Grasshoppers are green to brown insects that consume the leaves and stems of vegetables, flowers and fruit trees. Due to incomplete metamorphosis, their nymphs resemble adults with their wings stubs and compound eyes.
Attract natural predators of grasshoppers by planting grasshopper-repelling flowers like lilacs and forsythia or companion plants like squashes and peas. Also, create ponds or water dishes in which frogs and toads will gather, eager to capture insects or their eggs as prey.
Flour
Grasshoppers can quickly decimate a garden by devouring farm crops like corn and soybeans as well as home garden veggies and flowers, including home garden herbs. Thankfully, there are organic methods available for eliminating grasshoppers which will protect both pets and beneficial wildlife without harming plants in any way.
Flour can be an effective natural insecticide that targets pests’ exoskeletons. When consumed by bugs, it clings to their mouths and prevents breathing; eventually leading to starvation of those insects consuming it. Household flour works best; alternatively try using arrowroot or cornmeal as alternatives. When applying flour in dry weather and regularly reapply as necessary.
By adding water features like ponds or dishes to your garden, you will attract predators of grasshoppers that will help control their population. Frogs, toads, praying mantises and lizards are great natural enemies of grasshoppers, while frogs swat away nymphs while toads devour adult grasshoppers.
There are also commercially available organic products that can help get rid of grasshoppers, such as neem oil and garlic spray. Neem oil has proven particularly effective against grasshopper nymphs, and can be purchased at most home improvement stores. Garlic spray, however, has been shown to repel many different pests – grasshoppers included!
Preventative measures such as netting sensitive plants and tilling the soil semi-regularly can help minimize grasshopper populations in your garden and control a future outbreak of infestation.
Frogs
Frogs, unlike many garden pests, are carnivorous creatures who love eating grasshoppers. Unfortunately, however, frogs also enjoy munching away at lettuce, beans, carrots and sweet corn grown in home gardens – if left alone these voracious predators can quickly decimate any garden they encounter.
There are a few natural methods available to you to deter frogs from snacking on your vegetables and flowers. Vinegar may sting frogs, dissuading them from attacking plants in your area. Coffee grounds sprinkled in soil may have the same effect.
Other natural deterrents include neem oil and garlic spray. According to SF Gate, neem oil produces an insect ennui among hoppers that reduces their appetite; garlic spray can easily be made at home using items you already possess and also serves as an effective deterrent since frogs dislike its scent.
Another effective strategy for keeping frogs away from your garden is clearing away tall grasses, shrubs, and any brushy debris that provides shelter for these amphibians. You could also spray the ground with a mixture of water and vinegar – this solution may cause skin irritation or slight dehydration for the amphibians, dissuading them from continuing their hop around your space.
Row covers can also help protect your vegetable garden. These covers are designed to trap insects that hatch in spring before attacking it; however, this approach should only be utilized if conditions are cool and dry during that period – otherwise the insects might move to nearby lawns instead.
Neem Oil
Spraying your plants with hot pepper spray may deter small animals, while making their leaves unappetizing to chew. A vinegar-based spray may offer an easier alternative. Use early in the season for maximum effectiveness against nymphs but will have less of an effect on adults.
Gardeners frequently rely on natural plant extract neem oil as both a repellent and fungicide. Neem oil works to disrupt insects’ lifecycle by depriving them of food sources and reproducing. Available at many big box home improvement stores and online, be sure to follow its label instructions for proper usage.
Kaolin clay can be used like flour to seal grasshopper mouths shut. You can either purchase commercial products or make your own using water and liquid soap. Diatomaceous earth is another effective natural repellent used against garden pests – whether purchased as food-grade powder or made using insecticidal soaps. Floating row covers may also help keep grasshoppers at bay.
Encourage birds that prey upon grasshoppers by setting out a bird feeder; this will quickly reduce their population. Furthermore, keeping your yard blooming with marigolds, chrysanthemums and calendula will draw more birds, while frogs and lizards also act as natural predators against these insects.
Bob Vila suggests using an effective blend of garlic and apple cider vinegar to both kill or repel grasshoppers, using an empty gardening spray bottle (such as the CHAPIN 20000 1 Gallon Lawn Sprayer ). Combine three parts water, one part apple cider vinegar and five grams of pure soap flakes from Soap Granule Flakes; combine this solution before spraying it on your plants to cover all leaves – it should keep other unwanted animals such as chipmunks at bay as well.
Row Covers
Row covers are an effective way of protecting vegetable crops from grasshoppers, keeping sunlight and water reaching them while blocking pests and weather out. Furthermore, floating row covers allow sunlight and water to reach your crops while keeping out pests and weather – helping your plants mature more quickly while increasing yield. Plus they’re easily removable for crop rotation!
Fabric barriers held in place with plastic hoops or stakes are ideal for vegetables that need time to mature, such as beans, peas, squashes and corn. Early season leafy greens and carrots also benefit from being covered. As soon as a crop begins to flower pollinators will not have access to pollinate it properly and may never set seed. Once blooming starts the cover should be taken down immediately as this could stop pollinators reaching flowers that produce seed from setting seeds properly and pollinators might become blocked from reaching flowers that produce seed sets from setting seed correctly.
Grasshoppers are green to brown insects with long, narrow bodies and long hind legs angled at an acute angle, powerful jumping ability and large chewing mouths. According to Bulwark Exterminating, Tilling your garden in spring can help destroy grasshopper eggs that hatch within two weeks and prevent problems later. You could also add features that attract natural predators of this pest such as bird bath fountains for swallows or toad ponds for toads; adding dill and marigold plants could also draw praying mantises into your garden!
Garlic spray can also be a successful means of deterring grasshoppers and keeping them away from your crops. Combining two or three of these approaches together for maximum effectiveness.
Pesticidal Soaps
Grasshoppers may seem cute and harmless, but their voracious appetite makes them dangerous garden guests. Their diet includes grasses, flowers, herbs, vegetables and even fruits if their numbers become sufficient.
There are various easy and cost-effective solutions to curb grasshopper infestation. From household items that prevent them from munching on plants to creating natural predators that will reduce their numbers. Ponds or water dishes will attract frogs, toads and praying mantises which will capture and consume young grasshoppers as well as adult grasshoppers that would otherwise go undetected by humans. Frogs and lizards may even help kill adult grasshoppers through consumption.
An all-purpose flour dusting can also help stop grasshopper infestation, by interfering with their digestive systems and disrupting their eating habits. To use this approach, simply smudge some flour around plants before rain or watering and apply more as soon as the weather changes or you see any activity around your yard. Reapply as often as necessary!
Gardeners have reported success using an organic method known as Neem Oil to combat grasshopper infestation. Neem oil causes insect ennui among grasshoppers that makes them lose interest and stop reproducing. To use this technique, mix one teaspoon of organic liquid soap with two tablespoons of Neem Oil in one gallon of water before spraying this solution onto foliage and branches of infested plants.
Nosema locustae, available as a powder from most garden centers and online retailers, can also help kill grasshoppers slowly by targeting their stomachs. This product should help eradicate your grasshopper problem.
