I have a small garden with potted plants on my porch, but I've been struggling with hornworms. I've already spotted several of them munching on my tomato plants, and I'm not sure how to handle this situation. I've heard about using seven dust as a deterrent, but I really don't want to just buy random chemicals from the store. What would you recommend to effectively get rid of these pests without going too overboard? I'm located in Middle Tennessee.
2 Answers
Using pesticides can be tricky because while they might last longer without needing to be reapplied, they can also stick around on your food longer, which isn't great. If you want something that breaks down quickly, you might need to reapply often, which can be more work. I really think you could just keep doing what you're doing—hand-picking the hornworms and using a black light at night. It's effective and you won't have to worry about all the chemicals ruining your food or cleaning up after.
Honestly, hornworms can be controlled pretty easily by just hand picking them off your plants. I know people often jump to chemicals, but unless you've got a huge farm, that's usually not necessary. A lot of folks suggest using a black light at night to help spot the little guys since they're easier to see then. Try that out and see how it goes!