Bugs?

[autumnfantasy]

I just got a new tomato plant & Strawberry. None have any bugs on them so far... so... is there any natural way to help keep the bugs off? Thanks!!!

BTW 1 strawberry that was on my plant was already ripe so I ate it and it was SO good!

[kyosa]

As far as I know, about the most common threat to tomatoes are the big green hornworms. They're about as big around as your thumb and around three inches long with (of course) a prominent single 'horn' on their heads. Nasty-looking creatures! And they can defoliate a plant pretty quickly. You'll know they're there if you start seeing stripped branches on your plants. At first they're hard to see, but once you've found one it's a lot easier to learn to spot them. You can either hand-pick (they won't hurt you) and squash them or get a spray or dust of bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. It's a biological agent that affects only chewing caterpillars. Won't harm beneficial insects, birds, pets or people. I don't know about strawberries. When we had them, ours were pretty much pest-free. Good luck with your gardening.

[Kathy]

I agree with Kyosa, BT is a good choice plus you can hand pick(long tweezers for me) the hornworms off.

I'm going to try dusting my plants with food grade DE (diatomaceous earth) since that is effective against any soft bodied pest but doesn't affect earthworms or bees.
There's DE that is used in the swimming pool industry but that has other contaminants-if you choose to try it, make sure it's food grade so it's pure and safe to put on food crops.

When you dust your plants, you will want to be upwind since the DE is very, very fine powder and as with any dust, it's best not to inhale it.

[autumnfantasy]

Cool thanks!!! I don't think there are any yet, they look to be in pretty good health!! Some looks like some bugs got at the other plants at the store but I didn't see the worms. So I am hoping nothing got on mine. We'll see. I'll look into that pest stuff =) There are a ton of garden places around here. I got 3 more strawberries coming in.

BTW It came in a hanging pot, however I know they got special pots for strawberries. Would they be OK in this hanging pot or should I switch them to the strawberry one? I already got 3 more ready to eat soon. I share with my rats... my boy Remy loved it. He wolfed it done LOL I don't eat strawberries & Tomatos enough to buy them.. so I figure I'll just grow them until the season is over =) Plus.. my father's last cake was a strawberry short cake.. and he passed away today 2 years ago.. so Its kinda sentimental to me.