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tiny white flies on tomato plants
I have 2 potted tomato plants on my back patio. For a while they were looking great and producing some nice tomatoes. Now that they are finally starting to turn red and ready to be picked I notice that whenever I go to water them a million (maybe not a million) tiny little white bugs come flying everywhere from the plant. I read that they are probably white flies and I should spray with an insecticide containing Malthion. Done.
That helped a bit at first, but every time I go to water I still see the little guys everywhere. I don't want to keep spraying this insecticide bc every time I do I have to wait atleast 7 days to pick any tomatoes. I was really looking forward to having an abundance in August, but now I'm just watching the good ones get overly ripe.
Does anyone have any other suggestions to get rid of these pests that is still safe for the fruit and will solve the problem quickly? I really really hope this isn't the end of my tomatoes, I was so proud of myself for actually growing a producing veggie plant this year!!
Thanks!
Re: tiny white flies on tomato plants
Try Neem oil. You mix it with soap and water, and when you spray be sure to get the undersides of the leaves - that's where the little buggers hang out and lay eggs. You'll still want to wash your fruit before eating it of course, but it's much better than the chemical alternative - even 7 days isn't going to totally remove the chemical traces since tomatoes are a soft skinned fruit. Neem oil should be available at any garden center, it comes from the Neem tree which is native to India.
Cut off and toss the overripe tomatoes, they could invite more pests as they rot.