# Should I spray my tomato plants?



## harpo1 (Dec 6, 2007)

So it's my first attempt at any type of gardening (just have hanging tomato plants) and things are starting to grow pretty good. Should I spray in advance for any type of insects or fungus that may try to attack them? If so, does anybody have any opinions on the different sprays out there?


----------



## Due51 (Oct 26, 2005)

I wouldn't spray.
You'll probably get this big, green tomato eating caterpillar munching on your crop. Just take the tomato (with said cat on it), pick it off and throw it into the woods.


----------



## harpo1 (Dec 6, 2007)

Thanks Due51! But with only a mere 2 tomato plants, I'm not sure how many tomato's I can just toss into the woods. :lol:

I've heard some people talk of a mild dish soap/white vinegar mixture that helps keep the bugs at bay. Ever hear of such a thing?


----------



## Greenbush future (Sep 8, 2005)

I would leave em be, unless you see them being chowed on. Less chemicals the better, I have never had to spray or dust mine.


----------



## MSUICEMAN (Jan 9, 2002)

i've had to, up on the farm because of the nasty green tomato-eatin' caterpillars (horn worms), but in the city where I am I get something eatin the leaves (of tomatoes and of some flowers). i have a bio-bug killer I put on every now and again and it seems to alleviate the problem.


----------



## harpo1 (Dec 6, 2007)

I think I'll pick up some spray or dust just to have on hand. I haven't found any actual varmits on them as of yet but a few leaves on each plant seem to have mysteriously dried up over the last couple days. May just be normal to lose a few leaves throughout the growth period but I want to be ready.


----------



## chinamigarden (Oct 21, 2005)

If you are worried about Horn worms on your tomato plants. Get some Bacillus Thuringiensis from a garden store. Call it BT they will know what you want. Its a bacteria that kills soft bodied insects but is harmless to people. I mix it up with water and spray the plants. Its also great on Cabbage worms.


----------



## Roosevelt (Sep 21, 2007)

All i ever sprayed mine with was dishsoap and water. It gives the bugs the sheets and they don't like it. Never had no problems. only spray/water in the morning. If you really have problems, especially w' melon or squash buds falling off, you can add some mouthwash to it. That will kill the bacteria or whatever that causes rot/ wilt.


----------



## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

I hear soap also makes it hard for the bugs to "breath" if you get it on them. Thanks for the info Roosevelt.

I usually won't spray my plants either, I just inspect them every day and pick off the worms... although I kill them when I find them.


----------



## Firecracker (Aug 19, 2005)

how much dishsoap to make a bottle?


----------



## Roosevelt (Sep 21, 2007)

I'd just give a lil squirt in a spray bottle or about a 1/4 cup in a hose end sprayer. All you need is a lil foam, not alot. Same with the mouthwash.

I'd put a 1/4 cup dishsoap, 1/4 cup mouthwash and fill the balance w' sugar cola, not diet, in my hose end sprayer. Then I'd water the garden till it no longer foamed up.

This is all stuff from "Jerry Baker" on PBS. Somethin about that guy troubles me at times, but his recipes for gardening are mostly all natural and truly work wonders.


----------



## Banditto (Jun 9, 2000)

My problem is my tomato fruit gets gnats. I did some asking at the local green house and the gardening expert said they were gnats and said to put down this powder onto the soil. Apparently the gnat flys grow in the soil and you can stop them before they emerge.


----------



## Roosevelt (Sep 21, 2007)

I hate to promote this guy's stuff cause he always interrupted Michigan Outdoors and stuff on Saturday during pledge time, but...

You can stop them and many other soil borne problems by using Jerry's spring and fall tonics. You basically do a spray in the fall and then two more in the spring, two weeks before planting. It kills off soil borne stuff, energizes, and helps condition poor soil. 

Offhand I think it was Epsom salt, cola, dishsoap, mouthwash and I think beer was in there somewhere. LOL! 

I had a huge problem w' leaf wilt, aphids, rust, blossom wilt? and numerous other things. Once I started using Jerry's tonics the problems all went away within 2 seasons. I no longer had cabbage worms, the buds on my squash produced instead of falling off, my tomatoes quit rotting on the vine, and the aphids stayed off my roses and honeysuckle.

The only thing they didn't work on was groundhogs and wabbits. they wouldn't hold still long enough to spray em. But, I have my own solution for them. :evilsmile Just spray your pellets w' the tonic and give em a straight injection via your air rifle.


----------



## Frantz (Dec 9, 2003)

Buy a bag of tabbaco and soak a healthy pinch or two in a gallon of water for a day or so. Add a drop or two of dawn dish soap and spray that on them.


----------



## harpo1 (Dec 6, 2007)

Thanks for all the idea's! The high temps and humidity really have them growing and I'm seeing new growth almost daily now. No "creepy-crawley's" yet but I'll keep your idea's on hand.


----------



## 1BIGNIMROD (May 7, 2009)

Hydrogen Peroxide works well for bugs and bacteria also. Slightly dilute with water and it is ready for the plants. Cheaper and healthier than the alternatives.


----------



## knockoff64 (Oct 14, 2001)

Roosevelt said:


> All i ever sprayed mine with was dishsoap and water. It gives the bugs the sheets and they don't like it. Never had no problems. only spray/water in the morning.


Yep! 

Cheap, effective and relatively non-toxic.



1BIGNIMROD said:


> Hydrogen Peroxide works well for bugs and bacteria also. Slightly dilute with water and it is ready for the plants. Cheaper and healthier than the alternatives.


Never tried it, but have heard other swear by it.


----------



## Ausable Junkie (Oct 2, 2002)

Don't forget to re-apply home spray remedies after every rain. It doesn't take much of a rain to wash these off and lose their effectiveness.


----------



## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

http://www.jerrybaker.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=2


----------



## cilatpre (Sep 18, 2009)

This is an interesting discussion. thank you for sharing


----------

