Was just about to trellis them up with some cattle panel behind them and poles in the front. They’re in 8’x2’ beds with 8 plants in each row. About to leave on vacation for a week so just letting them do their thing until I get back. Plan to fertilize heavily with nitrogen to try and promote with leaf growth (the flowers are still looking good!) and mulch before I leave. If they’re still kicking I’ll invest in some kind of netting, otherwise I’ll use this area to plant something else (and maybe still invest in netting?) I don’t have high hopes but the best I can do is get a Plan B rolling.
by Redhotkcpepper
13 Comments
Can you take a closer picture of the leaves? It might be army worm or hornworm damage. They are quick and can go through a whole plant in 1 day.
Edit: bigger critters usually pull out the whole plant and damage the entire plant including stems. Worms, caterpillar and beetles usually attack just the tender part of the leaves or sometimes the fruit but generally leave the stems alon, except for cut worms and squash beetle larvae.
Wow – I didn’t think any insect or animal liked tomato leaves that much. You can try to revive them but I sense even if they live, they might not thrive. I’d consider hitting the garden center and getting some new ones & protect them – or eliminate the vermin without prejudice.
Netting is useless. You need hardware cloth fencing.
They’ll come back, not sure what your growing season is.
P.S.
That’s some crowded growing conditions if you aren’t growing small tomatoes.
Just a FYI, if you see one, there is more than one. So, if you trap them, keep trap out as mother and typically two babies are around. I have 24” chicken wire around my bed.
Wabbit season?
I also like tomatoes, but not as much!
.22LR
Mine started looking like that and I found a well fed camouflaged caterpillar. Stomped him and keep an eye out now.
F
That’s heart breaking
Chicken wire fencing!
Sir you have snakes in your planter box.
If you can protect them they will grow back.
I have possums and rats that eat my tomato seedlings. I have some this season that I left out overnight without protection right before they were ready to plant out and they were chewed right down, some had no leaves at all left. My season is long so I continued to care for the stumps and they have made a come back. I’m a month behind but they are just about ready to be planted out now and look great.