Gardening emergency...

[draggar]

I have a large pot with tomatoes growing in it. It was very promising until I noticed something was eating all of the tomatoes. I thought it was small insects because I always saw swarms of them (like tiny winged ants, maybe about 25-50 of them) around the tomatoes that were being eaten. I cannot find anything online that could support this. I've been spraying with a series of bug sprays which has not helped also.

I do not think it is annoles or geckos, they normally eat bugs.

I'm hoping it isn't a rodent. I've been using something called "shake away" which is a great rodent repellent (crystallized fox, badger etc.. urine). We had a rat that lived under our chicken coop and would eat my herbs until I started using this stuff and he seemed to go away.

I've also sprayed with a mist of soapy water (has helped in the past with some pests) but this isn't helping either.

I have snail / slug repellent pellets in the pot too but I do not think it is them (normally they're slow enough to catch in the act).

So far I've lost about 8 tomatoes (good sized ones, too for a home garden) and I have some petters, cucumbers, jalapeños, and squash blooming so I do not want to lose these either, but right now the tomatoes are definitely a losing battle.

Any suggestions?

 

[Leading Names]

It probably is either slugs/snails, rodents or even birds that are causing the damage. Post a picture if you can.

- Rob

 

[draggar]

They seem to be nibbles into the tomatoes, but a lot. It can easily eat though a tomato in 1-3 days.

I'm now extra mad because it is now eating my largest tomato. Not enough sunlight in my windows (they face north and south) to be ablt to take green tomatoes and let them ripen in the window.

 

[picassoface]

I saw a guy on tv once use this:

1 package of chewing tobacco soaked in a quart of water. Add some dish soap. Spray on plants.

 

[draggar]

I saw a guy on tv once use this:

1 package of chewing tobacco soaked in a quart of water. Add some dish soap. Spray on plants.

Very odd, I haven't heard that one yet, but I am still doing research. My wife will kill me if she sees it.

 

[Focus]

I saw a guy on tv once use this:

1 package of chewing tobacco soaked in a quart of water. Add some dish soap. Spray on plants.

good way to spread fusarium wilt, lol

tip : videotape your plants for a day and watch to see what it is eating it k:

 

[south]

I saw a guy on tv once use this:

1 package of chewing tobacco soaked in a quart of water. Add some dish soap. Spray on plants.

I did landscaping many years ago. I had an older cuban client that would spread a bunch of tobacco leaves on his lawn once or twice a year for me to grind up with the mower.. He never had bug problems. That was in Tampa. He used to go to the cigar factories and get scraps from them.

Not sure it would work with your maters though.. never did veggies.

I will say that normal soap & water will often work wonders though.

 

[draggar]

I use soap & water daily (2-3X a day) and it has not helped.

 

[BobDiGiTaL]

try a drop of dishwashing detergent , NOT ANTI-BACTERIAL with a capfull of 100% neem oil.

If the soap does not dry out the exoskeleton of the "pest", the neem will get into the lungs of the "pest" and suffocate it.

Sometimes "HOT PEPPER WAX Spray" will deter "pests" if you are outdoors. It won't kill them, but they'll move to another food source.

Have you tried "natural" predators like praying mantis, or parasitic nematodes?

 

[draggar]

My wife gave me a phamphlet on something thatprevents flies for horses, but I don't think it would work here.

As for praying mantis etc.., not a bad idea, but the dogs are also out on the patio at times and two of them have a lot of prey drive, they'll chase the mantis.

I do have the "Shake-Off" rodent repellant (as stated, crystallized fox, badger, etc.. urine) which does seem to work against rats and mice.

Edit: Too bad this will automerge, here are the pics:

This is how they start, then the holes just get bigger.

1024X768 versions:
http://www.draggar.net/tomatoes/tomato1-1024.jpg
http://www.draggar.net/tomatoes/tomato2-1024.jpg

Full sized:
http://www.draggar.net/tomatoes/tomato1.jpg
http://www.draggar.net/tomatoes/tomato2.jpg