How do you keep fruit flies off your ripening tomatoes?

Labradors2 · August 18, 2014

I haven't even bought any peaches yet, but the fruit flies have found their way into my kitchen and into some of the tomatoes that are ripening on the counter(those darned SPLIT Lemon Drop cherries!!!)

A friend mentioned that she puts her tomatoes in mesh bags and it seems to help to keep out the fruit flies. These bags are sold in some of the high-end grocery stores around here so that eco-friendly shoppers don't have to use clear plastic bags when buying their fruit and veggies. The bags can also be bought on-line.

At first I was doing daily inspections of each tomato, but I obviously wasn't diligent enough recently, as a cloud of them flew up from those Lemon Drops this morning!

Fruit fly traps help, and can be baited with Apple Cider Vinegar or even apple-scented Dawn. I should probably get one going right now.....

Linda

LDx4 · August 18, 2014

Linda,

I put our tomatoes on baking sheets on the counter and cover them with terrycloth dish towels, making sure that the edges are tucked under the baking sheets. I had a terrible fruit fly problem until I started covering the trays.

Lyn

KarenO · August 18, 2014

They are not attracted to undamaged fruits I find. Split or overripe fruits I get rid of or use right away but fruit flies are a fact of life in harvest season at my house. I blame it on my compost and apple tree. I find traps work well.
Karen.

Labradors2 · August 18, 2014

Lyn,

Great idea to cover with a terry towel. I have all my tommies on trays, and that would be a great idea!

Karen,

Yup, it's the split and damaged ones that attract them. As for the composter, I got fed up with clouds of them flying in my face when I lifted the lid, so I began to save leaves in a large bin which I keep beside the composter. Whenever the fruit flies are a problem I toss in a couple of handfuls of leaves which keeps them down to a dull roar!

Linda

natural · August 18, 2014

We use a "bad" tomato as a trap placed on the other side of the kitchen. We fire up the portable hand-held vacuum a few times a day and apply to said tomato.

Tracydr · August 20, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by natural

We use a "bad" tomato as a trap placed on the other side of the kitchen. We fire up the portable hand-held vacuum a few times a day and apply to said tomato.

Dang! I'm going to try that around the cat's food.

Tracydr · August 18, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labradors2

Lyn,

Great idea to cover with a terry towel. I have all my tommies on trays, and that would be a great idea!

Karen,

Yup, it's the split and damaged ones that attract them. As for the composter, I got fed up with clouds of them flying in my face when I lifted the lid, so I began to save leaves in a large bin which I keep beside the composter. Whenever the fruit flies are a problem I toss in a couple of handfuls of leaves which keeps them down to a dull roar!

Linda

I do the same but use pine straw.

Tracydr · August 18, 2014

I wonder if a yellow or blue sticky trap would work for these stupid " meat gnats" that I have? I have a bunch of the sticky stuff and may even have some bright yellow disposable plastic cups somewhere, in boxes yet unpacked.

LindyAdele · August 20, 2014

To trap all the fruitflies in a room in a matter of hours, place a small bowl of apple cider vinegar in the rea where they are with 3 drops of dishsoap. They will land on the vinegar and drown, as the soap breaks the surface tension they are used to. I have a bowl on the large platter I place my tomatoes on to ripen. I can catch 40-50 a day. They seem to come in on grocery store fruit.

Tracydr · August 20, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by LindyAdele

To trap all the fruitflies in a room in a matter of hours, place a small bowl of apple cider vinegar in the rea where they are with 3 drops of dishsoap. They will land on the vinegar and drown, as the soap breaks the surface tension they are used to. I have a bowl on the large platter I place my tomatoes on to ripen. I can catch 40-50 a day. They seem to come in on grocery store fruit.

That seems to be where I got my flying, meat loving little boogers. They arrived after I got peaches and tomatoes from the produce stand.

Labradors2 · August 20, 2014

I swear that mine come from the supermarket too, especially when I bring peaches home!

Linda

August 18, 2014	#1
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,896	How do you keep fruit flies off your ripening tomatoes? I haven't even bought any peaches yet, but the fruit flies have found their way into my kitchen and into some of the tomatoes that are ripening on the counter(those darned SPLIT Lemon Drop cherries!!!) A friend mentioned that she puts her tomatoes in mesh bags and it seems to help to keep out the fruit flies. These bags are sold in some of the high-end grocery stores around here so that eco-friendly shoppers don't have to use clear plastic bags when buying their fruit and veggies. The bags can also be bought on-line. At first I was doing daily inspections of each tomato, but I obviously wasn't diligent enough recently, as a cloud of them flew up from those Lemon Drops this morning! Fruit fly traps help, and can be baited with Apple Cider Vinegar or even apple-scented Dawn. I should probably get one going right now..... Linda

August 18, 2014	#2
LDx4 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 321	Linda, I put our tomatoes on baking sheets on the counter and cover them with terrycloth dish towels, making sure that the edges are tucked under the baking sheets. I had a terrible fruit fly problem until I started covering the trays. Lyn

August 18, 2014	#3
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	They are not attracted to undamaged fruits I find. Split or overripe fruits I get rid of or use right away but fruit flies are a fact of life in harvest season at my house. I blame it on my compost and apple tree. I find traps work well. Karen.

August 18, 2014	#5
natural Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North GA Posts: 530	We use a "bad" tomato as a trap placed on the other side of the kitchen. We fire up the portable hand-held vacuum a few times a day and apply to said tomato.

August 18, 2014	#8
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	I wonder if a yellow or blue sticky trap would work for these stupid " meat gnats" that I have? I have a bunch of the sticky stuff and may even have some bright yellow disposable plastic cups somewhere, in boxes yet unpacked.

August 20, 2014	#9
LindyAdele Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 323	To trap all the fruitflies in a room in a matter of hours, place a small bowl of apple cider vinegar in the rea where they are with 3 drops of dishsoap. They will land on the vinegar and drown, as the soap breaks the surface tension they are used to. I have a bowl on the large platter I place my tomatoes on to ripen. I can catch 40-50 a day. They seem to come in on grocery store fruit.