Gardeners

[ERD50]

Tomatoes and mice!!!

I spent some years on a farm and we had a big garden, and I continued to garden for years at our homes, but my motivation dwindled due to fighting the pests (big and small and microscopic). But we've kept up with herbs, small space, long harvest season, little care, economically a big bang for the buck, and most pests leave them alone (though I scan the parsley and dill daily, caterpillars strip those in no time, but I just pick them off as I spot them).

But DW wanted tomatoes, I'm approaching it as a hobby. The place we moved to doesn't really have a good space for a garden, so we got a big container, and I told her start with cherry tomatoes, they are more reliable. I wrapped the entire thing in chicken wire 3 feet up, and fashioned a wire top for it to keep birds and squirrels out. Looks awful, but it is tucked away on the side of the house, and so far, so good.

Things were going OK, the first ones finally turning red, and the other morning I see one of them is 1/4 eaten! Arghhhh. Must be mice, they could easily get through the chicken wire. I suppose I could wrap that with a fine mesh, but I think mice would just chew through that?

I read all the typical tips - garlic, chili pepper, peppermint, blah-blah-blah. But, when you look for actual evidence that these work, it is generally "no proof", or an outright "no". The "Mouse Trap Monday" guy on youtube showed peppermint oil to work, but it was a LOT of oil in a small confined space - I doubt you could get that concentrated in an open room, let alone outside. And some say mice adapt quickly, and will learn to ignore that smell - I dunno.

Any suggestion on mesh? Other tips known to work (not just repeating echo chamber web comments)? I think I'll set out a bunch of traps, I don't want them trying to get into the house this fall anyhow, so that could help there too (I did find and seal an entry point between garage and basement after we moved in, cleaned up everything, keep traps out and no sign of mice in the basement since - but I have caught a few in the garage, but got them before they managed to find another way into the basement).

TIA - ERD50

 

[NW-Bound]

Don't know about IL, but Arizona is getting infested with roof rats, or fruit rats as they are also called. Up until 10 years ago, we had no problem with them, while they had been in adjacent states like CA and TX forever.

Of course these rats are not native to the US, and it was not possible for them to cross the AZ desert to get to the Phoenix metropolis. Once they hitchhiked a vehicle into town, they multiply and are all over town now.

Yes, roof rats like to eat tomatoes. And they wait until they get ripe. If in doubt, invest in a surveillance camera with motion detect. I don't have to tell you how I learned about the habits of these pests. Good luck!

PS. The last 2 years, we started to have night visits from javelina. More than 35 years in this neighborhood, and finally get them. They eat some ornamental plants.

PPS. Roof rats are excellent climbers. They can easily climb up a vertical stucco wall, let alone your chicken wire cage. And they can chew through your chicken wire, if they have to. Again, ask how I know.

 

[JoeWras]

Any suggestion on mesh? Other tips known to work (not just repeating echo chamber web comments)? I think I'll set out a bunch of traps, I don't want them trying to get into the house this fall anyhow, so that could help there too (I did find and seal an entry point between garage and basement after we moved in, cleaned up everything, keep traps out and no sign of mice in the basement since - but I have caught a few in the garage, but got them before they managed to find another way into the basement).

TIA - ERD50

No echo here, just my experience. I use the fine hardware cloth. It is NOT cheap. I have it all around and underneath. The cloth underneath causes some issues. I cannot place stakes in the enclosure.

Chicken wire is too wide. Fine screen mesh is too soft. Quality hardware cloth is just right.

Mice can get through even the smallest mistake in a seam, so it isn't bullet proof. Since doing this, I've had no rodent issues. My issue is deer.

One more thing. Rats are another matter. They will climb up and over without fear. Mice can too, but they are not as confident. If you have rats, you have to get them from the source.

 

[ERD50]

No tomatoes eaten overnight, but today I remembered to set some traps. I laid out about 5 of them with peanut butter. I was surprised to find I caught a chipmunk in one this afternoon (the 13 stripe variety, I know terminology varies by region, gopher, ground squirrel, etc). I use the larger rat-sized traps for those (with some wood side/top to keep bigger animals out), and thought I cleared out our population earlier this year, hadn't seen any in a while.

The traps are right outside the window near my computer, just cool enough to have the window open tonight, and I heard a snap, and see I caught one mouse/vole (didn't look closely).

We picked the two ripest cherry tomatoes, and decided a day or to ripen up inside was in order. I'm embarrassed by our wimpy little crop, but it's something.

-ERD50

 

[JoeWras]

ERD50: how do you know it is mice? Your post got me thinking as I was harvesting about 30 grape tomatoes yesterday - my first real harvest.

I had to discard about 5 because they were only half good, with the other half gone. I just chalk that up to ... whatever. I figured it was a small defect that got an infection of fungus. Now I'm wondering if it is mice or what you are seeing?

 

[4legsgood]

...
We picked the two ripest cherry tomatoes, and decided a day or to ripen up inside was in order. I'm embarrassed by our wimpy little crop, but it's something.

-ERD50

I've been looking at reddit vegetable grow and see a lot of pictures of early harvests of tomatoes. It is a simple solution to varmint pilfering.

 

[Winemaker]

This year, we had the best apple crop from our 2 trees, and Lodi and a Cortland. There were no late frosts to kill the buds, and the spring was rather dry and complemented my spray program. For the first time ever, DW hung garlic sachets in the trees as to ward off any deer. Surprisingly, it worked. The lower branches were still full of apples and were untouched for the first time in 30 years. They do eat all of the fallen apples on the ground. Strange, but true.

 

[ERD50]

ERD50: how do you know it is mice? Your post got me thinking as I was harvesting about 30 grape tomatoes yesterday - my first real harvest.

I had to discard about 5 because they were only half good, with the other half gone. I just chalk that up to ... whatever. I figured it was a small defect that got an infection of fungus. Now I'm wondering if it is mice or what you are seeing?

Well, I don't *know* it's mice, but the chicken wire is from the bottom of the container , and covered at the top, so only something like mice or insects could get in. It definitely looked chewed, though I didn't look close enough, I might have seen teeth marks. Just didn't look like an insect, those leave very smooth edges, this was rough edges And not rot or anything, they all look picture perfect otherwise.

And I've read that mice do love ripe tomatoes, though I don't ever recall damage like that when I did have a big garden. The worst for us for a while were the deer, those %^&**&%^ things would take a big bite out of the green plum tomatoes, and then spit them out 10' away, I guess they didn't like the taste. But they seem to be slow learners. Maybe they just liked the texture and chewing on them?

And I did catch a mouse/vole last night (but just one). Mice aren't lone creatures so I'll keep all the traps set. But the 4 ripening cherry tomatoes survived another night.

Related to gardening, I picked up sweet corn from our local stand, and asked where they were getting their corn this year (I figured with the spring drought we had here, they'd need to supplement their own farm output), but she said they are all from their farms nearby, but they have irrigation. At 75 cents an ear, I guess yo can afford that!

-ERD50

 

[street]

This year, we had the best apple crop from our 2 trees, and Lodi and a Cortland. There were no late frosts to kill the buds, and the spring was rather dry and complemented my spray program. For the first time ever, DW hung garlic sachets in the trees as to ward off any deer. Surprisingly, it worked. The lower branches were still full of apples and were untouched for the first time in 30 years. They do eat all of the fallen apples on the ground. Strange, but true.

Interesting!!! I have heard Irish Spring bar soup works great also. Break them into and hang in mesh bags. I never tried it, but I plan to experiment with it.

 

[street]

I have access to sweet corn from different people. There is some absolutely great variety of corn these days. I was given some yesterday and boy is it good.

 

[street]

I scratched Granddaughters names onto a couple of pumpkins today. The new growth from the scratched in names will be of a different color and be raised new growth from the pumpkin shell.

Kind of a fun thing to do with kids if you have them. Their name will be engraved in that pumpkin.

 

[braumeister]

I scratched Granddaughters names onto a couple of pumpkins today.

That is an amazingly cool idea, and should produce some wonderful reactions. Congratulations on that!

 

[steady saver]

I scratched Granddaughters names onto a couple of pumpkins today. The new growth from the scratched in names will be of a different color and be raised new growth from the pumpkin shell.

Kind of a fun thing to do with kids if you have them. Their name will be engraved in that pumpkin.

What a neat idea!!! So cool for your granddaughter!!!!

 

[ERD50]

UPDATE on suspected mice eating tomato problem (original post below):

I have not caught anything in the following 4~5 days, after the initial gopher/chipmunk and one mouse/vole, and no chewed tomatoes. So I guess that mouse/vole was the culprit.

We picked the first two cherry tomatoes to let finish ripen inside, to keep them from getting eaten by critters. Had them yesterday, and while two cherry tomatoes is an embarrassingly small crop, I'm happy to report that they had that deep, full 'homegrown' taste. Will try again next year with cherry and a patio sized.

Even the ugly 'heirloom' tomatoes that we have paid outrageous prices for at farm stands seemed to lack that 'home grown' flavor that I remember (as did our attempts a few years back). I started to wonder if our taste buds for that flavor had diminished with time, but these little cherries (Hardy Red variety) had that nice full flavor.

-ERD50

No tomatoes eaten overnight, but today I remembered to set some traps. I laid out about 5 of them with peanut butter. I was surprised to find I caught a chipmunk in one this afternoon (the 13 stripe variety, I know terminology varies by region, gopher, ground squirrel, etc). I use the larger rat-sized traps for those (with some wood side/top to keep bigger animals out), and thought I cleared out our population earlier this year, hadn't seen any in a while.

The traps are right outside the window near my computer, just cool enough to have the window open tonight, and I heard a snap, and see I caught one mouse/vole (didn't look closely).

We picked the two ripest cherry tomatoes, and decided a day or to ripen up inside was in order. I'm embarrassed by our wimpy little crop, but it's something.

-ERD50

 

[harley]

Had them yesterday, and while two cherry tomatoes is an embarrassingly small crop, I'm happy to report that they had that deep, full 'homegrown' taste. Will try again next year with cherry and a patio sized.

Even the ugly 'heirloom' tomatoes that we have paid outrageous prices for at farm stands seemed to lack that 'home grown' flavor that I remember (as did our attempts a few years back). I started to wonder if our taste buds for that flavor had diminished with time, but these little cherries (Hardy Red variety) had that nice full flavor.

-ERD50

We only have two cherry tomato plants this year too, as I'm not "supposed" to be eating tomatoes anymore. A few still fall into my salads on occasion, though. And you're right, this year mine have a really delicious old timey flavor. Far better than anything I've gotten from either stores or farmer's markets. They're actually pretty sweet. It's been a long time since I've eaten a tomato that had that really sharp, acidic taste I remember from my youth.

 

[Gumby]

There is nothing like eating tomatoes you have grown at home, You can leave them on the vine to the very peak of ripeness and then pick them, unlike grocery store tomatoes that must be picked before they are ripe so they can be shipped. Those last few days of ripening are what really concentrates the sugar in the tomato.

If you want the very sweetest cherry tomatoes, I recommend Sungolds. They are the sweetest I have ever tasted and the plant is hardy and prolific. One is more than adequate for the young wife and me. For BLTs, I recommend growing Mortgage Lifters. They are big and beefy, with few seed cavities, and quite tasty.

 

[JoeWras]

If you want the very sweetest cherry tomatoes, I recommend Sungolds. They are the sweetest I have ever tasted and the plant is hardy and prolific. One is more than adequate for the young wife and me. For BLTs, I recommend growing Mortgage Lifters. They are big and beefy, with few seed cavities, and quite tasty.

Sungolds are good and very easy to grow. I got kind of tired of not having red tomatoes last summer, so I switched to redder grape tomatoes this year. Harder to grow and a more robust, tarter flavor. Much smaller yield.

I will switch back to sungolds next year.

 

[Gumby]

I harvested my first Minnesota Midget Cantaloupe this morning.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I harvested my first Minnesota Midget Cantaloupe this morning.

That's a beauty. I could finish that one for breakfast by myself. My MN midgets are about done, the next two varieties will be coming soon. We have a good crop this year, everyone in my neighborhood is getting melons daily.

 

[Gumby]

We ate the Minnesota Midget cantaloupe for dinner (we often have what we call "snack dinners," which include a baguette, prosciutto or salami, cheese, nuts, fruit and port wine). I can say that it was perfectly ripe, but it did not have a very strong cantaloupe flavor. There probably will be another ripe one tomorrow or the next day, so my opinion may change.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

Try putting the melon in your fridge for a day or two, they sweeten up.

MN Midgets are great early melons but you only have a day or two to pick them.

 

[street]

I harvested my first Minnesota Midget Cantaloupe this morning.

I'm jealous but I might get a couple and I'm hoping. It was my fault for the poor crop though.

Next year they are going in the old corral with nothing else planted in there, with full sun all day long.

The ones I have been given last year didn't have the strong sweet taste like the larger varieties of cantaloupe. My wanting to plant them was their early ripening and quantity they produce.

 

[street]

Picked my first MN Midget cantaloupe. It was so sweet and so happy to get one. If weather holds of for the next 20 days from a killing frost, I may get a half dozen more. I'm hoping.

have been making tomato soup from some of the surplus tomatoes. I cut in junks a whole green pepper, 2 sweet banana peppers, half an onion, 8 to 10 tomatoes, chili pepper, garlic pepper, and a teaspoon of sugar.

 

[Pellice]

I am being overwhelmed by cherry tomatoes. Not sure how many more I can stomach. I've given some away and need to give more. I tried to make gazpacho with some, but the skins were unpleasant. I made a cooked cucumber and cherry tomato side dish that was pretty good. I made a cherry tomato cream sauce to go over chicken. That was good. I still have leftover chicken, so I'm switching to a sauce of late summer vegetables that includes green beans, cherry tomatoes, onions, and herbs. I have a recipe for cherry tomato soup that will take down a signficant number, but they keep coming!

 

[Pellice]

We are beginning a heat wave here in NJ, so I hurried to get my fall and winter garden planted last week to today. Most of the seeds are in, keeping them wet will be a challenge. But I expect to grow enough lettuce and other greens for my own use throughout the winter, barring an exceptionally early frost or an exceptionally brutal winter. I'm in Zone 6b, and it isn't too hard (with a SE facing small garden) to grow greens throughout the winter. I do have a collapsible small cold frame (about 4' x 3') that I'll bring out, and sometimes I throw old sheets over vegetables, but given our in general, greens are good. And it gives me something to do when I give the cat her daily airing in winter!