Will Squirrels Eat Tomato Plants?

Squirrels sneak around, scrounging for food and water.

Over 200 squirrel species live throughout the world. As omnivores, squirrels have a widely varied diet -- they mainly eat vegetables, nuts and fruits, but they'll eat small animals like snakes or rodents when vegetarian food sources grow scarce. Squirrels do not actually eat tomatoes, however; they destroy them in searching for moisture. If you notice squirrels in your tomato garden, give them water in a birdbath to see if that solves the problem.

Damage

Tomatoes attract squirrels. Instead of eating tomatoes though, they damage the fruits -- either in search of water or in testing the taste and finding they do not like it. Squirrel-bitten tomatoes often show a large bite on the side of the fruit. Note that squirrels prefer fruits that are just starting to ripen.

Picking

Squirrels will often pick tomatoes from the vine or bush, take a bite and discard the fruit in search of another. They continue this tasting and tossing process every day. Cover tomato plants with burlap cloth or a similar durable material to deter the squirrels -- though this is not a fool-proof method and may ruin your summer-garden aesthetic.

Repellents

Avoid using pest repellents, because you will want to eat the untouched, healthy tomatoes the squirrels passed over. For a few days, or a whole season, squirrels can bother you and your garden. Squirrels are small and clever and can overcome almost any obstacle, save a completely caged enclosure. Eventually the creatures move elsewhere and leave your tomatoes in peace.

Getting Rid of Squirrels

According to the Missouri Botanical Garden's Kemper Center for Home Gardening, no methods exist to completely exclude squirrels from gardens. However, trapping and releasing squirrels is a humane option. Use live traps -- full cage traps, similar to one you would use for a hamster. Bait the creatures in by placing fruits and nutmeats inside the trap. If you catch a squirrel, release it at a location at least 5 miles from your home. Check traps at least two times per day so that you can immediately release caught squirrels or other animals baited by the trap.

References

• Missouri Botanical Garden: Kemper Center for Home Gardening; MBG Integrated Pest Management; Squirrels; March 2011
• Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension: Tomato, Part 1
• National Geographic: Squirrel
• Cornell University Cooperative Extension; Tree Squirrels; Paul D. Curtis, et al.; 2001

Resources

• U.S. Department of Agriculture, NRCS: Wildlife Habitat