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culdeus
Joined: 18 Mar 2004
Posts: 101
Location: Dallas TX
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| Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 7:01 pm Post subject: OMG tops of tomato vines totally defoliated |
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Went away for a weekend trip and when I come back the tops of my old vines have been stripped bare. All of them. Really just the tops, the vines touching the ground are ok.
I was about ready to pull up all the vines anyway but I'm concerned about my fall tomatoes which are as of yet untouched.
I can't find anything that looks suspicious. I will check in the morning. |
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Gar
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Posts: 533
Location: Lavon,Texas
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| Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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| It probably was done by the tomatoe horn worms. They are big green caterpillers. The same thing happened to my tomatoe plants. I was away, on business for a week and when I returned mine were the same condition and now they are drying up and dieing. But thats ok. I got alot of tomatoes off of the six plants and was starting to get tired of eating them everyday. Earlier in the year, I picked off 7 horn worms in one day. They were at least 3/4 inch across and 2 inches long. I picked them off and down the air stack in the compost bin they went. If you happen to find any of them, don't be shocked how big they get. Just pick them off and stomp on them. |
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dragonfly
Joined: 20 May 2003
Posts: 526
Location: parker county, texas
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| Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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| It does sound like tomato hornworms. Just prune off the defoliated stems, and the plants should do fine. I've never seen permanent damage from the hornworms, and to be honest, although they are not well-received to gardeners in general, they are beautiful caterpillars that turn into beautiful moths. This time of year, tomato plants usually cease production until September or so anyway. |
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sandih
Joined: 04 Apr 2003
Posts: 997
Location: Dallas,TEXAS
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 7:28 am Post subject: |
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| We found one, doing the same thing on our tomatoes just the othre day. That's also what we suspect got ahold of one of my jalepeno plants. |
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culdeus
Joined: 18 Mar 2004
Posts: 101
Location: Dallas TX
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 8:21 am Post subject: |
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I found one after looking at every last one of my plants. The sucker did not want to let go either, had to cut the stem off. I hope they don't work in pairs!
What brings these things in? They don't look like the swiftest of movers. |
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dragonfly
Joined: 20 May 2003
Posts: 526
Location: parker county, texas
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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| They are one of the stages of the sphinx moth. Have you ever seen a sphinx moth? Beautiful. |
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culdeus
Joined: 18 Mar 2004
Posts: 101
Location: Dallas TX
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| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 8:11 am Post subject: |
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| Count is now up to 9 removed yesterday and today. |
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