Squirrels rarely eat ripe tomatoes, but they will damage plants looking for other food
Squirrels do not target tomato plants the way they target fruit trees or vegetable gardens with beans and corn. However, they will dig in the soil around tomato plants, strip bark from stems, and occasionally bite into unripe or ripe fruit—not because they want to eat the tomato itself, but because they are thirsty, looking for insects, or testing whether something is edible. The real damage comes from their digging and gnawing, which can loosen soil around roots and expose them to air and disease.
A squirrel that bites a tomato and abandons it has usually tasted something bitter or sour and decided it is not worth eating. Ripe tomatoes are soft and acidic—not the calorie-dense food squirrels prefer. What squirrels actually want in a vegetable garden is easier prey: sunflower seeds, nuts they buried and forgot, grubs and earthworms in loose soil, and tender seedlings they can strip and eat quickly. If squirrels are active in your tomato bed, they are almost certainly after something other than the fruit.
Key Takeaways
- Squirrels dig in soil around tomato plants to hunt for grubs, earthworms, and buried nuts—not to eat the tomatoes themselves.
- Damage to tomato plants from squirrels usually appears as loosened soil, exposed roots, and stripped bark on stems rather than eaten fruit.
- Ripe tomatoes are too acidic and soft for squirrels to prefer; they will taste one and move on to more rewarding food sources.
- Physical barriers like fencing and removing nearby food sources are more effective than repellents at keeping squirrels away from tomato beds.
- Squirrels cause the most damage during spring and early summer when they are actively digging and young squirrels are learning to forage.
Why squirrels dig around tomato plants
The most common squirrel damage in a tomato garden is not bite marks on fruit—it is holes and mounded soil around the base of plants. Squirrels dig for three reasons: to bury nuts and seeds for winter storage, to retrieve nuts they buried months earlier, and to hunt for soil invertebrates like grubs, earthworms, and beetle larvae. A tomato bed with rich, loose soil is an ideal hunting ground because the soil is straightforward to excavate and often contains more insects than compacted garden soil.
When a squirrel digs near a tomato plant, it can expose roots to air, damage the root collar where the stem meets the soil, and create entry points for fungal and bacterial diseases. Young plants are especially vulnerable because their root systems are shallow and easily disturbed. An established tomato plant can usually tolerate some root exposure, but repeated digging in the same spot will eventually weaken it.
What squirrel damage actually looks like on tomato plants
Squirrel damage on tomato plants takes several forms, and each one tells you something different about what the squirrel was doing. Shallow holes or mounds of displaced soil around the base of the plant indicate digging for insects or retrieving buried seeds. Stripped bark on the lower stem, especially in a ring around the plant, suggests the squirrel was gnawing for the soft tissue underneath—this is more common in late winter and early spring when other food is scarce. Bite marks on unripe green tomatoes are usually exploratory; the squirrel bit once, found the taste unpleasant, and left.
Bites on ripe red tomatoes are less common but do happen, especially if the squirrel is very young or very hungry. However, a squirrel that bites a ripe tomato will usually abandon it after one or two bites. The fruit is too soft and acidic to be worth the effort when acorns, nuts, and seeds are available. If you find multiple tomatoes with large chunks missing, the culprit is more likely a raccoon, opossum, or groundhog than a squirrel.
Physical barriers that actually work against squirrels
The most reliable way to prevent squirrel damage is to make digging impossible. A barrier of hardware cloth or chicken wire laid flat on the soil surface and extending 6 to 12 inches out from the base of each plant will stop squirrels from digging in that spot. Bury the barrier 2 to 3 inches deep so squirrels cannot straightforward push it aside. Leave the top of the barrier loose so the plant can grow through it, and cover the barrier with mulch so it is less visible and easier to water through.
For a whole tomato bed, lay hardware cloth across the entire planting area before you plant, cutting holes for each tomato. This is more labor-intensive but prevents squirrels from digging anywhere in the bed. The barrier will also slow down other burrowing pests like moles and voles. Hardware cloth lasts many seasons if you use galvanized or stainless steel; avoid plastic mesh, which squirrels can chew through.
Fencing around the entire garden is less effective against squirrels than against deer or rabbits, because squirrels can climb. However, a 4-foot fence with an outward-angled extension at the top (so the fence leans away from the garden at a 45-degree angle) will discourage many squirrels from entering. Squirrels can still jump over a straight fence, but the angled top makes the jump unpredictable and risky from their perspective.
Removing food sources that attract squirrels to your garden
Squirrels will dig in your tomato bed more aggressively if other food sources are nearby. Bird feeders are the most common attractant; sunflower seeds and safflower seeds spill onto the ground and create a reliable food source that keeps squirrels in the area. If you have bird feeders, move them as far from the vegetable garden as possible—at least 15 to 20 feet away. Use feeders designed to exclude squirrels, or switch to foods squirrels are less interested in, like nyjer seed or suet.
Fallen nuts and acorns also attract squirrels. Rake your garden area in fall and remove nuts before they become established food sources. If you have oak or walnut trees near the garden, expect more squirrel activity in fall and early winter when nuts are dropping. Compost piles can also attract squirrels if they contain food scraps; use a closed bin or locate the compost pile far from the garden.
Repellents and deterrents that have limited effectiveness
Capsaicin-based sprays (made from hot peppers) and predator urine products are often sold as squirrel deterrents, but their effectiveness is inconsistent. Capsaicin sprays can irritate a squirrel's nose and mouth, but squirrels become accustomed to the smell after a few days, and rain washes the spray away. Predator urine (coyote or fox) may deter squirrels temporarily, but again, the effect fades as the urine dries and squirrels learn the predator is not actually present.
Ultrasonic devices that emit high-frequency sounds are marketed as squirrel repellents, but research does not support their effectiveness. Squirrels either do not hear the frequency or quickly learn to ignore it. Mothballs and ammonia-soaked rags are sometimes recommended, but they are unreliable and can be toxic to pets and children if used in a vegetable garden.
The most effective non-barrier deterrent is consistent removal of food sources and regular disturbance of the soil. If you rake the garden bed every few days to break up squirrel digging, you make the area less attractive because the squirrel's work is undone. This is labor-intensive but works better than sprays or sounds.
When squirrel damage is worst and how to time your response
Squirrel activity in gardens peaks in spring (March through May) when squirrels are actively foraging after winter and digging to retrieve buried nuts, and again in late summer and fall (August through October) when they are burying new nuts for winter. Damage is usually worst during these windows. Young squirrels born in spring are also learning to forage during summer, and they are less efficient and more destructive as they practice.
If you install barriers or remove food sources before spring, you will prevent most of the season's damage. If squirrel activity is already heavy in your garden, install barriers when ready rather than waiting for fall. The sooner you make digging difficult, the sooner squirrels will move to easier hunting grounds nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will squirrels eat green tomatoes?
Squirrels rarely eat green tomatoes. They may bite one out of curiosity, find it bitter and unripe, and abandon it. If you see multiple green tomatoes with large chunks missing, the damage is more likely from a groundhog, raccoon, or rabbit than a squirrel.
Can I use netting to protect tomato plants from squirrels?
Netting over the fruit will protect ripe tomatoes from squirrels, but it will not stop squirrels from digging around the base of the plant. Use netting in combination with a soil barrier for the best protection. Make sure the netting is secured tightly so squirrels cannot push underneath it.
Do squirrels prefer certain tomato varieties?
Squirrels do not show a strong preference for any particular tomato variety. They are more interested in the soil around the plant than in the fruit itself. If you see damage concentrated on one variety, it is likely because that plant is in a location squirrels find easier to access or dig in.
Will a single squirrel cause a lot of damage, or do I have a whole population?
A single squirrel can create multiple holes and disturb a large area while foraging. However, if you see squirrels in your garden regularly or notice damage across the entire bed, you likely have several squirrels visiting. Removing food sources and installing barriers will discourage all of them, not just one.
Is it safe to use poison or traps on squirrels in my vegetable garden?
Poison and lethal traps are not recommended in a vegetable garden because they pose risks to pets, children, and non-target wildlife. Physical barriers and food source removal are safer and more effective long-term solutions. If you choose to trap, contact your local wildlife agency for regulations and relocation options in your area.