Save Tomato Plants From Bugs With A Genius Nighttime Gardening Hack

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Pests like hornworms are common tomato garden pests that will make quick work of your tomato plants. Some of these pesky bugs may hide out in the thick foliage of your tomato plant or wait until it's dark before going after their meal. This can make assessing and controlling the problem quite difficult, as you may not be able to determine what is destroying your tomato plant during the day. However, a black light can help you catch pests in the act, so you can treat your plants appropriately.

Tomato hornworms are particularly tricky to spot during the day because they usually blend in with the plant, but they glow bright green when a black light is shone on them. Some Reddit gardeners swear by this trick. After spotting the creepy crawlies, you can spray your leaves with insecticidal soap or hand-pick the worms and use them for chicken feed or drop them into a bucket of soapy water. Insecticides should be a last resort, but if there are more pests than you can handle, it's not totally out of the equation.

Your tools and timing matter. This BORUIT RJ-3000 LED Black Light Headlamp is less than $30, rechargeable, and has three modes for high and low light. It's a great hands-free option that illuminates pests so you can quickly pick them out of your plants. Wear your gardening gloves and bring a bucket. You can catch these sneaky bugs when they're most active, right after nightfall. If you're having trouble viewing the worms right away, give your plants a vigorous spray with a hose, and the worms should reveal themselves.

After spotting the creepy crawlies, you can spray your leaves with insecticidal soap or hand-pick the worms and use them as a tasty treat for chicken. Otherwise, you can dispose of them by dropping them into a bucket of soapy water. Picking the worms off might be the easiest way to limit harm to your plants. Insecticides shouldn't be your first resort, but if there are more pests than you can physically handle, choose a solution that provides ample pest control without causing further damage to your plants. You can also keep bugs off your tomato plants with DIY mixtures like chili powder and dish soap. 

One way to prevent certain pest infestations is to attack the source. Adult hornworm and corn earworm moths are attracted to light. Blacklight traps are often used in cornfields to assess and control corn earworm infestations. A similar approach can be taken to protect your tomato plants. Use a UV light trap like this Brookstone Plug-In UV Light Insect Trap with replaceable glue traps. It's $34.99 on Amazon and can be used to attract a variety of flying insects, not just moths. 

You can also try DIY bug traps for your garden.  One DIY solution involves using a small bucket or empty jug, a large funnel, and a blacklight lamp. Pour soap water into the jug or bucket and place the funnel inside. Note that if you use a bucket for this, you'll need to ensure that the opening of the funnel fits over the top portion of the bucket. Place your blacklight lamp directly above the bucket. These Bionic UV Grow Lights from Home Depot are around $30 and would be a good fit for this project. They can be set on a timer (perfect for nighttime bug catching) and have a clamp that can easily be attached to the bucket you might use for your trap.