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Natural Bug Repellent for Tomatoes
Natural Bug Repellent for Tomatoes. Under the right conditions, tomato plants can grow quickly and produce a great deal of fruit. However, if your garden is overrun with bugs, you may not get to enjoy a large percentage of your harvest. Learn about some natural ways to keep pests such as hornworms off your tomato plants so you can enjoy fresh,...
Under the right conditions, tomato plants can grow quickly and produce a great deal of fruit. However, if your garden is overrun with bugs, you may not get to enjoy a large percentage of your harvest. Learn about some natural ways to keep pests such as hornworms off your tomato plants so you can enjoy fresh, delicious tomatoes straight from your own garden.
Horticultural Oils
Spray bug repellents made from horticultural oils are an effective and natural way to keep bugs off your tomato plants. Neem oil is one of the most popular horticultural oils and it can most likely be found at your local garden supply store. Misting your plants with these oils will help to protect them against common tomato plant pests such as caterpillars and aphids and it will not harm your tomatoes. Spray your tomato plants frequently and reapply the repellent after heavy dew and rain to increase its efficacy.
Oil and Soap Smothering Mixture
Combine 1/2 cup of liquid soap or grated soap from a bar with 1 cup of vegetable oil. Beat the mixture by hand to form a thick, oily paste. To use this mixture, add one tablespoon to a 1-liter spray bottle full of warm water and spray it over your plants. The combination of oil and soap in this mixture will smother any bugs that are already on your tomatoes and will help to kill any eggs that have been laid. Spray another layer of this mixture onto your tomato plants every few days and after heavy rains.
Natural Bug Repellent Spray
Combine two shelled bulbs of garlic, 1 or 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a blender. Add a spoonful of liquid detergent and 2 to 3 cups of water and blend the mixture well. Add another 3 cups of water to the blended mixture. Strain the liquid through a coffee filter and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray the leaves and stalks of your tomato plants with this mixture every few days and after every rainfall. The combined ingredients in this mixture should deter new pests and kill those already on your plants without harming your tomatoes.
Fish Emulsion
This method of pest control can be very effective but it can also be quite malodorous. Spraying fish emulsion over the leaves of your tomato plants will deter a variety of insects in addition to smothering some of those that are already on your plants. Though the unpleasant smell of fish emulsion might repulse you, keep in mind that it will also repel butterflies and moths, which rely on their acute sense of smell, that might consider using your tomato as a host plant.
