Tomato pests and diseases. Symptoms and Treatments

Growing tomatoes

In our garden we can suffer from numerous pests and diseases in crops. Generally, good treatment and some beneficial actions can help prevent them, but once infected, the culture will show various symptoms. Today we come to talk about the different tomato pests and diseases. We will deal with the most important ones, mentioning what are the symptoms to identify that our tomato is sick or infested with insects and how to treat it.

Do you want to know how to keep your tomatoes in good condition knowing the most important pests and diseases? Well, keep reading because this is your post 🙂

Tomato pests

We began to name and analyze the different pests by which the tomato crop can be affected.

Aphid

Aphid in tomato cultivation

The aphid is one of the most common diseases in tomatoes. You have to be very careful not to damage our crops. And it is that these insects feed on the sap of the tomato and produce fungi on the leaves. This type of fungus is called bold and by covering a large part of the surface of the leaf they prevent them from performing photosynthesis well.

To avoid the appearance of aphids, you must first eliminate the weeds that attract this type of insects. They are capable of hiding among them and assaulting our crops. We can also eliminate them through the maceration of nettles. We must spray on the tomatoes to eliminate aphids or set certain traps to capture them while they fly.

White fly

whitefly on tomatoes

This pest is the main cause of some of the diseases that attack our tomatoes. Like the aphids, they feed on the sap. The ideal conditions for them to proliferate are high temperatures and high humidity. It is more common to see them in the summer and spring seasons where conditions are more ideal for them.

To eliminate them and control the populations it is better to use chromatic traps. We can also use some infusions prepared manually of absinthe and tansy. We will use crushed garlic and dilute it in water to drive away these insects. Neem oil is a widely used product in agriculture and is quite effective in removing this annoying pest.

A very useful option is to plant some plants that help prevent whiteflies from getting close to our crops. These are shield plants and the best species for this are basil, Chinese carnations and calendula.

Butterfly caterpillars

butterfly caterpillars on tomatoes

Butterfly caterpillars are quite harmful to our crops. They feed directly on the tomato and grow inside it. We can find large holes that make the tomatoes rot and cannot be eaten.

To eliminate these caterpillars we must use ecological and biological insecticides. There are bacteria that serve to alleviate these problems and that are not harmful to humans. Its use is completely natural, so we will not need pesticides or any other chemical product.

Red spider

spider mite on tomatoes

The spider mite is a type of mite that feeds on the sap of plants. To know if our tomatoes are infested with this pest we must look at the underside of the leaves. They are usually arranged in groups and are easy to recognize. If we find a leaf that has spider mites, it is better to tear it off and not allow it to infect the rest. They usually appear due to an excess in the use of fertilizer. We can also use sulfur on the plant by sprinkling it.

Trips

thrips on tomatoes

The easiest way to recognize that our tomatoes have thrips is by seeing the appearance of green or yellow rings. To avoid contagion, it is best to place some traps in the form of posters or bottles painted blue.

To always opt for ecological solutions, it is best to use some animals that feed on these insects to eliminate them naturally. Some of these animals are wasps Limes Noacki, Eretmocerus eremicus, Eretmocerus mundus and those of the species Encarsia Formosa.

Tomato diseases

Now we go on to describe the most important diseases that tomato can have.

Mildew

downy mildew in tomato crops

Mildew is one of the most common diseases that our tomato will go through. It is a fungus that generates parasites in many other vegetables. Its appearance is due to an excess of humidity and irrigation. These conditions are very favorable for them and it also occurs when it rains frequently.

To recognize that our tomatoes are infected by mildew we must see the brown spots that appear on the leaves and whose texture is similar to dust. This is how they cause the leaves to not breathe well and suffocate.

To eliminate the mildew we must focus on removing the infected parts so that it does not spread through the rest of the leaves and damage more of the crop. Afterwards, we will aerate the area to reduce the humidity in the tomatoes and eliminate the perfect conditions for the mildew to do its thing. Clearing the harvest is a good practice that we can do to avoid areas where moisture accumulates the most and which, therefore, are more prone to damage to our crops.

If after the aforementioned treatments the mildew continues to persist, it is best to change the place where we are growing the tomatoes and look for an area where the humidity is naturally lower and we do not have to worry about conditioning the place.

powdery mildew

Powdery mildew in tomato cultivation

It is a fungus that is generated in good conditions of humidity and temperature. Most mushrooms need plenty of humidity and a comfortable temperature to thrive. To be able to recognize it, we have to note that it has a whitish color and usually appear in the upper part of the leaf. As they grow and time progresses, the leaf turns yellow until it finally rots.

To be able to fight it from ecologically we can use wettable or powdered sulfur. Also if you have an urban garden and you can put the plants in the sun, the fungus dies.

I hope that with this information you can learn how to take care of tomatoes and prevent them from pests and diseases.


6 comments, leave yours

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  1.   oscar lizza said

    Good morning I have a doubt in my garden my tomatoes were quite green and one day they are turning white, what deficiency they will have

    1.    German Portillo said

      Good Oscar, there is a variety of tomatoes that when ripe turn white. Try opening one and seeing if everything is okay inside. It is possible that nothing happens to him and he is of that variety.

      It can also be due to mildew, one of the most common diseases in tomatoes. Reduce the amount of watering and humidity.

      I hope I have helped you, greetings!

  2.   Maria Escamilla said

    How would sulfur be used in the fungus Oidiopsis?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Maria.

      You can sprinkle sulfur (or copper) on top of the substrate if you buy it as a powder. But during the summer it is much more advisable to buy a spray fungicide that contains copper or sulfur, because the dust in the summer sun could burn the roots.

      Greetings.

  3.   wilson said

    hello good ... it is advisable to remove only the infected plants or I have to remove all the plants

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Wilson.

      It depends on what problem they have, as there are many pests and diseases that can be treated.
      Now, if they have any fungus, then it would be advisable to remove the ones that are diseased.

      Greetings.