Pest identification
What's eating my pineapple tomato?
Tomato Hornworm
Signs: Large green caterpillars strip foliage rapidly, leaving bare stems and dark frass pellets on leaves below.
Control: Hand-pick and drop in soapy water; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray; encourage parasitic wasps by planting dill nearby.
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on shoot tips and leaf undersides cause curling, honeydew deposits, and sooty mould on fruit.
Control: Spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil; attract hoverflies with flowering herbs; avoid excess nitrogen.
Whitefly
Signs: Tiny white flies flutter from leaves when disturbed; nymphs suck sap causing yellowing and reduced vigour.
Control: Use yellow sticky traps; apply insecticidal soap weekly; introduce Encarsia formosa under glass or in polytunnels.
Slugs & Snails
Signs: Holes chewed into low-hanging or fallen ripe fruit overnight; silvery slime trails visible at soil level.
Control: Lift fruit trusses off the ground with supports; set iron phosphate bait around plants; hand-pick at dusk.
Keep pineapple tomato pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Pineapple Tomato pests — FAQ
What is eating my pineapple tomato?
Pineapple Tomato, a large beefsteak variety, is most troubled by tomato hornworms and aphids outdoors. Hornworms can strip entire branches overnight. Slugs attack ripe fallen fruit, and whiteflies weaken plants in warm sheltered spots. Regular scouting and companion planting with basil deter key pests.
How do I get rid of tomato hornworm on pineapple tomato?
Large green caterpillars strip foliage rapidly, leaving bare stems and dark frass pellets on leaves below. Hand-pick and drop in soapy water; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray; encourage parasitic wasps by planting dill nearby.
How do I get rid of aphids on pineapple tomato?
Dense colonies on shoot tips and leaf undersides cause curling, honeydew deposits, and sooty mould on fruit. Spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil; attract hoverflies with flowering herbs; avoid excess nitrogen.
How do I get rid of whitefly on pineapple tomato?
Tiny white flies flutter from leaves when disturbed; nymphs suck sap causing yellowing and reduced vigour. Use yellow sticky traps; apply insecticidal soap weekly; introduce Encarsia formosa under glass or in polytunnels.
How do I get rid of slugs & snails on pineapple tomato?
Holes chewed into low-hanging or fallen ripe fruit overnight; silvery slime trails visible at soil level. Lift fruit trusses off the ground with supports; set iron phosphate bait around plants; hand-pick at dusk.