caterpillars on my tomato plants

How can I get rid of caterpillars on my tomato plants without using harsh insecticides.

I usually squish them with my fingers, but bacillus thuringiensis works, and is considered "organic"

I buy mine from here:

http://homeharvest.com/bt.htm

Misty, are they hornworms?

you can try this its my recipe and works well and helps them grow too ;

BUG B GONE FROM YOUR GARDEN SPRAY
THE NATURAL WAY
6 Jalapeños
4 Cloves of Garlic
1 Yellow (Hot) Onion
1 Cup of Ground /Crushed Red Pepper
*Grind all ingredients in blender let set.
* Boil 4 Quarts of water to raging boil.
Put Ingredients in one (1) Gallon (Wide Mouth) Jug or Equivalent.
Pour Hot water in on top, let stand 48 hours.
Strain mix through panty hose.(NOT wife’s good ones! Ya could get hurt)
Mix will yield one gallon that can be mixed in 2 ½ gal sprayer.(Add cool water to fill line)
***Spray New and growing plants until fruit starts to grow well.
There is not a bug or critter around that will bother you garden.
*** The Bees don’t Care****

My right foot is considered organic. I pick 'em off and squoooosh 'em.
;-)

I'm sure Misty would love for you to help her out LOL

I cut the leaves and bury them!! I can not squeeze them!! LOL!!!

Bellieg, lol, that's what I do.

I used to squish Japanese Beetles too, until one bit me! Now I knock them into a tub of soapy water.

I hang My verson of the JB trap in the garden and let it do the work .yellow fins attached to a bag wen full crush and too the compost plie for plant growth He he he .

I know it's probably not the smartest thing to do, but when I get a hornworm on my tomato plant, I pick the stem that it's on and carry it away from the garden and into the woods. I sure do hate to kill anything.

This message was edited Jun 6, 2010 10:43 AM

that sure makes for a small plant if there are a bunch of them on the plant. i think i'll spray them and save my plants and Veggies .;>)

The most I've ever seen is two hornworms, so it's not a problem for me to just relocate them. They turn into the most beautiful moth!

If you can relocate them to a sacrifice plant so to speak the moths are beautiful and beneficial. The hornworms themselves though can strip a plant overnight. Nasty guys. The big ones I don't like to touch - they creep me out when they start thrashing around - eeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Those ones I take my garden scissors and cut them in half.

Here's one of mine from last summer. This one I clipped the stem and tossed it in a bucket of water.

i only get the little bright green guys, so I take them into the front yard and give them to the neighbor kids to play with. the little girls get especially excited cause i told them they turn into butterflies. I just remembered how thrilling it was for me to see a caterpillar as a kid. haha.

It was thrilling until you found out they eat your prized 'mater plants - lol... I get the bright green guys too. I think the color they are depends on what they are eating cuz they are sure hard to spot when you're looking for them. I do most of my bug patrol at night with a little headlamp - easier to spot those buggers!

the little green guys like my lettuce! they hang out under the leaves but i patrol for them, its gotten to the point where the little girls always ask if I have more for them to play with! hehe. I can't bring myself to squash them, but if the little neighbor girl accidentally does thats fine.

I think Misty99 must have fainted from the thought of having to squish caterpillars with her bare hands, 'cause she hasn't returned to her thread ^_^