Information and discussion regarding garden diseases, insects and other unwelcome critters.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2006
Location: N. California
Posts: 701
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On my tomato plants. I took off a stem where the really big hole is. Minor wilting, and dying leaves above. Will BT or spinosad work?
Last edited by Shrinkrap; July 11, 2021 at 11:18 PM. |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Madison, OH, zone 6
Posts: 468
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In my years of tomato growing I have never seen this phenomenon
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Dan |
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Brownville, Ne
Posts: 3,291
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A borer of some kind. Make sure to open the stem and kill the borer. I had on ten years ago and it was a solitary worm thank goodness. The plant it got into was dead in a day. I killed the bugger (the caterpillar) and nothing else was infected.
I have read that spraying BT is one way to keep the worms away. Also putting a collar around the stem will keep them from climbing up the stalk.
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there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes. |
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 1,420
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I would definitely cut that stem open and then identify the caterpillar for future reference.
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2006
Location: N. California
Posts: 701
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Thanks everyone!!
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2006
Location: N. California
Posts: 701
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I cut it open but found nothing but the Jack's Dead Bug dust and a few aphids.
Last edited by Shrinkrap; July 14, 2021 at 04:01 PM. |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 1,420
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That is so strange. Looks like it bored into the stem and then left. Maybe some bug made a mistake and bored into the wrong plant and it was not able to eat it for some reason.
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2006
Location: N. California
Posts: 701
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Here's someone removing one! I found a similar looking cat in two tomatoes from that plant.I thought she was going to cut herself with that boxcutter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2CFLGY9fx8 Last edited by Shrinkrap; July 15, 2021 at 10:58 AM. |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 1,420
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Looks like the tomato fruitworm especially since you found them in the tomatoes which is where they are usually found.
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2006
Location: N. California
Posts: 701
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I found one!
Last edited by Shrinkrap; July 22, 2021 at 08:04 PM. |
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 1,420
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I think that you have a tomato fruitworm who made a mistake and went into the stalk instead of a tomato.
They can be green, brown or reddish in color. You can Google some photos. |
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#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2006
Location: N. California
Posts: 701
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Thank you, and yes; that's what it is!
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