Tomato Damage - Page 2

remy · March 18, 2012

Garf,
Don't feel bad. Those suckers are hard to spot until you train your eye what to look for. When we got them here one year. They did a nice chunk of damage before I realized what was happening. They are nasty things. My husband still freaks out at the mere mention of hornworms.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

I HATE hornworms and I HATE rats!!!! Other than that, I am a really nice person

I'm with you but add rabbits to the list

Remy

b54red · March 18, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

I HATE hornworms and I HATE rats!!!! Other than that, I am a really nice person

Don't forget the tree rats.

attml · March 18, 2012

Keep a close eye on them! If there were four there are probably more! A lot of times the small ones can do quite a bit of damage as well. Two years ago I had over 30 horn worms on 8 plants in one section of my yard!

Mark

Garf · March 18, 2012

As soon as I recover from a day at the flying field, I'm going to inspect all my plants, then again at night with a flashlight.

kurt · March 18, 2012

Look for some egg sacks underneath the leaves.

Garf · March 21, 2012

I found 2 more hornworms, but very little more damage. If it was earlier in the season, I would use BT.

Garf · March 23, 2012

I am getting the first blush on the red brandywine plant. I hope I can stay ahead of the worms. I haven't used BT on this one.

Garf · March 26, 2012

The first 2 from the mulch pile plant. The coin is a quarter.

Garf · March 27, 2012

As most of us know, Hornworm hunting is best done at night. As with everything else, proper tools are needed. The first item is whatever eyewear that allows you to see well up close. The second item is a STRONG flashlight. I have a large number of flashlights, so it was just a matter of selecting the best one for the job. It turns out the best one for the job is an oddball I picked up from our favorite auction site. It has 128 low power LED's and lights up my entire living room at night.

ginger2778 · March 27, 2012

What a really cool flashlight. I'm in Ft. Lauderdale.Please, where did you get it? I want one!

Garf · March 27, 2012

This thing came off of Ebay. If you like, I'll see if it's still available.

ginger2778 · March 29, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garf

This thing came off of Ebay. If you like, I'll see if it's still available.

That would be great.
Many thanks,
MArsha

texasrockgarden · March 29, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garf

In the light of day, I found more damaged tomatoes for a total of 5 so far. I also found some leaf damage, then turned the leaf over to find a small hornworm, which got crushed. Now I need to inspect the plants every day and night.

All I can say is with that kind of damage you have neglected your plants.

Just kidding. Maybe it's time to bring out the BT.

I don't know your work schedule but I am always on the lookout for worm droppings, early in the mornings and late in the evenings when I tend the chickens and sometimes during the day when I am just puttering around in the garden. I am retired and live alone so that's what I do - tomatoes.

It's understandable, however, to let these worm munchers sneak up on you if you work 40 - 50 hours a week and have a busy family live. I've been their.

You have some great looking plants. I envy you folks in FL for your winter gardening season.

kurt · March 29, 2012

If your still seeing small ones that means you got a continuing egg laying population.Get some lady bugs and they will eat the eggs before they hatch.

Garf · April 2, 2012

The larger cracks are due to too much water. What is causing the roughness on the upper part of the tomato?

March 27, 2012	#24
Garf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Miami, FL. Posts: 442	Hornworm Hunting Tools As most of us know, Hornworm hunting is best done at night. As with everything else, proper tools are needed. The first item is whatever eyewear that allows you to see well up close. The second item is a STRONG flashlight. I have a large number of flashlights, so it was just a matter of selecting the best one for the job. It turns out the best one for the job is an oddball I picked up from our favorite auction site. It has 128 low power LED's and lights up my entire living room at night.

April 2, 2012	#30
Garf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Miami, FL. Posts: 442	Roughness in Tomato Skin The larger cracks are due to too much water. What is causing the roughness on the upper part of the tomato?

March 18, 2012	#18
attml Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Annapolis, Maryland Posts: 222	Keep a close eye on them! If there were four there are probably more! A lot of times the small ones can do quite a bit of damage as well. Two years ago I had over 30 horn worms on 8 plants in one section of my yard! Mark

March 18, 2012	#20
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,500	Look for some egg sacks underneath the leaves.

March 21, 2012	#21
Garf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Miami, FL. Posts: 442	I found 2 more hornworms, but very little more damage. If it was earlier in the season, I would use BT.

March 23, 2012	#22
Garf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Miami, FL. Posts: 442	I am getting the first blush on the red brandywine plant. I hope I can stay ahead of the worms. I haven't used BT on this one.

March 26, 2012	#23
Garf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Miami, FL. Posts: 442	The first 2 from the mulch pile plant. The coin is a quarter.

March 27, 2012	#25
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	What a really cool flashlight. I'm in Ft. Lauderdale.Please, where did you get it? I want one!

March 29, 2012	#29
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,500	If your still seeing small ones that means you got a continuing egg laying population.Get some lady bugs and they will eat the eggs before they hatch.