WTF?
The grasshhoppers have eaten my squash, literally overnight.
Last night when I watered they looked perfect (and I've been harvesting lots!) and between last night and now the grasshoppers have found them!
I have a huge locust investation, this is just a small picture, they are covering my fence, all the tree trunks and anything green I have.
How do I get rid of them? I'd like to be "green" about it, but I'd be up for about anything right now!
If they go near my tomatoes, I'm pulling out the pesticide!
4 comments:
Egads! That is aweful! Maybe try soapy water and spray it on your squash leaves?
Found this stuff on-line...
I made up a concoction of garlic and chilli spray, by soaking chopped chillies and garlic in parafin oil. This is a base that I then dilute before spraying. Works very well in my vegie patch if I spray every couple of days.
Spray the plants that you are trying to keep the locust off with garlic oil. Garlic oil has been found to be an effective means of repelling locust organically. Neem oil can also be sprayed on the plants to disrupt the growth of the locust. Both of these have to be re-applied periodically.
Plant calendula or horehound as a barrier around the plants that the locust are eating. Both of these act as a natural repellent for locust
Burn green branches to make smoke if you are trying to drive a swarm of locust off your crops. Although this doesn't always work, some farmers have had success smoking the locust out.
Bring in predators. The most effective way to control locusts organically is to keep chicken or ducks in your yard and garden. Chicken and ducks both eat locust. If you do not want to keep chicken or ducks, try encouraging birds, such as magpies, to take up residence in your yard
...You have chickens! Turn em loose for a while...maybe...
I do use Neem oil for my bag worms (remember the video of that creature eating my tree) - it not the nicest smelling stuff!
Yes we have chickens, but if I turn them loose there - the dogs will eat them before they eat the grasshoppers.
Thanks for the ideas - I like the garlic oil one, it's like pre-basting my vegetables!
I tried the soapy water, and the eating has stopped - but I didn't think about having to reapply often.
Oh by the way, I changed the address of my blog to whitneysnell instead of whitneyphillips at blogspot.com, so mom said I needed to tell you so you could change links!
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