On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:08:47 -0400, Alan >
wrote:

>I always had a problem with shade. Big trees blocked the sun here on
>Long Island. I finally used a great spot in the backyard, which my
>wife was never thrilled with, better on the side of the house. Well,
>I planted lots of tomato plants and they grew like crazy. They grew
>much faster than the plants on the side of the house and they were
>getting big very fast. The grape tomatoes turned red first. There
>were so many orange to red ones but I decided to wait a few more days
>till they were a rich red.
>
>So, I went outside one morning and all the red tomatoes were gone. I
>am talking about red grape tomatoes that were high up. It got worse
>from there and every good tomato, except the cherries were either gone
>or half eaten. I planted a lot of tomatoes in a small area so the
>animals must have climbed from one plant to another.
snip
>I though perhaps there was a way to grow the tomatoes vertically
>upside down but no matter what the setup, if I am the only one in the
>neighborhood doing it, they don't stand a chance. I can see the
>chipmunks playing Tarzan jumping for the vines and knocking down all
>the tomatoes as they slide down the plants.
>
>Alan

If it's any comfort, we've been going through the same thing this
year.

Of my entire plot of corn, we've gotten 1 ear. Almost all my tomatoes
have been destroyed (usually partially eaten or just tasted and ripped
off the vine), the blueberries vanished overnight a couple of days
before they were ready to pick. It has been a sad year of gardening.

We had a mild winter over '07-'08 and I am guessing the population of
critters did not experience the usual cull by nature. We are the only
veggie plot in the immediate neighborhood and our food plantings have
been extensive.

We're seen damage by squirrels, chipmunks, possums, groundhogs and
raccoons. The deer don't get into the back yard as it's fenced, but
they ate the tulip bulbs this year. That, too, was rare.

We've been trapping and releasing into a non-residential area near a
river. It is illegal to do so (surprisingly, it is perfectly legal to
kill every critter we trap, though), but the area where we release is
filled with this same wildlife, and although I am sure some don't make
it, I think most do as that area has appropriate food aplenty and they
have a fighting chance. I do understand the implications of moving
them out of home turf.

I don't mind sharing with them, honestly I don't, but it is hard to
see a whole season's efforts come to naught.

And they're messy little *******s, too.

Boron