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Got tomatoes? Look out for these invaders


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Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED JUL 11, 2019
These leaf-footed bugs are hanging out in tomatillos, but they like all kinds of ripening summer produce. (Photo: Debbie Arrington)
Leaf-footed bugs love ripening fruit



Have you seen this bug? It can literally suck the joy out of summer, especially if you grow tomatoes.

Looking like some strange prehistoric creature, the leaf-footed bug is a real stinker. It stabs its long mouthparts into nice juicy tomatoes and other favorite targets, then sucks out the moisture.

Usually found in clusters, the young nymphs seem to appear out of nowhere, climbing over ripening fruit to look for just the right spot to dine. They quickly get big and scary-looking; adults measure over an inch tall.

Three different species are native to California. They’re related to stinkbugs and attack a lot more than tomatoes. They’re also fond of pomegranates, almonds and watermelons. Damage often is only cosmetic.

Leaf-footed bugs tend to hang out and breed in weedy areas (they love thistles) before moving into the tomato patch. (That’s another reason to keep weeds down.)

Catch these bad bugs while they’re young. The nymphs move slowly and can’t fly.

Knock them off into a bucket of water; add a teaspoon of liquid detergent to the water to assure a quick demise. No pesticides are necessary. But wear gloves; if touched, these bugs will make your hands stink.

Leaf-footed bugs can have multiple generations each summer, so more nymphs may pop up at any time after May. Keep that bucket handy.

For more on these pests, check out these recommendations from the UC Cooperative Extension Pest Notes: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74168.html









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GENERAL GARDENING

An article about gardening.

Keywords:
tomatoes gardening Sacramento integrated pest management leaf-footed bugs pests summer produce tomatillos

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Garden Checklist for week of May 19

Temperatures will be a bit higher than normal in the afternoons this week. Take care of chores early in the day – then enjoy the afternoon. It’s time to smell the roses.

* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. If you haven’t already, it’s time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.

* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.

* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters.

* Plant dahlia tubers. Other perennials to set out include verbena, coreopsis, coneflower and astilbe.

* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.

* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.

* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.

* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.

* Don’t forget to water. Seedlings need moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants.

* Add mulch to the garden to help keep that precious water from evaporating. Mulch also cuts down on weeds. But don’t let it mound around the stems or trunks of trees or shrubs. Leave about a 6-inch to 1-foot circle to avoid crown rot or other problems.

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