TheGardenLady received this question from Katherine.
Is there anything I can do to keep the horned worm caterpillar off of my tomatoes? I really hate those little things. My kids pick them off, but most of the time they are hidden and I can’t see them!
You may know that the horned worm caterpillar is the immature stage of
the hawk moth. It goes through a few stages, but the most damaging stage is the caterpillar stage.
Some suggestions to get rid of the pest:
Rotate the place where you plant your tomatoes. Don’t plant tomatoes in the same place every year. If you plant them in the same location year after year, insects and diseases build up in the soil which can cause problems. For example, the hornworm larvae burrow into the soil to pupate.
Remove crop residues from last year and keep the area clean of weeds. Both can encourage insects to hide, lay eggs and grow.
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