Anyone here grow tomato plants? Know about them?

[Sharon 1]

If anyone here knows about tomato plants, please help!

We are growing 3 varieties of tomatoes in our veggie garden, half of which are cherry tomatoes.

The plants have been growing absolutely wonderfully, matter of fact I just snipped off their "growing tips" a few days back cuz they were high enough and I wanted them to flourish...

This morning I went to check to see if any stems might need tying up and first thing I notice, is that one of our tomato plants was almost BALD! I thought that the raccoons and/or deer had been at them but as I'm checking the plants, I notice, in the plant right next to the bald one, this HUGE bright green caterpillar! I mean REALLY thick and creepy looking, spots all down it's back, eyes, and what looked to be maybe a stinger sticking out the end of it's butt! So I get a stick (I wasn't touching that thing oh no) and scraped it off the tomato plant stem and stepped on it. The result was gross needless to say. Urp.

So anyway, I start checking all the other tomato plants a little more closely and when I was done, I had removed EIGHT of these things from where they were feasting on the leaves of our damn plants. I'm sure there's probably more but I had to take a break cause everything just started blending into one what with everything being green, ya know? I'll go back and investigate after lunch.

Anyone know what these little bastards are and what I can do alternatively to using a pesticide? I damn well wanna eat tomatoes this summer after all the hard work we did growing these suckers...lol.

Here's a pic I took of one - sorry it's a bit blurry, I was holding a stem it was on and the things started moving and I got all creeped out...lol...

[Mr&Mrs2859 0]

If anyone here knows about tomato plants, please help!

We are growing 3 varieties of tomatoes in our veggie garden, half of which are cherry tomatoes.

The plants have been growing absolutely wonderfully, matter of fact I just snipped off their "growing tips" a few days back cuz they were high enough and I wanted them to flourish...

This morning I went to check to see if any stems might need tying up and first thing I notice, is that one of our tomato plants was almost BALD! I thought that the raccoons and/or deer had been at them but as I'm checking the plants, I notice, in the plant right next to the bald one, this HUGE bright green caterpillar! I mean REALLY thick and creepy looking, spots all down it's back, eyes, and what looked to be maybe a stinger sticking out the end of it's butt! So I get a stick (I wasn't touching that thing oh no) and scraped it off the tomato plant stem and stepped on it. The result was gross needless to say. Urp.

So anyway, I start checking all the other tomato plants a little more closely and when I was done, I had removed EIGHT of these things from where they were feasting on the leaves of our damn plants. I'm sure there's probably more but I had to take a break cause everything just started blending into one what with everything being green, ya know? I'll go back and investigate after lunch.

Anyone know what these little bastards are and what I can do alternatively to using a pesticide? I damn well wanna eat tomatoes this summer after all the hard work we did growing these suckers...lol.

Here's a pic I took of one - sorry it's a bit blurry, I was holding a stem it was on and the things started moving and I got all creeped out...lol...

Sharon I have had that problem also here is what they are:

The tomato hornworm is a large (3 to 5 inches long), green caterpillar with a horn projecting from its rear; it will eventually become a moth whose diurnal feeding habits and ability to hover have earned it the name of "hummingbird moth." The hornworm chews holes in the leaves of dill, eggplant, pepper, potato and tomato plants, and will sometimes also damage the fruits of the latter three. Check damaged plants for dark colored droppings, and spray them with water; this should cause the hornworms to thrash about and enable you to handpick them more easily. If you notice papery cocoons on their backs, remove but don't destroy the caterpillars: they are already doomed by natural parasites, which should be allowed to reproduce. You can also control hornworms with a Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) spray, or a pyrethrum spray if the infestation gets out of hand.

I also read somewhere to put shallow lids with beer in them and for some reason they love the beer and drown in it. And coat a mixture of detergent and water on and around the area and plants. Good luck!

[Canuck Carrie 1]

These 2 links should help you. That site is my gardening 'bible'.

[Octa 0]

been growing tomatoes for 5 years now and I haven't seen them....I Have seen them at my grandparents. The Tomato Horn Worm thats the name, it turns into a beautiful moth ) I think the best bet is to hanpick them....watch for them every day and take them off. You might find more info about them online. Google it.

[Sharon 1]

Man, that was FAST! hehe

Thank you all for your replies and suggestions. I had googled the thing but still couldn't find exactly what it was. I guess I gotta go out and pluck these things off the stems if I want to have any tomoatoes this year, eh?

Oh well...lol...Ya gotta do whatcha gotta do...

Thanks again!

[Ric Flair 0]

Man, that was FAST! hehe

Thank you all for your replies and suggestions. I had googled the thing but still couldn't find exactly what it was. I guess I gotta go out and pluck these things off the stems if I want to have any tomoatoes this year, eh?

Oh well...lol...Ya gotta do whatcha gotta do...

Thanks again!

Take those bugs to space mountain.....be a champion

woooooooo! *chops bugs*

[Lou Lou 1]

Yep we just pick them off the 'matas and after a few days they give up. Main problem we have are slugs even though we have beer out for them everywhere, and a skunk that keeps digging up our lettuce and spinach

[Octa 0]

and so I googled the hornworm it seems some people eat them. So don't take them to space mountain. Here is one of the recepies:

Fried Green Tomato Hornworms

Yield: 4 servings

What does a tomato hornworm taste like? Well, what would you taste like if you'd been stuffing yourself solely with tomato leaves for the better part of a month? Hornworms are ridiculously chlorophyll-rich. They taste great with just about any summer vegetable, but my favorite recipe draws inspiration from the cuisine of the Whistle Stop Cafe, that fictitious Alabama diner made famous by novelist Fanny Flagg.

"You'll think you died and gone to heaven," boasts Flagg of her recipe. To which I add, "If you do go to heaven, ask the Powers That Be to keep the tomato hornworms out of my vegetable patch."

3 tablespoons olive oil

16 tomato hornworms

4 medium green tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

Salt and pepper to taste

White cornmeal

In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil. Then lightly fry the hornworms, about 4 minutes, taking care not to rupture the cuticles of each insect under high heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Season tomato rounds with salt and pepper, then coat with cornmeal on both sides.

In a large skillet, fry tomatoes until lightly browned on both sides

Top each round with 2 fried tomato hornworms.

Garnish the paired hornworms with a single basil leaf.

[Sharon 1]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Ric Flair 0]

Take the worms and bring them over to that neighbor that nobody likes!

"The dirtiest player in the game"

Wooooooo!

[Sharon 1]

Take the worms and bring them over to that neighbor that nobody likes!

"The dirtiest player in the game"

Wooooooo!

But nope.

What goes around comes around! And I want RID of these ugly things...lol.

[Lou Lou 1]

Take the worms and bring them over to that neighbor that nobody likes!

"The dirtiest player in the game"

Wooooooo!

Haha! I pick up the slugs on a stick and fling them on to the nasty neighbor's garden when she's out

Problem is, she probably does the same when I'm out

[Ric Flair 0]

Take the worms and bring them over to that neighbor that nobody likes!

"The dirtiest player in the game"

Wooooooo!

Haha! I pick up the slugs on a stick and fling them on to the nasty neighbor's garden when she's out

Problem is, she probably does the same when I'm out

Sounds like a good ole fashioned slug fest

Woooo! *chops the neighbor*

[anya-D 8]

My tomato plant has some flower but seems like the flower were eaten by something (no leaf damage so i guess no worm) and when i finally have one tomato growing.. it's just never turn red!! just still green for like 2 weeks now.. is that normal?

i have it in the big pot though.. and water it everyday (lots of water) as it's in a full sun.

[Ric Flair 0]

My tomato plant has some flower but seems like the flower were eaten by something (no leaf damage so i guess no worm) and when i finally have one tomato growing.. it's just never turn red!! just still green for like 2 weeks now.. is that normal?

i have it in the big pot though.. and water it everyday (lots of water) as it's in a full sun.

tomatoes take awhile to ripen.....patience

wooooooo!