Those dastardly things are back

[BensMom]

Grasshoppers

I saw a few very tiny ones today.
I have tried the bait.
Won't use sprays.

Argh!!!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

1. I hate them with the very core of my being.

They're almost as bad as corrupt Republican politicians. When they're chomping away on a ripe tomato I'd been waiting to pick, they may even be worse.

They never die here anymore. They over winter in our mild winters and the adults start feeding again as soon as it begins to warm. Then their evil spawn begin showing up and the defoliation rate intensifies.

I've been using Nosema locustae bait for the past 5 years on my three acres and on my neighbors three acres adjacent to mine. We've neither one seen much relief beyond a lowered population of nymphs which are quickly replace by migrating adults. :(

[NJCher]

2. I used that stuff years ago

Now, come to think of it, I haven't seen a grasshopper in an age!



Cher

[bhikkhu]

3. One advantage of the mountains...no 'hoppers

or at least none to speak of. Out on the trails sometimes I might scare one up, but I've never seen a single one in the garden.

On the downside...things are still fairly consistently cold. I found my first tomato bud the other day, but the plant (an heirloom) is still only 10" or so, like all the others.

[badgerpup]

4. Here's a spray I use...got it from the Jerry Baker compendium.

Jerry Baker has several books out for seriously organic gardening...and it's NOT just 'pick the slugs off the leaves' organic.

The original recipe calls for Fels Naphtha soap...which I had get over the internet because nobody carried it here.

Tobacco tea*
Antiseptic mouthwash (mint flavor if you have nematodes)
Either Dove or Ivory dishsoap (NO DETERGENTS!)

I use about a 1:1:1 ratio of these ingredients in one of those cheap little quart sprayers you can put on your hose. To make your life easier, add the soap last, after you've added water to fill the container to a bit below the '20 gallon' mark. Stuff foams like hell otherwise. ;)

Spray all surfaces of your plants until they are dripping. You want to make sure you get the underside of the leaves and places where the bugs hang out.

This takes out aphids, hoppers, webworms, earwigs, and discourages neighborhood critters from coming around for a day or two because they find the smell very strong and unpleasant.
I've used it on my eatin' plants without bad effect; just be sure to wash stuff when you bring it in before you use it.
I don't include the Fels Naphtha because even boiled down and emulsified with Ivory, it clogs the sprayer. Stuff works pretty well without it though...

I recommend that you use gloves while spraying, and wash your clothes and shower afterwards. You may find it irritates your skin otherwise.

*Tobacco tea...how you meks it.
1 pkg chewing tobacco (I use Red Man...been told this is the strongest, but YMMV).

A one-gallon glass container you won't mind not being able to use for anything else.
Something to use as a strainer (a 6" square piece of coarse cloth works well...again, you want something you can dispose of afterwards)
A one gallon container for storing this stuff...a well-rinsed bleach jug is excellent for this.

Put the tobacco in the jar and add fairly hot water and then set it where it will get the sun for about 2-3 days. Cap it, but not tightly.
This is very important.
You don't want stuff (small children, animals, etc.,) getting into it, because it's toxic, but you don't want it sealed tightly, because this stuff ferments as it's brewing and tends to build up pressure.
I came very close to finding out about this the hard way; opened the bottle and a lot of gas escaped.

When it's nice and murky (and it's gonna stink), strain it into the plastic storage jug.
Cap it, but leave the lid loose enough so it can vent.
Label carefully about its contents and toxicity, and put out of reach of children and idiots who don't read labels saying:
TOXIC. POISON. YUCKY STUFF. DOESN'T TASTE GOOD. PUT IT BACK WHERE YOU FOUND IT RIGHT NOW.
There's always one who thinks s/he knows better...:eyes:

Aong with Jerry Baker's books, here are two very good "green" companies:
Nitron Industries
Gardens Alive!
:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[EstimatedProphet]

5. Do you think neem oil would take care of them?