What's eating my beefsteak tomato?

Beefsteak tomatoes are large-fruited and a prime target for pests. Tomato hornworm causes the most rapid visible damage. Aphids and whitefly weaken plants, while blossom-end problems attract fruit flies. Deer and groundhogs target the large fruits outdoors. Regular inspection from seedling to harvest is essential for a good crop.

Very large green caterpillars defoliate whole branches rapidly; dark green frass on leaves and ground below plants. Hand-pick daily; apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray targeting young larvae; use row covers on young plants to block egg-laying moths.

Colonies on growing tips and leaf undersides cause curling, yellowing, and reduced fruit set via virus transmission. Remove with water jets or insecticidal soap spray; mulch with silver reflective film; introduce or attract parasitic wasps and ladybirds.

Larvae enter fruit at the stem end or shoulder, creating rotting cavities that destroy large fruits quickly. Scout for eggs; apply spinosad spray at egg hatch; remove infested fruits to reduce population build-up.

Fruits bitten off or whole plant stems broken; deer typically browse at night, groundhogs by day. Install a sturdy fence (at least 8 ft for deer, hardware cloth 1 ft below ground for groundhogs); use motion-activated sprinklers as a deterrent.