Hornworm Horror

pjhootch · July 10, 2017

Is anyone having a particularly gruesome hornworm problem this year? I am in Eastern Iowa, in the middle of town. I've had tomatoes here out in the country in farmland and in my backyard for years. I have never seen anything like this. We don't have much sun in our yard, so I am growing 4 plants on the Southeast side of the house in the ground, and have about 6 more plants in large planters on my back patio.

We had a mild and short winter, early but slow spring... and have been inundated with all kinds of bugs like never before. But I have lost count of the hornworms I have pulled off these plants. I am starting to put them in my bird feeder out front. I am tired of picking them off every single day and finding more damage the next morning.

This is something I haven't had a problem with in about 23 years of growing backyard tomatoes here. I am revolted by squishing them now!

July 10, 2017	#1
pjhootch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Iowa Posts: 31	Hornworm Horror Is anyone having a particularly gruesome hornworm problem this year? I am in Eastern Iowa, in the middle of town. I've had tomatoes here out in the country in farmland and in my backyard for years. I have never seen anything like this. We don't have much sun in our yard, so I am growing 4 plants on the Southeast side of the house in the ground, and have about 6 more plants in large planters on my back patio. We had a mild and short winter, early but slow spring... and have been inundated with all kinds of bugs like never before. But I have lost count of the hornworms I have pulled off these plants. I am starting to put them in my bird feeder out front. I am tired of picking them off every single day and finding more damage the next morning. This is something I haven't had a problem with in about 23 years of growing backyard tomatoes here. I am revolted by squishing them now!