I cleared out everything in the gound last week. I took cuttings from 7 tomatos to try to start a fall crop. It looks like 4 may survive. I also cut all the peppers and both tomato plants at ground level in my raised containers. My three peppers that were in the ground got dug up and potted. That would be 1 cayenne, 1 jalapeno, 1 chilitepin.
It sure looks different with just mater stakes in the garden now. They seem to be doing better than our maters did this year. We got exactly 0 maters. Thank you Rocky Raccoon or Mr. Crow. You just wait...
Can't help you with the crows, but a good dose of blood meal around your tomatoes (and peppers, if you grow those) should dissuade most raccoons from poaching. Certainly works here (full disclosure: central mtns of Panama, elev. 3000 ft, 9 degress N. Lat., and, yes, we do have raccoons...well, I don't any more, heh, heh, heh...). Some of the locals also mix dog poop into their compost to discourage critters. No info on results with this technque.
I am sorry for your garden misfortune especially maters. Got to have some home grown ones, or else it’s just not right ya know?
I got some bacon today. We’ll have a few BLTs before the cold weather gets here. Only time I buy bacon is after we get several good maters nice and ripe.