If you’ve ever had a tomato garden, you know that tomatoes attract pests. It’s no secret, but you can you can try these out if you need a way to get rid of pests. Many people don’t like using chemicals to get rid of pests, and everything you read here will be natural. That means you don’t have to worry about your children or pets being hurt by any of these natural ways of getting rid of those pesky pests once and for all.
The most common tomato pests
The three most common pests are aphids, hornworms, and spider mites. Aphids are small, green insects that like to suck sap. Hornworms are large, green caterpillars that treat your tomato leaves like they’re an all-you-can-eat buffet. Spider mites are tiny red or black spiders, and they, too, are connoisseurs of sap and juice.
Here are some ways that you can naturally get rid of tomato pests
The best thing about many of these natural remedies is that you already have them in your home or garden. You won’t need to travel to the gardening supply center to pick up some of these items.
Garlic oil
No, pests aren’t vampires, but they hate garlic just as much as they do. Crush a few garlic cloves, mix them with water, and let it sit overnight. Put the concoction in a spray bottle and spray it all over and around your tomato plants. Why does this work? Some insects hate the smell of garlic even more than people do, and they’ll do anything to avoid it.
Tomato leaf spray
Are you ready to have your mind blown? Those insects that love to eat your tomato plants hate it when you make a spray out of the tomato leaves. It’s crazy and unbelievable, but it works.
To make tomato leaf spray, chop some tomato leaves and let them soak in water for a few days. Strain all the leaves out of the water, and then spray the liquid on your tomato plants. The same insects that love the taste of your tomato plants will suddenly stop eating them. It’s an odd, simple solution that, on its surface, doesn’t make sense, but that’s how nature usually works.
If you’re a long-time gardener, you’ve no doubt heard of neem oil. It’s an oil that’s derived from neem seeds. You probably could’ve figured that out even if you aren’t a gardener. Mix a few drops of neem oil in some water and spray it on your tomato plants. The neem oil mixture will not only kill any insects currently on your tomatoes, but it will also prevent future infestations.
Find some predators to do the heavy lifting
Mother Nature has a solution for just about everything; in this case, She has just the insects you need. Introducing ladybugs and mites to your garden can help solve these problems. They will feast on the pests and enjoy every last bite. You can find predatory insects online or at your local gardening center.
Don’t let predators eat your tomatoes
You should be the one chowing down on your tomatoes and not a bunch of insects. All of these natural remedies work to varying degrees. You’ll need to test which ones work the best for your garden. As always, if you’re stumped and can’t solve your problem, it’s best to reach out to the people where you buy garden supplies and ask them for their advice.
