Fight whiteflies without chemicals
They do not spare tomato plants either in the field or in the greenhouse. White flies (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) are 1-2 mm small, floury-powdered insects that multiply explosively in summer. The females lay their white eggs by the hundreds on the undersides of the leaves. Tiny, tiny larvae hatch from this and enjoy the foliage. If the infestation pressure is high, the plant dies. How to take action against the pests:
- Protect the tomato plants in the bed with a close-meshed insect net
- Place marigolds and nasturtiums as underplanting
- Spread beneficial insects in the greenhouse, such as parasitic wasps, ladybugs or the predatory bugs Macrolophus caliginosus
- Hang up yellow boards
- Shake the plants to catch the swarm of flies with the vacuum cleaner
- Do not plant tomatoes too closely, no more than 2 specimens per square meter
also read
- Biologically control caterpillars on tomatoes
- Do tomatoes also thrive in partial shade?
- Thinning tomatoes - this is how you attract larger fruits
To prevent this, make a broth from oak leaves and nettle leaves and sprinkle over the bedding soil. Also work in the soil, a natural remedy for pest control.
Drive black flies off tomatoes
If black flies besiege your tomato plants, they are mostly thrips (Thysanoptera), also known as thunderstorm flies. Silvery blisters on the top of the leaves and black stains on the underside indicate an attack by the 1-2 mm small insects. Their larvae develop in the root area and cause considerable damage there. How to ward off the plague:
- hang up blue glue boards to catch the adult flies
- Remove and destroy infected parts of the plant
- Apply lacewing larvae or predatory mites in the greenhouse
- Brown soil attracts thrips, so mulch with light-colored straw
- Fertilizing with nettle manure prevents thunderstorms
- Repot tomatoes in a pot culture in fresh, disinfected substrate
Tips & Tricks
Potting soil is often infected with insect eggs. So that fly larvae do not attack tomato seedlings during sowing, the substrate is disinfected beforehand. Place it in an ovenproof dish with the lid on for 30 minutes at 180 degrees or in the microwave for 10 minutes at 800 watts.
