Pest identification
What's eating my 'brandywine' tomato?
Tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata)
Signs: Dramatic overnight defoliation; large caterpillars blend into foliage; black-green frass on leaves.
Control: Hand-pick; apply Bt kurstaki; plant dill or parsley nearby to attract parasitic wasps.
Tomato fruitworm / corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea)
Signs: Holes bored near fruit calyx; internal rot; premature fruit drop — especially damaging on large Brandywine fruits.
Control: Spinosad or Bt spray; remove and bin infested fruit; pheromone monitoring traps.
Aphids
Signs: Curled shoot tips; honeydew; potential mosaic virus vector.
Control: Insecticidal soap; reflective mulch; lacewing larvae as biocontrol.
Deer
Signs: Torn or cleanly browsed stems and fruit; damage overnight; no slug slime present.
Control: Tall fencing (2 m / 6 ft+); motion-activated sprinklers; deer-repellent sprays reapplied after rain.
Keep 'brandywine' tomato pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
'Brandywine' Tomato pests — FAQ
What is eating my 'brandywine' tomato?
'Brandywine' is a large, slow-maturing heirloom tomato especially prone to hornworms stripping foliage before fruit ripens, and to fruitworms tunnelling into the big fruits. Aphids and whiteflies add disease-transmission risk. Its long season means prolonged pest exposure; weekly scouting from transplant to harvest is essential.
How do I get rid of tomato hornworm (manduca quinquemaculata) on 'brandywine' tomato?
Dramatic overnight defoliation; large caterpillars blend into foliage; black-green frass on leaves. Hand-pick; apply Bt kurstaki; plant dill or parsley nearby to attract parasitic wasps.
How do I get rid of tomato fruitworm / corn earworm (helicoverpa zea) on 'brandywine' tomato?
Holes bored near fruit calyx; internal rot; premature fruit drop — especially damaging on large Brandywine fruits. Spinosad or Bt spray; remove and bin infested fruit; pheromone monitoring traps.
How do I get rid of aphids on 'brandywine' tomato?
Curled shoot tips; honeydew; potential mosaic virus vector. Insecticidal soap; reflective mulch; lacewing larvae as biocontrol.
How do I get rid of deer on 'brandywine' tomato?
Torn or cleanly browsed stems and fruit; damage overnight; no slug slime present. Tall fencing (2 m / 6 ft+); motion-activated sprinklers; deer-repellent sprays reapplied after rain.