Tomato Diseases & Pests
Tomato Hornworm
Did you know that tomato plants come with their own built-in insect repellent? It is called solanine, and will naturally repel many insect pests. Of those insect pests that continue to chew, the tomato hornworm is probably the most serious , although Japanese beetles, cutworms and other insects will also bother the plants. Many of these can be controlled by interplanting with flowers or other crops. Nematodes can be discouraged by planting marigolds, or even planting tomatoes where marigolds grew the year before. Virus-free nasturtiums will trap aphids.
The hornworm, a green worm with white stripes, is also attracted to dill, and is easier to spot on those plants than on the tomato. It can be hand-picked and dropped into a can of kerosene. Some easy-to-make sprays such as red pepper or onion and garlic also serve as insect repellents.
Cutworm damage can be prevented by placing a paper collar around the stem, about an inch above and below ground level.
And while it might seem there are many tomato diseases, only a few are of major importance.
The hornworm, a green worm with white stripes, is also attracted to dill, and is easier to spot on those plants than on the tomato. It can be hand-picked and dropped into a can of kerosene. Some easy-to-make sprays such as red pepper or onion and garlic also serve as insect repellents.
Cutworm damage can be prevented by placing a paper collar around the stem, about an inch above and below ground level.
And while it might seem there are many tomato diseases, only a few are of major importance.
Tomato Diseases
Please click on the green links for photos and details.
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Related Articles on Tomato Insect & Pest Control
- Companion Planting Chart - Maximize the use of your garden while keeping plants healthy and insect & disease free. Companion planting chart of compatible plants & their effects.
- How To Make Your Own Natural Bug Sprays and Insect Repellents - recipes included.
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Tomato Disease information is courtesy of Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening - "This is the book I pull off my bookshelf the most for my garden! It has everything - vegetables, flowers, lawns, herbs, trees, shrubs, fruits, as well as gardening basics like garden design, water storage, soil care, encouraging wildlife - I mean everything. It is quite a thick book, and very rich in pictures. At the back of the book, it has a short section on every vegetable I've ever tried to look up, as well as the most common diseases and pests that affect plants. I've looked up information like when to harvest garlic, how to harvest/store garlic, how to build trellises for plant supports in the garden, what ornamental shrubs are good for birds, which shrubs will grow in dry soil, how to propagate woody stemmed plants, what kind of mulches are good for vegetables, when to prune plants - all kinds of stuff..." P. Callaway - review on Amazon |
