How to Get Rid of Caterpillars on Tomato Plants

The horned worm caterpillar is known for its ability to destroy tomato plants. It eventually turns in to a hawk moth, but not before it has destroyed your precious tomato crop. Armed with the right knowledge, you can kill the horned worm caterpillar and keep it from attacking your garden again.

Things You'll Need

• Daisies, Queen Anne's lace, spearmint, or clover plants
• Peppermint extract
• Water
• Empty spray bottle
• Bird houses

Instructions

1. Plant your tomato crop in a different location than in previous years. The caterpillars will be living in the soil from last year and you can discover that by chopping up the top inch-and-a-half of the soil. They will be in the pupa stage. Don't make it easy for them to hatch and climb up new tomato plants.

2. Plant daisies, Queen Anne's lace, spearmint, or clover plants near tomatoes. These plants attract tiny parasitic wasps that eat horned worm caterpillars. The wasps lay eggs on the caterpillar. When the eggs hatch, they eat away at the caterpillar until it dies.

3. Check under the leaves of tomato plants for caterpillar eggs. If you find them, pluck the leaves off and burn them in a pile. This will stop the next generation of caterpillars from emerging and eating your crop. This is the best way to kill them in the early stages.

4. Make pest control spray. Fill an empty spray bottle with water. Add 10 drops of peppermint extract and stir. Spray on tomato plants every couple of days to repel the caterpillars. They don't like the smell of peppermint, yet it is safe when you are ready to eat the tomatoes.

5. Strategically place some bird houses near your tomato plants. Birds will help in the fight against the caterpillars because they love to eat them.

Tips & Warnings

• Till the soil after each crop. This will help destroy any remaining larvae.

• Do not use chemicals on tomato plants. Chemicals can enter the tomato plant so that when you eat them, you are actually consuming the chemicals, also.

References

• Getting Rid of the Horned Worm Caterpillar
• How to Handle Tomato Hornworms