Aphids on Tomatoes

Tomatoes are commonly grown in every vegetable garden. Those who are very health conscious prefer growing tomatoes on their own, rather than buying them from the market. For a gardening enthusiast, what can be more rewarding than harvesting ripe, ready and juicy garden fresh tomatoes? Nevertheless, similar to any other garden crops, there are certain problems that are associated with growing tomatoes. To mention a few, a tomato plant is prone to blight diseases, fungal infestations, leaf spots and aphids. This article deals with aphids on tomatoes and ways to control them.

Aphids on Tomatoes

Apart from the several difficult to control tomato plant diseases, aphids are one of the most common destructive pests of tomatoes. These are soft bodied insects, which color varies according to the species. Aphids attack the tip of the stems and the leaves. Presence of a few aphids on the tips of tomato plants is quite common and do not harm the plants. Nevertheless, when the weather is favorable (especially during summer), they divide rapidly, leading to heavy infestation.

Aphids suck the plant sap and secrete a sticky substance (honeydew), which favors mold growth. Hence, it is not unusual to find dark black sooty molds in the aphid infected plant parts. Signs that indicate aphids on tomatoes are yellowing, wilting, decaying and dropping of leaves. In heavy infestation, it can cause stunting of the tomato plant growth. Overall, aphids in tomatoes reduce the tomato quality and yield. Read more on bugs on tomato plants and tomato plant problems.

Getting Rid of Aphids on Tomatoes

You may find it difficult to identify aphid infestation in its early stages. Upon careful inspection, you can find the sticky deposits and fungal growth, which are characteristics of aphids on tomatoes. It is very important to control aphids on tomato plants in the early stages itself. Otherwise, unchecked spreading of this insect can destroy other neighboring plants too. In order to get rid of aphids on tomatoes, you can practice the following methods:

Removal of Aphids Manually
Manual removal of aphids is practical in the early stages of infestation, when there are a few numbers of insects. You can wear hand gloves and remove them, so as to prevent skin irritation. Once removed, kill the aphids so as to prevent them from spreading to other plants. Following this, you can spray the tomatoes with a garden hose to drive away the remaining aphids (if any).

Killing Aphids with Insecticides
Hand removal of aphids from tomatoes is not practical for a large scale infestation. In such a case, you can apply soapy water to the infested tomatoes and plants. You can select mild soapy water that contains high amount of fats. This solution helps in suffocating and killing aphids on tomatoes.

Spraying Neem Oil
An effective measure to get rid of aphids on tomatoes is spraying the plants with neem oil. As per the instructions provided in the neem oil bottle, dilute the oil with water and spray it on the tomatoes. Since neem possesses insect repellent properties, this eco-friendly method will help in preventing aphids on tomatoes.

Timely and Correct Pruning
Pruning tomato plants is one way of minimizing aphids. With timely and correct pruning, you can trim off the affected leaves and prevent overcrowding. If you have planted tomatoes in pots, then isolate the aphid affected plants from the rest of the plants. This ensures prevention of aphids spreading to other plants. Read more on staking tomato plants and pruning tomato plants.

Cultural Practices to Control Aphids
For any type of garden pants, effective cultural practices are helpful to minimize pest and insect infestations, at least to some extent. For controlling aphids on tomatoes, you can refer the following tips:

• Do not grow tomato plants in an overcrowded manner, as it enhances the spread of aphids and other diseases from one plant to another.
• Make sure that the tomato plants receive adequate amounts of sunlight. If planted in pots and containers, transfer them to an area receiving adequate sunlight for at least 4-6 hours. Read more on tips for growing tomatoes in pots and containers.
• Protecting tomato plants from extreme cold and other unfavorable weather conditions also help in controlling aphids on tomato plants.
• You can also consider biological control of the aphids by inviting beneficial insects (such as lady bugs and preying mantises) and birds that feed on the aphids.

With this information on aphids on tomatoes, I hope you can identify and control this destructive insect in the early stages of infestation. While speaking about caring for tomato plants, regular inspection is an effective way to identify any problems, before they become to tough to handle.