This is it, our entire tomato harvest for the summer. No kidding, I found these this morning.
In April, with much anticipation, we tilled and fertilized both vegetable gardens. Relying on previous good results with Bradley’s, Better Boys, and Mr. Stripy plus a few heirloom varieties thrown in, we made our tomato selections. Lovingly and carefully I put them in the ground. We surrounded them with newspaper and mulch to keep the weeds out, and installed a new watering system. The first one bloomed and we practically swooned with delight. Then came more blooms and finally tiny green tomatoes. Every morning I checked on them, every afternoon the same. Then one day there were none. We saw the culprits, nasty little squirrels.
I could go on forever, but to make a long story short here’s a partial list of what we tried to get rid of the little buggers: Critter Ridder, Squirrel Away, Invisible Fence, Deer Off, dried blood (I thought the guy at Lowes was going to call the cops when I asked for it), human hair, dog hair, cayenne pepper, pepper and vinegar spray, moth balls (I could barely go outside for a week), plastic snakes, reflectors (CD’s) tied to stakes, marigolds, peppermint, and I know I’m leaving some out. Then Sammy built a tall metal fence. They climbed it. He topped it with bird netting, they ate it. He topped it with chicken wire, they dug underneath. In the mean time, they ate my cucumbers, lima bean plants, green bean plants, peas, squash, okra, and dug up every gourd seed I planted before it even had a chance. Here is a list of what squirrels do not like: bell peppers, eggplant, and arugula. That’s it. Ratatouille anyone?
I guess it’s the price we pay for living in the woods. I sometimes drive down Robertson Academy Rd. and see a side yard tomato garden with so many tomatoes no one has even bothered to pick them all and it’s only two miles from my house! Something has caused our squirrel population to grow out of hand. Just two years ago we had tomatoes from July Fourth till October. I know what you’re thinking – shoot ‘em! I just can’t, plus we are surrounded by Radnor Lake property and they kind of have a thing about shooting the animals.
Here’s the worst part, I’ll plant it all again next April. It’s true, hope springs eternal!
Oh well, Richard will be happy. Fried Green Tomato BLT’s to watch the Titans this Sunday.
