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Replies: 25
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CU Guru [1504]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
3
Jun 17, 2024, 10:06 PM
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Birds have been going crazy on my six plants...doesn't matter - green, almost ripe, red, and yellow (got one lemon tomato plant)...they've been eating a bunch.
What's the best way to deter? I hung a bunch of shiny Christmas ornaments around today....any other advice...just cover with netting?
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Trainer [46]
TigerPulse: 95%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 17, 2024, 10:13 PM
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Option A - Get a gun
Option B - Set up a bird feeder in a different area of your yard
Option C - Use both Option A and B together to get rid of your problem
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Clemson Icon [24577]
TigerPulse: 100%
54
Posts: 16551
Joined: 2024
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
4
Jun 17, 2024, 10:21 PM
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Some sort of plastic netting.
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Campus Hero [14011]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Are you sure it's birds?
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Jun 17, 2024, 10:39 PM
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Squirrels will also steal some tomatoes.
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Paw Warrior [4790]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Agree
4
Jun 18, 2024, 7:51 AM
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I've got squirrels raiding my garden. They recently started chewing the bottom of my corn stalks, causing them to topple over and die. I have reacquainted myself with my .177 air rifle, which hasn't seen war-time service since The Great Squirrel Attic Invasion of 2019.
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Heisman Winner [85636]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Posts: 38755
Joined: 2003
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Varsity [117]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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7
Jun 17, 2024, 11:09 PM
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The birds are not eating the tomatoes, they open a small hole and drink. This can be especially troublesome in times of drought, such as now. Provide water for them. Place a bird bath near your garden, keep water in it, and your bird-tomato problem will likely be drastically reduced.
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Clemson Icon [24577]
TigerPulse: 100%
54
Posts: 16551
Joined: 2024
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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5
Jun 17, 2024, 11:11 PM
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Should he shoot them in the bird bath?
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Game Changer [2045]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 17, 2024, 11:26 PM
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Sure. Why not?
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Clemson Icon [24577]
TigerPulse: 100%
54
Posts: 16551
Joined: 2024
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 17, 2024, 11:27 PM
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They are pretty quite often.
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Game Changer [2045]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 17, 2024, 11:32 PM
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Beauty is in the eye of te beholder, or something like that.
Shoot the bird and pick the tomato.
Then make a sandwich out of both.
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Clemson Icon [24577]
TigerPulse: 100%
54
Posts: 16551
Joined: 2024
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 17, 2024, 11:35 PM
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Nothing like a Blue Jay sandwich. Delicious. Pro Tip....Don't remove the feathers.
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Game Changer [2045]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 17, 2024, 11:38 PM
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Who said it was a blue jay? That seems racist of you.
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Clemson Icon [24577]
TigerPulse: 100%
54
Posts: 16551
Joined: 2024
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 17, 2024, 11:39 PM
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True. However the bird identifies is fine.
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Game Changer [2045]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 17, 2024, 11:41 PM
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It identifies as delicious.
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Valley Protector [1419]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 18, 2024, 1:37 AM
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I have a similar situation but probably not as bad. I used to pick the targeted tomato end throw it away. The birds (cardinals I think) would jut go to another one. My solution was to leave the few targeted tomatoes on the vines and they continued to go to the same tomatoes leaving the rest alone. Incidentally I also have a bird bath and feeder a couple of feet away which according to another post may help.
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Valley Legend [13064]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 18, 2024, 2:19 AM
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Cardinals are a very common guilty breed for tomatoes. I always thought they wanted the juice more than the meat of the tomatoes. Never thought about a bird bath but that would definitely be a good starting point and maybe a feeder close. Cardinals been using my feeder more than normal this yr.
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Valley Protector [1498]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 18, 2024, 6:41 AM
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Smith and Wesson
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Orange Phenom [14582]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 18, 2024, 7:26 AM
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Rubber snake in the vine.
Real snake in the vine.
I've never had bird trouble with tomatoes. It seems the terrapins get some of those that are low on the vine.
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Dynasty Maker [3253]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
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Jun 18, 2024, 8:11 AM
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Use old clothes and make a scarecrow. The birds will be able to sit on its shoulders.
Make it easy - borrow a manakin from a local store and dress it up with a new outfit from Victoria Secrets (use for Christmas gift to your wife or girlfriend) ...
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Paw Master [17376]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Get a fake Owl or Hawk and perch it somewhere close by!
Jun 18, 2024, 10:14 AM
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I put mine on top of the tomato cage!
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All-TigerNet [5706]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
Jun 18, 2024, 10:18 AM
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Have you tried putting out the Owl scarecrow?
$25 on Amazon
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Fan [37]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
Jun 18, 2024, 10:31 AM
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I've had good luck with Bonide Repells-All spray that I bought at Lowe's.
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CU Guru [1504]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Thanks guys....I ended up bedazzling the cages with shiny Christmas
Jun 18, 2024, 12:49 PM
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Ornaments. Hope it helps.
Next step rubber snakes.
Next next step netting.
Last resort - steal my neighbor's tomatoes.
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Ring of Honor [22717]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Top TigerNet [32880]
TigerPulse: 100%
55
Posts: 18441
Joined: 2008
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Re: Crop Emergency here....need advice from backyard tomato growers....
Jun 18, 2024, 4:53 PM
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Netting and set up bird feeders. Also attracts the squirrels.
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Replies: 25
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