How to Control Leaf Miners on a Tomato Plant
Leaf miners are destructive little bugs that are attracted to the leaves of fruit-bearing plants, especially citrus trees and tomatoes. Their larvae create tunnels inside the leaves that show up as thin, curving lines. Infected leaves grow yellow and drop prematurely, inhibiting plant growth through lack of sun.
Leaf miners are notoriously difficult to exterminate because they are inside the plant. The best way to control leaf miners is to use several methods of prevention and closely observe your plants.
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Things You'll Need
- Leaf miner pheromone traps
- Plastic garbage bags
- Neem oil
- Ladybugs or parasitic wasps
Instructions
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1
Prepare your garden to prevent leaf miner infestation. Keep your garden well weeded so the leaf miners have no place to hide. Fertilize your tomatoes once a month with an inch of compost so they mature more quickly; mature plants are less prone to infestation.
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2
Inspect your tomato leaves for white blotches and winding trails. Remove infested leaves immediately and discard them in garbage bags. This will prevent reinfestation.
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3
Place pheromone traps on top of the soil about 6 inches away from the tomatoes. The pheromones will attract and trap mature, egg-laying leaf miners. Empty the traps and refresh the hormones according to package instructions.
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4
Sprinkle neem oil around the soil of each tomato plant. Leaf miners lay their eggs in the soil; the neem oil will kill leaf miner eggs and prevent a new generation of destructive larvae.
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Purchase beneficial insects, like ladybugs or parasitic wasps, which will attack leaf miners and diminish their population. Release these insects into your garden at the beginning of the growing season.
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