New to SFG in Arlington, Tx

Catherine066 Wed Apr 24, 2024 9:17 pm

Good evening everyone! I am in Arlington, TX, and putting in my garden now. I am using raised beds, the steel ones that are oval, but utilizing the SFG method. Last year I tried tomatoes, which did fine until something (hornworms?) ate them all over three nights I was at work. I am hoping I can avoid that this year, and I am looking for tips on how to prevent the sphinx moths from laying eggs. Any tips are welcome!

OhioGardener Thu Apr 25, 2024 9:01 am

Welcome to the forum from Ohio!

Tomato hornworms are a serious problem for tomatoes and peppers, but there is no way to stop the moth from laying her eggs on them other than complete netting. An excellent control, though, is using predatory wasps, such as the Braconid wasp, to lay their eggs in the worm and kill it.

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/parasitoid-wasps/

https://www.arbico-organics.com/product/moth-egg-parasites-trichogramma-minutum/free-shipping?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_qexBhCoARIsAFgBleuYcj5rTRb3MEKxhjI7YbiwbgyLdQOVxuEUD6YibVZUAXxcXTodazkaAhtsEALw_wcB

If you see a Tomato Hornworm with these white cocoons on its back, do not bother it. The worm is arlready dead, and those cocoons will hatch out more wasps to kill more worms.

**Scorpio Rising** Thu Apr 25, 2024 2:28 pm

Welcome, Catherine066! Glad you found the forum, you will learn a lot from the folks on here. Have you read Med Bartholomew’s book yet on Square Foot Gardening? The 2nd or 3rd editions are out, both very helpful.

**sanderson** Fri Apr 26, 2024 3:13 pm

Welcome Katherine from California. $glad you\'re here$

BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) works for all caterpillars. If I find one, I drop it in a container of soapy water for dispatching. I have never seen one like in the photo OG posted, infected with cocoons from the Braconid wasp but it would be delighted if I saw one.

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New to SFG in Arlington, Tx

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