm thinking birds is because it is ONLY upper branches, none of the lower ones.
And just to clarify, so far it is not the tomatoes themselves. Just branches. My tomatoes haven't been coming in for long though.

It is NOT birds. Birds will peck the fruit but they don't chew off tomato limbs and fly away with them. If it were just the leaves missing it would be hornworms as they can strip a tomato plant almost overnight. Squirrels eat tomatoes, not mildly toxic leaves and stems and only large animals can eat them without getting intestinal problems. I saw deer eating mine the other night but they heard me and ran off before I could disabuse them of their actions. My dog loves tomatoes (and lettuce) but he doesn't touch the plant itself.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

I use a old paint ball gun to keep the cats out of my vegetable garden, it doesn't hut them just scares the crap out of them and they end up looking like a blue spotted cat. but the don't come around as much now.

 

[MOFISHIN]

It is NOT birds. Birds will peck the fruit but they don't chew off tomato limbs and fly away with them. If it were just the leaves missing it would be hornworms as they can strip a tomato plant almost overnight. Squirrels eat tomatoes, not mildly toxic leaves and stems and only large animals can eat them without getting intestinal problems. I saw deer eating mine the other night but they heard me and ran off before I could disabuse them of their actions. My dog loves tomatoes (and lettuce) but he doesn't touch the plant itself.

Interesting. If you're sure it's not birds, deer would be my next guess.