Tomato Hornworm - To Kill or Not To Kill
You've been there. Your Tomato plants look like the fountain of life one day, then the next are stripped bare to be just a skeleton of a plant. How disheartening! You put so much love and effort into your garden only to find that SOMETHING has destroyed your precious plant.
Hornworms In The Garden
This just happened to me. With one difference. It's July in Texas and my tomato plants are just about done. They are so tired, so dry and take way too much water to keep alive. I'm ready to take my tomato plants out of the garden.
They Are Doing Me A Favor
I figure these worms are just taking these finished tomato plants and turning them into something beautiful. Have you seen the Sphinx Moth? These beautiful moths are absolutely stunning. However, the best part is not that they are so pretty. They are also pollinators. Yes! They provide a valuable service to the farm and garden by helping to pollinate plants.
Even if my tomato plants weren't at the end of the season I will not kill these caterpillars. I will simply remove them as I find them and place them on a sacrificial plant. Perhaps I'll even grow a few extra plants in a separate area just for these beauties to have a place to eat, get strong and transform into the beautiful moth they were meant to be.
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What an awesome way to view it @daddykirbs, plant extra for the helpers! Resteemit for solutions to others!
I never thought of this. I will have to set up a "sacrifice" garden for these guys so that we can witness the beautiful sphynx moths they produce. I didn't know the hornworm was the caterpillar these beauties come from.
I also like that they assist in end of season composting by digesting the overgrowth and dieing plants.
@psyonicphoenix will also appreciate this information.
The first time I saw one of these moths fluttering around my garden I was amazed! I just had to know where it came from. In my gardening past I have killed so many hornworms... but no more!
@daddykirbs, I love the pics of the moths. You are right, they are beautiful. I really get the creeps from the worms though. Not sure I could even pick them off to transfer to another plant. Thankfully I haven't found any yet.
Do you plan to take cuttings from your tomatoes, root them and replant them when the weather gets cooler? I'm going to do that with mine. that way I get two seasons from the same plant. Tomatoes are really easy to root and grow. Great post, by the way.
Yes, I have some young plants that I started from cuttings this year. What I need to learn is the proper timing for this. My young plants are doing ok, but I may have started them a bit early. I will probably start some more just as insurance when I take the large plants out.
I also have this moral dilemma with the tomato hornworms. People are often like "kill kill!" and I dunno, I just can't. They're not doing anything wrong? Thankfully I actually haven't ever encountered one in person. I do have to say though is I LOVE THE HAWK-HUMMINGBIRD MOTHS SO MUCH! They're so cool, and they pollinate! Someone suggested feeding the worms to my chickens... I don't think I could do that either.
I very much treat my homestead as a "live and let live" type of place. If something is really hindering me, then I will have to take some sort of action, but until then, they're just living.
Yes. There are times to take action, but I think the first option should be to learn about the critters to see how they fit into your ecosystem. Stink bugs... I haven't found their place yet LOL
Hahah totally. Or box elder bugs. Yiiiick.
They are really cool and huge caterpillars! I remember seeing one for the first time!
I give you credit for your respect for life @daddykirbs.
I've found that companion planting dill in with the tomatoes cuts down on the Hornworm damage.
Oh, great tip! Thanks :)
I have grown tomatoes for years and have never seen one of these!
Good stuff. This was a good summer for tomatoes in Texas.
I'm not sure how many of my cherry tomatoes make it to my kitchen, I usually just grab a couple handfuls and eat them as I walk around the yard!
We did pretty well with tomatoes too. I tried some different varieties. Some I liked, some I didn't.
The caterpillars are actually quite cute too. I don't think I would have the heart to get rid of them.
@daddykirbs good for you for letting the critter go. It's a hard choice sometimes.
Only had one here so far this season. It was not quite as large as that one in the photo, but nonetheless became bird food soon after I removed it from my Anaheim Chili plant. Smart birds - they watch gardeners for easy lunch..😂
It aches my heart to see tomato plants go though.. If you ever want to chat about ways to beat the heat, I might have a few ideas that could help.