backyard invader

[quietann]

I just looked out the window, and there was a FAT groundhog on the deck, stalking my tomato plants (which have netting over them, so he can't do much... but he can eat the tomatoes that fall on the deck and roll away). Probably the same grounhog who left a little pile of turds in one of the garden beds, but hey, a groundhog's gotta poo somewhere, right?

Anyway, something scared him and he toddled off the deck and went underneath. Cute little guy....

Comments

[chhotii.livejournal.com]

Uh-oh, I was told (by drbitch) that groundhogs weren't interested in tomatoes, and have totally done all my planning with that assumption in mind!

[quietann.livejournal.com]

AFAIK he has never eaten the plants themselves, just the ripe fruits.

He did eat all the leaves he could reach off my scarlet runner beans, though....

[tb]

Generally woodchucks aren't interested in nightshade-family plants, and I haven't had any try for the tomatoes themselves either. However, some of them may sample the plants before figuring out that they don't like them; something ate a few leaves and branches off some of my eggplants and tomatoes, but the plants weren't mowed to the ground the way legumes would be. In addition, this year I seem to also have deer doing damage to random plants, so you just can't win. Gardening is fun!