You grow the tomato plants from seed to seedling, then you plant them in the garden plot. The plants have to survive the obstacle course of; squirrels digging them up, rabbits or moles eating the stem, wind and rain beating them down, insect predation, and more…😱
Time goes by…. the plants have grown tomatoes. Looking great. The pruning, correct fertility, adequate water has worked its nature magic. That is; you have TOMATOES.
Now, there is a new set of interested predators. Not sure which, but most likely racoons or opossum came during the night and took bites out of the low hanging, beautiful fruits. What a damn shame!
For immediate protection, “what to do??” Grab some grocery store bags and put the lowest and ripest fruits inside. Next go to Amazon and buy fruit netting bags designed for just this sort of protection. That worked! Only lost 4 or 5 nice size fruits to the critters (so far). Those that survived the ordeal, are delicious.
(well….they didn’t survive being eating by the gardener LOL)
Gardenpoiesis: Adventures of a Naturalist 