So I tried tomatoes in pots this summer (growing, butterflies, containers)

[Butterfly4u]

because my soil is horrible to grow anything in. A few years ago I had success
growing one tomato plant in the ground in a raised bed, but I chose a container this
summer because I thought it would be easier.
Well, I bought an Heirloom variety little plant from a nursery, 2 of them, different
kinds, and planted both of them up in giant containers with cages, in container soil for
veggies, and boy did I water them, sometimes twice a day.
They grew nice and big, and then the problems started.
First there were the catipillars, huge disgusting branch colored green ones.
I couldn't even see them, they stayed perfectly still, on the branch, and I was
staring at them. I pulled 6 off one of the plants, gross, and stepped on them. Then the
other plant. How awful!
The next day, even more, and the plants were eaten. The whole branch was gone, branch
after branch. I kept looking and squooshing, gross, ewwww. Constantly picking them off.
You can actually see their feces on the leaves, if there are any left.
OK. Now I have plants that look awful. Then the worms came on the fruit.
OMG. The worst horrible looking worms I ever saw.
They crawled right into the tomato.
Brown spots everywhere on them, and I started pulling them off of the plants.
I took all the rotten wormy tomatoes and threw them at the top of a hill in my yard,
and figured I will let them rot.
I pulled the tomato plants out of the pots, threw them in the woods, and put the pots
away.
Then the rain came.
We finally got some much needed rain, finally, I couldn't believe it.
Yesterday, I'm outside and looked up to the top of this hill, and what do I see?
A perfect tomato plant, smiling out at me.
From the seeds. They sprouted.
So from now on, I am growing tomatoes in the fall. That's the answer.
LOL
Go figure.

[AZgarden]

I secretly believe the growers are putting something into these tomato plants so that they won't grow and cannot produce. Sorta like birth control for tomatoes. Then we all have to go to the grocery store to buy and it drives the price up. LOL LOL

[amberamour]

Our neighbor passed on 2 tomato plants. I have not grown veggies or fruit before. I'm strictly an ornamental person. Not wanting to throw them away I put them both in a container and sprinkled with good tomato food. She didn't even know what kind of tomatoes they would produce.

The plants grew and looked great. I bought a cage because they got quite large. No insects. One day in July I saw a teeny tiny tomato appear and got very excited. No other tomatoes ever appeared and then I read that each plant should have its own individual container. Whoops! She never said anything. I removed one and hoped that it would increase the output. I don't think I did it in time.

Two weeks ago my sole teeny tiny cherry tomato was ready for harvesting! Excitedly I picked it and our kids both had half. They said it was tasty.

Good thing we aren't relying on these plants for any sustenance. We would've starved!

[phonelady61]

you had what they call horn worms OP and maybe cut worms too you have to spray and spray In order to get rid of them and yeah water and water and more water and spray and spray and spray ..and sometimes you just cannot get rid of those worms . sorry .

[TerraDown]

You had horn worms as the big green caterpillars OP. The eggs are laid by night moths. The ones eating at the fruit are most likely a brown or skipper type moth.

Here in Florida you do actually veggie garden in winter, I hadn't realized it was beneficial that far above me. Less insect pests in winter, so I always start tomato seeds in Sept., for 'winter' garden.

Good choice. Don't give up. I don't know if you have some way of protecting your tomato plants come light frosts, but if you can, maybe try to garden like we do down here.

Beefsteaks do best in cooler situations than cherry tomato. I attempt cherries in spring here, but not as in great abundance as I get with the beefsteaks in winter.

edit: lol. Just saw Poster above me knew they were hornworms too

[Hemlock140]

Tomato horn worms are nasty, and the most effective control is to go out frequently and pick them off, then squish.
One prevention method is to place garden fabric over them. It lets in light and air, but the moths will not be able get to the plants and lay their eggs, which are normally on the underside of the leaves.

[MrsRosencranz]

BT is the way to deal with tomato worms. Bacilus Thuringiensis otherwise known as BT is a powdered organism. One teaspoon per quart of water in a spray bottle and liberally applied to the plant will knock those monsters down with out having to pick them. Completely organic and safe for plants, animals and humans. Only affects worms. Easy peasy and cheap too.

[HB2HSV]

Oh yeah I spent countless hours to pick off horn worms and feed them to birds. They hide under leaves so it's hard to spot them. Sometimes you spot them by following the path of leaves destruction.

Also don't feed tomatoe plants with too much nitrogen or they kept growing branches and leaves but not producing tomatoes.

[amberamour]

Wrens, bluebirds and warblers will keep the horn worm population in check, if you are able to attract them.
We have lots of birds which we like because they do consume their fair share of insects but it's no coincidence that we also have fewer butterflies.

[rdlr]

An old farmer here....but we never grow tomatoes any more.
We have a huge farmers market close to us, where Amish bring their veggies to sell. I bought 4 nice beefsteak tomatoes there Friday for $1.50. They are delicious, and all Perfect!

Never thought I'd buy them, since in years past we raised acres of tomatoes and sold them to the cannery. This is EASY, now!