Kathleen in VA Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 I have two tomato plants in large containers right by my front door. They are about 3-4 feet high and there are several small green tomatoes forming on them. Most of the plants have large green leaves all over them, except one of them is missing all the leaves on the top most part of the plant. Each day it seems like more leaves are missing - only on the top. I have looked for worms or caterpillars - nothing. I'm not a gardener and I don't even like tomatoes. I bought these plants for my dh so he could have BLT's with fresh tomatoes. Any ideas on what's going on???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenpatty Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Tomato (horn) worms can be very hard to spot. They will devour a plant & you can usually tell they are there if you see their droppings. Said droppings are funny shaped little pellets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda S in TX Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Tomato (horn) worms can be very hard to spot. Tomato horn worms are VERY hard to spot. They have a fifty cent bounty on their heads around here. Melinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 Ok, I just inspected both plants very carefully, lifting up each leaf and I didn't see any creepy crawlies and no droppings. Hmmmm.....I'm stumped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie in OR Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Those pesky critters strip off the top leaves of lots of things around my house, unless I cover them with netting. Any chance Bambi is around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 Tomato horn worms are VERY hard to spot. They have a fifty cent bounty on their heads around here. Melinda I looked again and told ds13 I'd pay him said 50¢ for each one and neither of us could see anything at all. Do they usually eat the plant from the top down? Could it be some kind of animal, such as a deer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in MD Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 I second deer. I'm just surprised that they haven't cropped all of the plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 (edited) Those pesky critters strip off the top leaves of lots of things around my house, unless I cover them with netting. Any chance Bambi is around? I must've been replying to the other post when you were posting this. That's what I'm wondering. I would think they'd eat the other vegetation as well, though, unless there is something especially appealing about tomatoes. I also have a basil plant, two geraniums, lots of azaleas and a holly bush nearby. I also have rosemary and several kinds of mint in a raised bed not far away. Nothings' been touched but the tomatoes. ETA: We do live in the country on the edge of a wildlife preserve so it does seem likely that deer could be the culprit. In the 20 years I've lived here I've never actually seen one in my yard - my neighbors had six or seven in their yard one day prancing all over the place - but I've never seen them here. Sneaky little critters. Edited July 16, 2009 by Kathleen in VA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrianne Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Birds? They have been known to do this. (esp starlings) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda S in TX Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Do they usually eat the plant from the top down? Horn worms do eat from the tops down. It seems they stay small and just eat a little, and they suddenly have a growth spurt and eat a bunch. You know you have them, but it may take several days of them growing before you can find them. Yesterday, I paid out $5 for horn worms. Melinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 Horn worms do eat from the tops down. It seems they stay small and just eat a little, and they suddenly have a growth spurt and eat a bunch. You know you have them, but it may take several days of them growing before you can find them. Yesterday, I paid out $5 for horn worms. Melinda Fascinating! I'm going to have to be extra vigilant I see. Thanks, everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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