Worth it?

[Mud Creek]

Is it really worth it to plant marigolds and basil around or between my tomatoes to deter pests(specifically horn worms)? Up until the end of last summer I've never had a issue with them and it wasn't even really bad, but I'd like to get ahead of it this year just in case.


Worth the trouble or just stick to hunting them consistently w/black light?

 

[Chapman]

I'd say probably not worth it. I think spraying with BT or Spinosad would be the best.

 

[Carlos Viagra]

Is it really worth it to plant marigolds and basil around or between my tomatoes to deter pests(specifically horn worms)? Up until the end of last summer I've never had a issue with them and it wasn't even really bad, but I'd like to get ahead of it this year just in case.


Worth the trouble or just stick to hunting them consistently w/black light?

We always plants them around the edges of our garden. Partially for pest deterrent, and partly because my wife likes the decorative look, rotating the yellow/orange ones.

 

[DaveB]

The horn worms I know cannot be thwarted by poisons. Every day i get up and check the Tomatoes.

When i find one I kill him and leave his corps. I don't know if this helps deter them but about halfway through last years tomato season the horn worms disappeared.

I wish you the best of luck. They can destroy a plant in one day.

 

[tellico4x4]

Have planted marigolds a couple times before. Not sure how effective they were but looked nice

 

[MickThompson]

The horn worms I know cannot be thwarted by poisons. Every day i get up and check the Tomatoes.

When i find one I kill him and leave his corps. I don't know if this helps deter them but about halfway through last years tomato season the horn worms disappeared.

I wish you the best of luck. They can destroy a plant in one day.

They glow under a black light. Happy hunting

 

[J.A.F.O.]

We had basil all amongst our tomatoes and had a horn worm eat half of one real quick. I bought a good black light off Amazon the next day.

 

[WTM]

i still plant them, if it only attracts pollinators then im still ahead. rotate your crops amongst the garden space if possible.

to he honest, surprisingly inhave not had much of a problem with them the last couple of years but i have noticed an increase of bats.

 

[DoubleRidge]

We plant marigolds and a variety of other flowers around tbe garden for the pollinators. Still had a few hornworms last year but not bad....Note: its fun and satisfying to pull a juicy hornworm off and toss it to our chickens....chickens will destroy them! And we get all the nutrients the worm robbed back in the eggs :)

 

[Mud Creek]

We grow basil anyway so I might try some between the tomatoes but will stick with the tried and true black light. I pulled a huge one off and stomped it last year and it sounded like a TNT Pop it going off..Very satisfying!

 

[jejeffrries71]

We plant marigolds and a variety of other flowers around tbe garden for the pollinators. Still had a few hornworms last year but not bad....Note: its fun and satisfying to pull a juicy hornworm off and toss it to our chickens....chickens will destroy them! And we get all the nutrients the worm robbed back in the eggs :)

My chickens used to go crazy over them. This year, they don't seem interested at all. They love crickets though.

 

[Chiflyguy]

I got spearmint in my tomato patch and I don't have any issues with bugs

 

[WTM]

I got spearmint in my tomato patch and I don't have any issues with bugs

itll be all over your tomato patch in a year or two.

 

[Chiflyguy]

I use cinderblocks for my garden beds and I planted spearmint in the pockets so it's contained, but you ain't kidding. That stuff grows crazy.

 

[DaveB]

Last of my tomato's is on the dinner table. Not a single horn worm this year. Pretty sad harvest all in all.

 

[Swampster]

They don't really deter. They do attract some bees/wasps that will lay eggs on the hornworms, and their larvae will eventually kill them. It is a slow death so may not help this year's tomatoes but will reduce the number of them making it to the adult moth stage. I find that planting flowers around the edge of the garden "worth it" because it looks nice and attracts butterflies, birds, and many pollinators. That said, I wouldn't plant anything that might be invasive.

 

[lol]

Last of my tomato's is on the dinner table. Not a single horn worm this year. Pretty sad harvest all in all.

I got hit early this week. nearly lost all my plants before I caught it.