# what eats tomato plants??



## kuwaha (Aug 22, 2009)

something is eating the tops off the tomato plants, it's not hornworm or cutworms, would deer do this??? They walked right past the black rasberries (which they've already indulged in :mad) and peas but I don't know enough about deer habits to know if it's them or groundhogs or what?? I've never had problems with the tomato plants before!


----------



## Guest (Jun 15, 2010)

Until last year I never even had a problem with my goats messing with my tomato plants.....but something changed...not sure what, but my goats tried to eat mine to the ground. They didn't touch them until they was 3 feet tall, then wham.....tried to eat'um all down in one day. If I hadn't have thrown up a quick electric fence wire around them, I would have had no plants left. That said, I can only assume that deer, rabbits, etc. would eat them too. Not sure why though....tomato plants stink like ragweed.

Eating the tops out sounds much like tomato worm (or that green looking horned worm thing) . They usually head for the top tender parts to eat. Best time to find them is early morning/late evening. They tend to head back down the plant for shade during the hottest part of the day....really hard to find them then. I found one yesterday evening on my plants. If you see little poop dropping around on the leaves directly under where the eating is being done, then it's most likely tomato worms. 

Hope you find out something,

Whim


----------



## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Plant enough for the tomato horn worm...They are the next generation of hawk moths! They pollinate your squash and melons and gourds at night!!!


----------



## kuwaha (Aug 22, 2009)

I wondered what they turned into! And how small they start?? I've only ever seen them enormous! The first one I ever saw (5 yrs agao) I thought was a snake  Not sure I really want to feed them though... It's definitely not them though - I'm very familiar with their destruction! and this is very different... 
I'm going to put the electric fence back up and see if that helps. 
Thanks, Karen


----------



## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

Hornworms always remind me of the time I threw one out to the chickens and they all scattered, scared of it. Then my deer walked over and proceeded to eat it squirting a stream of green jelly. :/


----------



## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

:rofl


----------



## kuwaha (Aug 22, 2009)

well if the deer would stick to eating the hornworms and leave my tomato plants alone I'd be happy to let them have at it


----------



## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

Deer will eat anything, worse than a goat ever thought about. My deer also ate irish spring soap we put in the garden to keep him out of it. He snagged some earplugs, a burger and a bologna sandwich in his years with us. Would always try to come in the house when you were carrying in groceries, pooped in the family room once.


----------



## judyvansmith (Apr 2, 2008)

My goats have always loved to eat my tomato plants. :crazy
We have had more horn worms this year than I have ever seen. I have been picking them off for two weeks now. I did find one today with the white eggs on it's back. I left it to see how long it would take for them to kill it. I am not sure I can leave it on my tomato plant very long. Anyone know how long it takes for the eggs to kill the worm ?


----------

