Pest identification
What's eating my 'sungold' cherry tomato?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on soft shoot tips and undersides of leaves; honeydew; wilting growing tips.
Control: Insecticidal soap; release ladybugs/ladybirds; reflective silver mulch at base deters winged migrants.
Tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata)
Signs: Rapid stripping of leaves; large caterpillars on stems; frass below plant.
Control: Hand-pick; apply Bt spray; inspect plant tops daily as vines grow tall.
Whitefly
Signs: White insects cloud up when disturbed; yellowing and sticky leaves; sooty mould develops.
Control: Yellow sticky traps; insecticidal soap on leaf undersides; avoid nitrogen over-feeding which promotes lush growth they favour.
Birds
Signs: Pecked or hollowed ripe fruits; damage typically on the sunny, visible side of trusses.
Control: Drape fine bird netting over trusses; use reflective tape or visual deterrents; harvest as soon as fruits colour up.
Keep 'sungold' cherry tomato pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
'Sungold' Cherry Tomato pests — FAQ
What is eating my 'sungold' cherry tomato?
'Sungold' cherry tomato is a prolific, vigorous variety highly attractive to aphids and whiteflies on its abundant foliage, and to birds pecking the bright orange fruits as they ripen. Hornworms can strip vines fast. Fruit cracking after rain also invites secondary pests. Net fruit trusses or harvest promptly to minimise losses.
How do I get rid of aphids on 'sungold' cherry tomato?
Dense colonies on soft shoot tips and undersides of leaves; honeydew; wilting growing tips. Insecticidal soap; release ladybugs/ladybirds; reflective silver mulch at base deters winged migrants.
How do I get rid of tomato hornworm (manduca quinquemaculata) on 'sungold' cherry tomato?
Rapid stripping of leaves; large caterpillars on stems; frass below plant. Hand-pick; apply Bt spray; inspect plant tops daily as vines grow tall.
How do I get rid of whitefly on 'sungold' cherry tomato?
White insects cloud up when disturbed; yellowing and sticky leaves; sooty mould develops. Yellow sticky traps; insecticidal soap on leaf undersides; avoid nitrogen over-feeding which promotes lush growth they favour.
How do I get rid of birds on 'sungold' cherry tomato?
Pecked or hollowed ripe fruits; damage typically on the sunny, visible side of trusses. Drape fine bird netting over trusses; use reflective tape or visual deterrents; harvest as soon as fruits colour up.