Garden

[Mmsfoxxie]

I grow tomatoes in a couple of large containers and then I have a wooden sided planter that my husband put together that's about 4 ft by 6 ft in size.  I've planted tomatoes in the same containers for about four or five years.  Last year I saw my first tomato worm!  Hubby had to go get the thing for me.  Didn't see anymore for the last few weeks of the season.

I'm thinking that since I saw one last year, there may be more to come. Are there any natural additives that I can add to the soil to keep them from coming.  I plant marigolds in between the tomatoes.

[gizmogal]

Ewwww. I’d want them gone, too!

See this video for mostly non chemical, natural applications:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=891ZHhdFI48

(I’ve used dish soap and water in a spray bottle to kill off aphids on my window box petunias. Once they were gone via daily spraying, I  had to spray much less often to keep to keep them away.)

This might help with companion plants besides marigolds. 

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/companion-plants-discourage-tomato-worms-77355.html

Loads of suggestions by googling “how to get rid of tomato worms” .

Hope something works for you. If saw one of those things on a tomato, I’d start growing carrots!

[Fiero Woman]

I use a mixture of pulzerized garlic, Dawn and cayanne pepper.  Spray and forget.

[gardenman]

Tomato hornworms are the caterpillar of the five spotted hawkmoth. If you keep the plants protected from the moths (easier said than done) you should never see another tomato hornworm. Now covering the plants with a row cover or garden fabric can be challenging as the plants grow, but if the five spotted hawkmoth can't reach the plant, it can't lay it's eggs and you'll never see another one of their caterpillars. 

[Mz iMac]

My parents always grew their tomatoes inside the enclosed screened back patio.

The plants started out on a table in tiny green cupboard thingies.

After a while, mom would replant in a regular pot w/soil & string them up on the floor.

Bug free!

[Another new name Sue]

Check your plants every day for tiny black beads on the leaves which is the caterpillar poop.  When you see it, search that area for the caterpillar which is exactly the same color as tomato leaves.  When you find it, call your husband.  

[JustJazzmom]

Another critter to worry about in the soil is the larvae of the cutworm moth. Putting a plastic barrier about 4” deep around each tomato plant prevents the larvae from burrowing into the stem or putting a hole in it.

But if you do see a tomato hornworm caterpillar with some white dots on its head, a parasitic wasp has laid eggs on it & when that larvae hatches they use as a food source — the caterpillar 

[Mmsfoxxie]

Thanks all of you for the good tips and I will try some of them but, lol, it will be hard for me to look at one long enough to see what kind it is, lol.  The one I saw last year was huge!

I'm going to refer back to this thread after I do some planting which will be around May 15th for my Midwest area.  Im going to view the suggested videos later today.

So many knowledgeable people on here!

[goldensrbest]

Would food grade diatomaceous earth ,work?

[JustJazzmom]

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@goldensrbest wrote:

Would food grade diatomaceous earth ,work?

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No, not unless you see slug activity along the ground around your hostas.