Tomato – Caging to Deter Squirrels

Q: A friend says that she feeds the squirrels in her landscape bird seed, which she believes keeps them from eating her tomatoes. I’m afraid this will only cause more squirrels to come into my garden. What are your thoughts?

A: You are exactly correct. Feeding a nuisance animal only increases the “carrying capacity” of an area, bringing in more of the annoying creatures.

I have fought squirrels and chipmunks for years with little success.

The spring I built a chicken wire enclosure around one of my beds. That is going to be my strategy for keeping the animals out of my tomatoes this season.