Top 8 pests of Tomatoes

I have discussed about tomato growing in one of my earlier article. This article is more about various problems which we face while growing tomatoes. So here are the top 8 pests which may prevent you from getting your desired results though not in the same order.

1. 

   Aphids: These are very small insects which are found on the leaves or the stems of the plant. Though one or two of them may not cause any major harm to the plant, once the numbers grow they create problems like curly leaves or yellowing of the plant or leave some sticky residue on the plant.
2. Cutworms: They are very tiny caterpillars and suck the juice out of the plant. Severe attack results in chewed stem which can easily seen on an infected plant.
3. Horn-worms: These are cylindrical in shape and greenish in color. You would find them underside of leaves. They have a voracious appetite and can eat up most of the plant in couple of days.
4. Beetles: These are also called Flea-beetles as they resembles a flea. Though I have mentioned it as Tomato pest, it can also cause damage to cabbage, potatoes, eggplants etc. If your plant is being affected by beetles you will find numerous small holes in the leaves.
5. Psyllid: These results purplish veins in the leaves of the plant.
6. Spider mites: They form webs on underside of the plant.
7. Nematodes: It is one of most problematic areas of tomato growing. These are tiny little (often microscopic), worms which infest the soil. I have written a separate article on nematodes and their control. You can find the article here.
8. White-flies: They feed on plant juices and leave behind a sticky residue.

There are several ways to fight those problems. It is very easy to get tempted to opt for chemical pesticides but the bad news is that many of the pests have developed resistance to the chemicals. So to solve the problem we must give organic methods a chance.

You can try spraying water or organic mixtures such as Neem oil, garlic extracts. Some of the pests can be easily removed by just picking them with hands for some you can try crop rotation or companion planting. They are so many ways by which the pests can be prevented by using organic means. You will find many techniques if you explore the site.

Please do post your comments and your experiences in handling tomato pests.