What time of day do I look for them ?
After this happened, I wrote a short article about them, mentioned above.
It compares "a tomato fruit worm or tomato fruit borer ( as opposed to a tomato horn worm. Helicoverpa zea vs. manduca quinquemaculata) "
I donāt remember a specific time of day, but hereās a reference.
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If the weather is dry and the droppings are apt to shrink, morning is the best time to scout. Shrinkrap may be right about fruitworms, which are smaller when mature (as caterpillars). Iām guessing hornworm because of the bite sizes and feeding mostly on the exterior. That may be a taste preference. Also, look for clipped foliage and stems. Hornworms usually donāt just attack fruit.
If there are no droppings and the damage continues, mollusks or rodents, depending on your region, could be to blame.
Oops! I thought you said fruit worms. @mig ;The link includes both.
Iāve read you can hunt hornworms after dark with a blacklight, but I am too chicken because of the bigger critters.
Two enormous heads of radicchio consumed from the garden overnight also. That doesnāt mean I donāt have hornworms, but it does mean something else is eating my stuff all of the sudden.
If you see pretty white butterflies flying around, think cabbage moths.
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They eat tomatoes ? There are no brassica in my garden.
I was responding to the radicchio.
OH OH. Gotcha.
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More research has been done. Current theory: chonkmeister groundhog.
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We had one dig underneath our fence, tunnel over a yard, to come out right next to the zucchini plant. Hasnāt happened again.
I brought more metal cloches which seem to work well against chipmunks and rabbits.
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A groundhog may have devoured the radicchio, but they feed during daylight. Deer, however, feed during day or night. Whenever a groundhog attacked tomatoes here, they are down the entire plants, severely. I lost 18 tomato plants in one day, each around 4 feet tall, one year. I trapped three groundhogs that year.
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Iām buying a trap today. What type did you use ?
Are you me, because this is whatās been happening to my tomatoes the last week. I lose almost 3-4 each day. They taunt me by leaving the remnants around the yard.
The only tomatoes they arenāt getting to are these spoon tomatoes. They were free seeds, and my first time growing. These are the first ones I harvested, including that little booger of a speck tomato (wonāt even call it a spoon).
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I am already thinking next year, maybe not so many plants. But I say that every year.
I canāt recommend this one highly enough, at least in my climate!
I grow it in a container, so perhaps it would be easier to protect from critters
Dwarf Crimson Sockey
Our worst āpestā may be the intense sunlight.
These were facing afternoon sun with triple digits for about two weeks.
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Mostly, I use a large Havahart trap, like this one. Many jurisdictions do not allow for the live transport or release of groundhogs. Here in VA, itās illegal to move one off of oneās own property.
Be aware that if you leave the trap set/open after dark, you may catch other animals. I use apple slices for bait, in and in front of the trap. Wash your hands well, with fragrance-free soap or detergent, before handling the trap or apple. Or, you can wear nitrile, rubber gloves.
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Any other compact plants you recommend? I too am swearing to pare down next year.
yeah, thatās what i bought.
i figure iāll remove the trap at night, otherwise iāll for sure catch skunks, which I really donāt want to do.
All of the varieties on the he chart in this [post] are compact, but some, like Crimson Sockey, have done great many years in my very long and hot climate.
Also Malee Rose for pink
First time with Caitydid , but I am impressed!
Second time with Lucky Swirl , a bicolor tomato
Dwarf Purple Heart is purple, natch. It is not as compact but I grow it in a container by itself, and I like that it can be used in cooking like a paste tomato as well as in raw preparations. They are a bit behind the others in ripening.
These pictures are from other years. I think the tomatoes and the plants are attractive!
I understand tomato plants used to be grown for their ornamental value! 
Today we have a forecast for a high of a balmy 86f !!! 
Woohoo!
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Thank you!
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