How to Kill Aphids on Tomato Plants
Tomato plants are susceptible to several different types of pests and diseases. One of those pests is called an aphid. Aphids are tiny sap suckers that drain the leaves of a tomato plant of its necessary fluids. You can identify aphids by their pear-shaped bodies. These pests are 1/8 inch long and often black, brown, or green. You can get rid of the aphids on your tomato plants with soapy water.
Hose down your tomato plants once each morning. Make sure the water isn't coming out too forcefully, or it could damage the plants. Spraying the tomato plants will wash the aphids off. This will work if you only have a few aphids to deal with.
- Tomato plants are susceptible to several different types of pests and diseases.
- You can identify aphids by their pear-shaped bodies.
Pour water into a small bucket.
Add dish soap to the bucket of water. The dish soap must be plain. That means it needs to be free of a degreaser or antibacterial agent.
Mix the two ingredients together. Pour some of the soapy water into an empty spray bottle.
Spray your tomato plants with the soapy water. This will kill any aphids on the tomato plant and keep new aphids away. Repeat once every other week, or after a heavy rainfall.
- Pour water into a small bucket.
- Pour some of the soapy water into an empty spray bottle.
Ants Eat Aphids On Tomato Plants?
Aphids produce, as a byproduct of feeding, a sticky, sweet substance known as honeydew. The shiny honeydew can host the growth of black sooty mold and attracts ants. A small population of aphids generally has little impact on tomato plant health and these pests are usually easily controlled by natural enemies or environmental factors. If the aphid infestation is heavy, you may need to use other controls. Non-persistent narrow-range oil, neem oil and insecticidal soaps can only kill aphids that they directly come into contact with, so thoroughly spraying the tomato plant, including the undersides of leaves, is important.
Tip
You can save your soapy dish water and use that on your tomato plants.
Warning
Insecticides are dangerous for humans and pets. If you insist on using them to kill the aphids on your tomato plant, go with one that contains the active ingredient malathion.
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References
Tips
- You can save your soapy dish water and use that on your tomato plants.
Warnings
- Insecticides are dangerous for humans and pets. If you insist on using them to kill the aphids on your tomato plant, go with one that contains the active ingredient malathion.
Writer Bio
Alicia Bodine has been a professional writer for 13 years. She has produced thousands of articles for online publications such as Demand Studios, GoBankingRates and WiseGeek. Bodine is passionate about gardening, travel, education and finance. She has received awards for being a top content producer.
