Sorry Carla, I know the feeling. We stopped trying to grow our own fruit years ago because the only way we could get any for ourselves was to wire each tree above AND below ground. We were completely outnumbered by critters and birds and didn't want to use poisons or armed warfare. It was a good decision for our blood pressure readings. Min

One summer my kids wanted to plant watermelons. We sowed the seeds, watered and watched. Soon we had 3 melons growing. We'd go out and thump them and try to decide when we should pick them. We finally decide that the day was approaching and we would pick them on the following Saturday. When we went out on Saturday each melon had a hole on the backside and all three were completely hollowed out, just rind and air remained.

you might wish to save a few favorites. They sell squirrel baffles for tree trunks and sometimes netting will protect a smaller tree. The ancient British set grain stores on mushroom shaped risers made of stone to foil mice. It's expensive to protect them all but worth it for a few. Sorry the critters are making your gardening a stress test. You might consider growing some in an area surrounded by a moat. A pretty island for your pretty trees. I did it with a wading pool once and it worked but the raccoons thought I put it there for them to enjoy.

Oh, yes, the vermin. I had to stop feeding the birds because of the unsavory creatures that kept drowning in the pool or getting their heads stuck in the bird feeders. Ugh. Since I stopped, no more rats...they may still be out there, but they're not as obvious, at least.

Sautesmom... Where are you located in Sacramento? In the city, or one of the more rural parts? We had fruit trees all over our neighborhood growing up and there was always plenty of fruit even after rodents got to a handful of them.

I've switched to citrus trees mostly.

The squirrels are not at all interested in them, and even thought the roof rats do eat a few, there's usually so many there are plenty to share a few. Plus a roof rat will just eat fruit at a time and eat it all, as opposed to a squirrel that will take a bite out of a dozen peaches and ruin them before it realizes they're not near ripe.

But yeah, it's darn frustrating!