Patiently waiting for your tomato plants to grow, hoping that garden pests don’t thwart your efforts? Finding the best insecticide for tomato plants in your garden could very well save your crop. Like humans, insects love munching on fresh, juicy tomatoes.
Of course, a handful of top products are on the market to consider. Keep reading to learn about the best insecticides for tomato plants!
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Bonide Pyrethrin Garden Insect Spray
Budget Option:
Garden Safe Multi-Purpose Garden Insect Killer
Best Biological:
Monterey Bacillus Thuringiensis (B.T.) Worm & Caterpillar Killer Spray
Best Overall
Bonide Pyrethrin Garden Insect Spray
Since 1926, Bonide has been one of the most trusted names in the plant care industry. The brand offers various pest control solutions, and its Garden Insect Spray is arguably the best insecticide for tomato plants.
This pyrethrin-based product is designed to help eliminate aphids, beetles, webworms, leafhoppers, and a wide range of garden pests. It has a second active ingredient, piperonyl butoxide, which is a man-made synergist often paired with pyrethrin.
Keep in mind that this product is a concentrate, so it must be combined with water before you apply it. Stir three tablespoons of concentrate into one gallon of water to create a 3% solution. Once the concentrate has fully diluted, pour the new mixture into any hand sprayer or sprinkler can.
What’s great about the Bonide Pyrethrin solution is that it can be used all season long. Apply it after the first bloom and continue using it up until the day you harvest your crop. It also leaves no objectionable residue behind.
Product Information
- Active ingredient(s): pyrethrins, piperonyl butoxide
- Eight fluid ounces
- Capped bottle (concentrate)
Pros
- It uses piperonyl butoxide for greater effectiveness
- Leaves no objectionable residues
- Can be used until harvest
Cons
- Not spray-ready; must be diluted first.
Budget Option
Garden Safe Multi-Purpose Garden Insect Killer
If you have never used an insecticide before, you may be hesitant to invest in an expensive product. Fortunately, the Multi-Purpose Insect Killer from Garden Safe comes at a very affordable price point. Not to mention, it’s one of the best insecticides for tomato plants on the market.
Garden Safe’s Insect Killer is a botanical insecticide that relies on pyrethrin as its active ingredient. This natural agent—found in chrysanthemum flowers—is most effective against aphids, ants, hornworms, flies, and mealybugs, mosquitoes, and leafhoppers.
Insect Killer destroys these pests on contact while being relatively nontoxic.
What’s more, the solution is packaged in a convenient spray bottle. To use, simply shake the bottle and turn the bottle’s nozzle to its spray or stream setting. Designed for both indoor and outdoor use, this solution can be applied weekly—up to 10 times per growing season.
Product Information
- Active ingredient(s): pyrethrin
- 24 fluid ounces
- 2-setting spray bottle
Pros
- Safe for indoor and outdoor use
- Very affordable
- It comes in a ready-to-use spray bottle
Cons
- The bottle is small, so the solution runs out quickly
Best Biological
Monterey Bacillus Thuringiensis (B.T.) Worm & Caterpillar Killer Spray
If worms, caterpillars, and other grubs are terrorizing your tomatoes, consider the Monterey Bacillus Thuringiensis (B.T.) Worm and Caterpillar Killer Spray.
Bacillus thuringiensis, the product’s active ingredient, is a naturally occurring bacteria found in soil and leaves. It can be used to control pests across a variety of fruit trees and plants. B.T. is unique because it is neither a contract nor systemic insecticide—it only affects pests once ingested.
Note that Monterey’s Bacillus Thuringiensis Spray is a concentrate. Before using it, dilute one fluid ounce with one gallon of water and pour the mixture into any hand sprayer. Apply the mixture to plant foliage once per week while pests are active.
Bacillus-thuringiensis-based products are some of the best insecticides for tomato plants, as they are highly effective against larvae. Start using the Worm & Caterpillar Killer Spray early on to destroy pests before they reproduce. You can purchase Monterey’s B.T. concentrate in one-quart or one-gallon containers.
Product Information
- Active ingredient(s): Bacillus thuringiensis
- 1 quart/1 gallon
- Capped bottle (concentrate)
Pros
- Very effective against worms and caterpillars
- 100% organic
- Different container sizes are available
Cons
- Not spray-ready; must be diluted first.
- Not very effective against other pests
Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap Concentrate
Many believe that insecticidal soaps are the best insecticides for tomato plants. If you want to test one in your garden, you can’t go wrong with Safer Brand’s Insect Killing Soap Concentrate.
This contact insecticide uses a blend of insecticidal soap and seaweed extract. It is rated against a wide range of garden pests, including aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, leafhoppers, and spider mites.
The formula will first break down the pest’s outer shell with potassium salts of fatty acids as its active ingredient. It will then dehydrate and suffocate the insect.
Keep in mind that this insecticidal soap is a concentrate that must be diluted before use. Apply your Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap once weekly until pests are eliminated. Because it is 100% organic and gentle on most plants, this product is safe to use until the day of harvest!
Product Information
- Active ingredient(s): potassium salts of fatty acids
- 16 fluid ounces
- Capped bottle (concentrate)
Pros
- It kills pests in multiple ways
- 100% organic
- Concentrate is odorless
Cons
- Not spray-ready; must be diluted first.
BioAdvanced Vegetable & Garden Insect Spray
BioAdvanced’s Vegetable & Garden Insect Spray is arguably the best insecticide for tomato plants that is nonorganic. BioAdvanced has been an industry leader in science-based pest control solutions for years.
The spray’s active ingredient is cyfluthrin, a man-made pyrethroid that was developed to address a wide range of pest control needs. As a result, this contact insecticide safeguards your tomatoes against over 70 different garden pests. While nonorganic, it is safe to use throughout gardens and lawns alike.
Furthermore, BioAdvanced Vegetable & Garden Insect Spray is rainproof after one hour—eliminating the need to re-spray after rainfall. Finally, the application of this product is also extremely convenient. The bottle’s nozzle hooks up directly to your garden hose for faster spraying!
Product Information
- Active ingredient(s): cyfluthrin
- 32 fluid ounces
- Spray bottle with hose connection
Pros
- Effective against over 70 common pests
- Rainproof in one hour
- Connects directly to your garden hose
Cons
- This product is nonorganic
- Difficult to use without a garden hose
Best Insecticide for Tomato Plants: Buyer’s Guide
There are hundreds of insecticide products on the market. Keep reading to learn how to find the best insecticide for tomato plants in your home garden.
Types
Before your hunt for the best insecticide for tomato plants, you should be familiar with the different types of products. First, it’s important to differentiate between contact insecticides and systemic insecticides.
As the name suggests, a contact insecticide affects the pest once the product makes direct contact with it. A systemic insecticide, on the other hand, is applied to the plant and travels through the plant’s system. The pest is affected once it feeds on the plant.
Another distinction to note is the one between botanical and biological insecticides. Botanical insecticides feature naturally occurring ingredients that are extracted from plants. Biological insecticides use active ingredients extracted from living organisms other than plants.
Finally, there are organic and inorganic insecticides. Organic insecticides are carbon-based products, while inorganic ones are not. Inorganic insecticides may feature other minerals, or they may be chemical-based.
Active Ingredients
The best insecticides for tomato plants, regardless of type, will contain one to two active ingredients. The active ingredient is the agent responsible for eliminating or repelling the pest, while other additives are considered inert.
It’s difficult to miss a product’s active ingredient, as it is usually printed on the product’s front label. Some of the most common active ingredients include Bacillus thuringiensis, pyrethrin, spinosad, neem oil, cyfluthrin, and others.
Each one of these agents affects different types of pests. So, it’s important to know which pests you’re dealing with so that you can select the best insecticide for tomato plants.
Toxicity Levels
When choosing the best insecticide for tomato plants in your home garden, consider the product’s toxicity level.
Toxicity levels are often communicated to product users via one of four labels. A red label indicates extreme toxicity, yellow indicates high toxicity, blue indicates moderate toxicity, and green indicates slight toxicity.
They may also be communicated via signal words. “Danger” indicates high toxicity, while “warning” and “caution” indicate moderate and low toxicity, respectively. Fortunately, most of the best insecticides for tomato plants have relatively low toxicity levels.
At the very least, you should keep all insecticide products out of reach of children. Inhaling or ingesting these products can be hazardous to your health.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When Should I Start Spraying My Tomatoes?
If you want to prevent infestations, you can start spraying as soon as your plants bloom. Then, continue reapplying your insecticide until the end of the growing season.
Otherwise, start spraying your insecticide product as soon as you spot signs of an infestation.
How Often Should Tomato Plants Be Sprayed?
Because spraying windows vary from product to product, follow your bottle’s label instructions.
Generally, the best insecticides for tomato plants can be applied once or twice weekly for heavy infestations.
Can I Spray Soapy Water on My Tomato Plants?
While far from the best insecticide for tomato plants, soapy water can be a viable do-it-yourself option. Of course, you must ensure you use the right soap and soap-to-water ratio. Some soaps are safe, while others are toxic. Avoid dish detergents, laundry soaps, and any chemical-based soaps.
Instead, diluted dish or hand soap for a 2% solution. In other words, mix two tablespoons of soap into a gallon of water. Before spraying all of your tomato plants, test sprays a few leaves. Check back 72 hours later to ensure there is no browning before spraying the rest of your tomato plants.
Can I Spray Vinegar on My Tomato Plants?
While vinegar has its uses in the garden, it is not the best insecticide for tomato plants. In fact, rather than eliminating tomato pests, it may repel them temporarily.
What vinegar can help prevent, however, is fungal diseases. Mix a few tablespoons in with a gallon of water and spray down your tomato plants.
Wrapping Up the Best Insecticide for Tomato Plants
Ready to wave goodbye to your tomato pests for good? Our best insecticide for tomato plants, the Bonide Pyrethrin Garden Insect Spray, will help you keep a variety of pests at bay.
Check out our tomato plants page for more information about planting, growing, and caring for your tomatoes!