How to Repel Stink Bugs off of Tomato Plants

In today's economy, there is a growing trend to go back to a more simple lifestyle. This includes growing our own fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes are easy to grow and very important due to their cancer-fighting ingredient, lycopene. There are some natural threats to the tomato plant. One of them is the stinkbug, which is a hard-shelled insect that produces a foul smelling compound when it is under attacked or mishandled. Stinkbugs pierce into the fruit, causing it to get deformed, rotten faster and in the case of seeds, to reduce the germination or stop it all together.

Things You'll Need

• Duct tape
• Portable vacuum cleaner
• Bucket
• Kaolin
• Regular soap
• Insecticide soap
• Goggles
• Mask

Instructions

1. Find out if your plant is affected by stinkbugs. Observe your plants closely. Do you see any insects? Do your tomatoes have white-yellowish marks under the surface of the skin? Is the unripened fruit discolored?

2. Protect your garden. Are the plants too close together? Are there any weeds close by? Stinkbugs like to hide in areas where the foliage is denser because they can be protected and undisturbed. It would be wise to replant them leaving more space between them and to remove any weeds that are too close to your tomato plants.

3. Another important step to protect your garden is to plant what is called a "trap crop", such as millet or sunflowers. Plant away from the tomatoes so the stinkbugs go feed on the millet and sunflowers and leave the tomatoes unharmed.

4. Attack those stinkbugs. Since stinkbugs have a strong shield, insecticides would need to be very strong. Another problem with them is that they most likely will not feed on it because they like to pierce deeper into the tomato. For these reasons it is very helpful to use mechanical methods first. Inspect your plants daily looking to get rid of any stinkbugs you find. You can use the duct tape to remove them and drop them in the bucket with soapy water to kill them. You can also use a hand held vacuum. This daily patrolling will help cut down on their population.

5. Now that you have removed as many as you could find, it is important to give your tomatoes some protection using green methods. Kaolin is very helpful because it is non-toxic and covers the fruit with a protective white covering that attaches to it. You can use insecticidal soap to wash the rest of the plant.

6. You will have to do this process for two weeks before you see any significant changes. If you have a more severe case, you will have to try stronger chemical insecticides, such as Sevin. It is much better to use in spray form. Protect your eyes and lungs while using it and follow the instructions regarding harvesting to the letter.

Tips & Warnings

• Before using chemical insecticides it is important to consult with your local agricultural commissioner's office to make sure that you use a substance that is allowed in your state and that is safe for edible plants.