Just been in the greenhouse to pick some tommies and what did I find?????????
Several of the tomatoes half eaten, many leaves holey and eaten and on closer inspection some of the half eaten tomatoes and leaves have CATERPILLERS on them. Advice please. Do i pick of my remaining whole green tomatoes to try and salvage what is left and should I dispose of the plants (burn them??) or what. I would add they are growing in half growbags. I dont want the greenhouse infected with them so some help please. Many thanks
Cacran posted a few days ago that his toms have Small Cabbage White caterpillars on them. If you Google for images you should be able to confirm if they are the same. i'd just pick off all the caterpillars. What else do you have in the greenhouse?
but be aware that a google will bring up those American monsters that GrannieAnnie had
They didn't look like this did they?!
(http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g207/Big_Cheesus/CanonG10129.jpg)
This year we haven't seen any of the huge tomato worms but we are inundated with tent caterpillars in most of the deciduous trees that are now almost denuded of their upper leaves.
Don't kill your tom plants. Just squish or drop them into detergent water. The toms should be okay especially since some people seem to prune many of the leaves off anyway.
I've suffered damage in the past - this year I put fine netting over the vents and windows and touch wood haven't had a problem.
I found the best treatment once infested was to pick of the caterpillars and put them on the bird table. Still lost a few toms but managed a salvagable crop
Oh , so you had the same problem as me then.
I picked them off, the ones I could see and squged them. I then brought all the affected plants outside and sprayed with a pest spray, I don't usually like to do that, mut needs must! I have now managed to get some untouched tomatoes off them. You'd be surprised at the amount I lost.
sounds like it - the caterpiller poo everywhere was rather unpleasant. I dont like spraying (have had to on my brussels this year to keep cabbage whites down). I found putting the netting over the vents in the greenhouse has worked this year.
any chance of a photo guys so they can be identified??