Market Farming

[Robert Farr - The Chile Man <rbfarr AT erols.com>]

At least for next year...you need to plant companion plants - in this case, plants to attract the good buys to deal w/ the bad bugs.

Any plant with umbelliferous flowers (that is, umbrella-shaped) will do - yarrow, fennel, queen anne's lace, parsley or carrots let go to seed, etc.  These attract parasitic insects, including the brachonid wasp, which parasitizes the tomato hornworm by laying it's larvae inside of them.

If you see white, rice-krispie looking "growths" on the hornworm, that's the larvae.  Don't kill the worm; leave it alone and the larvae will hatch, providing you with more wasps.



Tom at Limerock wrote:

Hello,

 

In the past I have just picked the hornworms off, as there were not 'that' many.  This year is different.  I am not organic but was hoping to sell my tomatoes as 'no pesticide or fungicide' but am now considering an organic control for the worms.  What is/are good organic methods to combat these eating machines?

 

Thanks in advance for ideas.

 

Tom Anslow

In hot and dry Northern Ohio

 

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Robert Farr - The Chile Man
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