How Can I Stop Bugs From Eating My Tomato Plants?

A hot pepper wax will protect ripening fruit.

An insect infestation in your garden may lead to damaged plants. A damaged plant will bear less edible fruit than a healthy plant. A few of the common bugs that will attack tomato plants are slugs, nematodes and caterpillars. These insects will eat through the leaves and fruit of the tomato plant. Spraying the plant with a hot pepper wax will repel these insects, but it will not kill them. Hot pepper wax can be made at home using common household ingredients. The natural ingredients used to make this spray are safe for you and your tomato plants.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber gloves
• 6 hot peppers (the hottest you can find)
• 2 cups water
• Blender
• Cheesecloth or coffee filter
• Pitcher, at least 1 quart
• Water
• Spoon
• Empty spray bottle

Instructions

1. Put on the rubber gloves. These will protect your hands from the pepper juice.

2. Place the six whole peppers into the blender. Add two cups of water to the blender.

3. Set the blender to high. Blend the peppers and water for two minutes.

4. Pour the mixture through the cheese cloth or coffee filter and into the empty pitcher. Strain out all of the large clumps of pepper and seeds that are in the mixture.

5. Toss out the cheese cloth and pepper pulp. Set the pepper water aside in a room temperature location. Leave the mixture to sit undisturbed for 24 hours.

6. Fill the pitcher up with one quart of water. Stir with a large spoon until blended.

7. Pour the hot pepper wax into the clean spray bottle.

8. Spray the tomato plants using the hot pepper wax mixture. Be sure to spray the leaves, stems and the fruit. Reapply in one to two weeks, or after a heavy rain.

Tips & Warnings

• Use your hands or tweezers to pull off pests from your tomato plants.

• Keep your tomato plants healthy. Healthy plants are less likely to be attacked by bugs than weak plants.

• Growing your tomato plants upside down offers more protection from garden pests and bugs.

• Never touch your face or exposed skin when working with the concentrated pepper juice.

• Hot pepper wax spray may leave a slight peppery taste on your tomatoes.

References

• Shenandoah Rose Society: Organic Chemical Spray Alternative
• Gardeners Net: Spray
• Clean Air Gardening: Grow Tomatoes

Resources

• The Farm: Garden Bugs