Something is Eating the Leaves of My Plants

Hardiness Zone: 7a

br8769 from NM

A: br8769,

It sounds like either rabbits or deer are munching on your tomatoes. Since by now they have acquired a taste for tender young tomato plants, if you plan on replanting some tomatoes, you're going to need to offer the new plants some good protection or risk running into the same frustration.

I would recommend constructing small cages made out of chicken wire. Rolls of it are readily available at home stores or farm supply stores, it's inexpensive and you can always find plenty of uses for it around the garden. If you use regular tomato cages already, simply wrap the wire around the frame of the existing cages and fasten it together with baggy ties or florists wire. Make sure you cut a piece to cover the top, too.

If you don't want to spring for chicken wire, there are any number of inexpensive "motion" scare tactics to try (attaching streamers, pie tins, plastic bags, etc. to nearby objects), but bear in mind that animals tend to get desensitized to these fairly quickly and if they are really hungry when they wander into your garden, they might take a second look, but they aren't likely to be slowed down for long.

Rabbits and deer also respond negatively to strong scents, especially of predators. You can try sprinkling a little blood meal around your plants, or spraying them with a mixture containing 1 rotten egg, 6 to 8 drops of Tabasco sauce, 1 clove of crushed garlic and 1 quart of water. Smelly deterrents like this will need to be reapplied after rain.

A final idea, one that in my opinion is often under utilized, is row covers. Not only do they keep out deer, rabbits, squirrels and birds, but they also keep out insects. They are a minimal investment and can be used year after year. Scour garage sales for old hulas hoops to use as stabilizers.

Good luck!
Ellen

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Ellen Brown is our Green Living and Gardening Expert. Click here to ask Ellen a question! Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com

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