Missing Tomatoes

[clarea1]

[align=left]We have to cherry tomato plants in our flower bed and are blooming nicely. We have had several tomatoes produced, but as soon as they turn yellow or orange they disappear. I think the squirrels, opposums or racoons are getting to them before we can. Does anyone have any suggestions as to keeping them away from the plants? The only ones they don't take are the Beefsteak.[/align]
[align=left]Thanks[/align]

[Newt]

Hi Clarea,

If the beefsteak tomatoes aren't touched even when they're ripe, it sounds like a creature called 'a neighbor'.* Another possibility would be birds taking the tomatoes away.* They eat them for the moisture, so if it's birds you can stop them with setting up a birdbath and use bird netting to cover the plants. * If you are certain that's not it, I would suggest you sprinkle some household flour around the site so you can id your pest.* Sprinkle the flour at night and check for the footprints in the morning.* Then you'll know how to proceed.* I suspect if it's one of the small animals you mentioned, an electric fence would do the trick.* You'll need to know which one so you know how to structure the fence.* Here's a guide for the footprints.
http://www.cityofmelrose.org/departm...cks/tracks.jpg
http://dirttime.ws/Notebook/Notebook.htm
http://www.bear-tracker.com/mammals.html

Once you know who it is, we can go from there.
Newt