BAD Squirrel: The Real Reasons My Tomatoes Disappeared

Mystery of the acorns

Every gardener has a mystery to solve at some point. Missing tomatoes, disappearing flowers, half-eaten cucumbers—it all leaves you wondering what visited the garden overnight. For weeks I blamed the robins, until one morning I finally caught the real culprit in the act. Case closed!

Well, we've been blaming it on the Robin's...

But this morning we caught him in the act!

Bell Peppers

Squirrel hiding in my garden

On the upper left corner of this picture you can see who's been munching on our veggies!

I've been scratching my head over the missing flower blooms, cucumbers, and baby tomatoes...
Thank goodness he doesn't like hot peppers and Bell peppers! We've been finding ACORNS in our yard. We don't have an acorn tree.

What I've Learned About Garden Squirrels

Squirrels may look cute, but they can become surprisingly determined garden visitors. They're known for digging up newly planted seeds, sampling tomatoes before they're ripe, nibbling on vegetables, and burying acorns in flower beds and containers.

Over the years I've found that the best approach is a combination of patience and prevention. Harvesting vegetables promptly, using garden netting when necessary, and providing wildlife with their own food sources can sometimes reduce the damage. Even then, most gardeners eventually discover that sharing the yard with squirrels comes with a few amusing stories.

As for the old saying that squirrels gathering large numbers of acorns predicts a harsh winter, it's a fun piece of folklore that's been passed down for generations. While squirrels naturally store food for the colder months each year, scientists generally don't consider acorn collecting to be a reliable way to forecast winter weather. Still, it's one of those traditions that makes autumn a little more interesting.

WANTED Dead or Alive: How to Stop Squirrels from Digging in Your Garden

It brought to mind some things I've been reading on the web --- LARGE amounts of acorns, nuts, etc., is a sign of a SEVERE WINTER to come.

The Farmer's Almanac predicts a ROUGH WINTER this year...

I'm going to HOPE for a GOLDILOCKS winter...

This summer it was too hot, and I hope this winter isn't too cold!