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Old May 5, 2018   #6
b54red
Tomatovillian™
 
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
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Just got in from doing some pruning and connecting my fast growing tomato plants to the string supports and found to my surprise four more plants with aphids. I guess it wasn't the variety as Crynkovic Yugoslavian was infested the worst. They weren't next to each other but scattered through two beds. I have rarely seen aphids in any significant numbers on healthy tomato plants this early in the season. My only guess is that the supply of predator bugs is way down for some reason. I haven't been spraying any poison but I have not seen a single ladybug or lacewing on my tomatoes since I set them out in mid March. I had some on my last lettuce and broccoli so I just assumed they would move to my tomatoes and peppers when they were gone but they didn't. Maybe it is the strong winds that blow through my garden keeping them away. I used a small spray bottle and treated the four plants and waited ten minutes and washed them off with a strong spray of water. I hope I don't have to repeat that too often. This is the time of year when I am used to fighting aphids on my new peppers but they have been fairly clear of aphids. I can tell they are a different kind of aphid because the ones on the tomatoes are mostly pink while the ones that usually hit my peppers are light green. So far I have seen no signs of any foliage diseases and the plants are setting fruit like crazy. I have way too many overloaded clusters of fruit that I need to cull back some; but that is a great problem to have. The temps are getting on up there now so I guess the diseases will start showing up soon. I haven't seen too many thrips yet and no stink bugs or leaf footed bugs and only a few worms so things are looking good for now.

Bill
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