I have for the last 3 yrs had a problem with tiny bugs eating my hosta leaves. is there a repellant that can be used to stop this from happening? also my tomato plants for the last two years have developed some kind of desease that starts at the bottom leaves and works it's way all the way up the plant. All the leaves turn brown and wilt leaving me with a lesser than wanted crop of tomato's. your help would be greatly appreciated.***NOTE**I have been told by local gardeners that when having heavy rain fall, the mud will splash ontothe leaves and cause them to turn brown and die.***please advise***thanks John***

Hostas are fed on by grasshoppers who make large irreular holes in leaves. Use carbaryl in the morning. They are fed on by black vine weevils (night feeders) which eator make paper punch size holes in leaf margins. Use carbaryl at dusk. And they are fed upon by slugs. No insecticide. Slugs like hostas that are well watered and mulched. Cut back on watering. If not watering - get rid of mulch.

As for tomatoes, there are two diseasesthat cause these symptoms - early blight and septoria. Use a recommended protective fungicide for your state and start right after you plant. Treat every 7 to 14 days depending on how wet the foliage stays. Stop at least two weeks before picking and eating the tomatoes. Disease will probably still attack plants but the sprays reduce how soon the plant defoliates.