WHAT THE HELL IS IT!

Rats?

Forgot to mention, the tomato plants are in a whiskey barrel, not planted directly in the ground.

Could be winos.

hornworm, or whatever they call it, gross thing.

If it was Australia I'd say you had possum trouble, so it is probably squirrels (based on the nibbling). The only other thing could be birds, a couple of years back our tomatoes were under attack from parrots who chewed at the green fruit.

Either way covering in mesh of some kind should do it. I'd suggest chicken wire.

Haven't seen any hornworms. I thought they feast on the leaves and stems only, weakening the plant that way?

I've got a plastic-like netting over them but something got through anyway.

That hornworm idea sounds interesting. Maybe they aren't coming from outside the netting but inside? That would make sense. I did have hornworms last year for the first time. Also, last year was the first time the tomatoes were being chewed up this way. I'll look into that. Thanks.

Eoe
do you have any deer in your area?

I've never known squirrels to go after tomato plants. Cut worms will cut the plant off right at the soil line. They live under the soil and only come out at night, but if you go out at night with a flashlight, you'll be able to see them. If you had a net over them, then it's probably a form of insect. If it is deer then as funny as it sounds, putting your pee around the barrel would actually work wonders.

if youre in a suburban area, raccoons are a shifty lot who learn your habits and love produce. They usually raid at night and leave little footy prints that look like a human hand. If you want to know, put down a layer of flour around the tomatoes and look at the prints the next day, I have no idea what you do with this information cause if its raccoons, they pretty much will have theri way with you. You can trap em , but raccoons are rather clever and a Havahart trap big enough to fit a raccoon , will set you back the equivalent of about 50 bushels of tomatoes from your farmers market.
The choice is yours.

I can see you getting arrested for public lewdness when you pee aqround your tomatoes.
How about this, get yourself a big ole 55 gal open drum. Then you put the drum over your wooden whiskey barrel each night.

Farmerdude oughta be in pictures.

Tomato virus

Ive known squirrels to go after tomatos...and enjoy just nibbling.
Id go the squirrel or raccoon route myself...
great thoughts from farmerman...bravo sir

raccoons and squirrels are the thieving thieves around me. a bit further out, i hear the deer are having a taste of things.

Coons and skunks are the thieves here...on occassion the squirrels however, most of the time the others beat them to it.

my work is done here, away beuciphalus.

Well, I sprinkled crushed red pepper in the barrel. I know that will detract the squirrels but I forgot how much the birds love it. Now I'm on the lookout for flying varmits!

Here we are, only a few hours later and I'm about ready to rip everything up out of the dirt. Now my one and only eggplant has been punctured.
I give up. I may or may not continue with this vegetable garden. It's just so frustrating and it seems as if there's nothing I can do to stop the animals from getting to my plants.
I could just cry.

Greenhouse. You need a greenhouse. Basic frame covered in some sort of plasticy substance - you could use a white plastic roll and discard at end of season. More permanent solutions are shadecloth or Korflute - both will take the UV.

Now you will have to make allowances for two things:
-ventilation
-access by bees, insects, etc to pollinate

the myth of fresh grown produce all sweet and dripping with goodness is oversold. Are there little holes in everything and some produce ripped up? This could be birds like a crow or blackbirds. Those you can do something about. those big owl balloons or the Japanese balloons with the big eye work fairly well.

bb gun, a little fun, a little practice.