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DH said that grasshoppers are eating holes in his tomatoes. I had that problem last year too. Is there a home made concoction that we can put on them? They just eat a small spot and then move on to another, wouldn't mind if they would just eat one whole tomato at a time.

tell DH to wait with a flashlight and when he sees one, say BOO

LMAO!!!!!bana you are so funny!

Hahaaa Not likely Thumbie! The bear might jump out!

Garlic sprays and pepper sprays are supposed to keep the grasshoppers away, but you can always go out & get nylon net & cover your tomato plants & put diomataceous (sp) earth around the bottom of the plant. Good luck.

You ladies are too funny, scaring bears, etc.

No kidding muddy...the other day DH went out and as he rounded the corner there was a 300-350 lb bear gearing up to get into the compost bin...DH yelled and ran back into the house for his gun, when he got back out there the bear was heading off into the woods.

Thanks mgt...will try the garlic or hot pepper.
The dion=mataceous... The stuff I use in my pool filter?

I had a grasshopper doing the same thing on my clematis buds. He's just eat a hole when they were still buds, but when opened, all of the petals had a hole! Rotten little buggers...

Ummmm, I don't know Thumbie...you use diotomaceous earth in your pool filter? Didn't know that. I'll have to do some research.

OK, I checked it out on google. Yup, same stuff. Interesting, huh?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mgt,

quote:

Originally posted by thebrownthumb:
No kidding muddy...the other day DH went out and as he rounded the corner there was a 300-350 lb bear gearing up to get into the compost bin...DH yelled and ran back into the house for his gun, when he got back out there the bear was heading off into the woods.

Thanks mgt...will try the garlic or hot pepper.
The dion=mataceous... The stuff I use in my pool filter?

lions, tigers and BEARS.. oh my

Thanks mgt....thats good to know


LOL bana...Ya know how many times I've heard that here.

I have been invaded by 1/4" green grasshoppers...DH thinks they are cute! And spider mites too. I haven't yet had time to figure out what to do.

The spider mites can be taken care of by spraying them with insecticide. This is what I use:
1 TBSP Dish soap
1 TBSP rubbing alcohol or mouthwash with alcohol in it.
1 qt of water.

Put it in a spray bottle & spray the little buggers. If you use detergent instead of soap, it's a good idea to rinse after 10-15 minutes.

Pepper spray or garlic spray for the grasshoppers.

Good luck. Little buggers.

YIKES...OK I'd rather have grasshoppers eating my tomatoes than bears eating me or my dogs!

One year I had so many grasshoppers, green ones, brown ones, black ones, eating everything it was ridiculous! I put on some thick gloves, got a bucket and went on a squishing rampage.

I know, gross...but effective!

Grasshoppers generally will eat the leaves of plants, although occassionally they may munch on the fruits, however, tomatoes and squash are the least favorite foods of grasshoppers and given a choice they will eat most everything else before them. That is not to say they will not eat them, however.
Floating Row Covers can help keep those buggers away from the tomatoes and if populations are large a bait of "Nosemea locustae" can be used. Neem Oil Sprays might be effective while the grasshoppers are in the nymph stage, but since this is a broad spectrum poison, and can adversly affect pollinators and other beneficials it must be used with due care.

Mgt, when I use my homemade "insecticidal soap spray", I just use a very mild soap (Martha Stewart liquid soap I randomly found in supermarket!) and water. I don't add rubbing alcohol. Do you know the reason for adding rubbing alcohol? Is it stronger and does it work better with the rubbing alcohol?

Wavy, I really don't know why the alcohol, but it is effective. I found this formula on the internet years ago & I've been using it ever since. I may just go to soapy water myself, cuz it does work.

Alcohol, when its used for a purpose, will eat through the hard shell of insects. It is used with the use of a soap--not detergent--to effectively remain on the insect so the alcohol can do its job. Its also good to apply it to the soil beneath the sprayed plant so that it can also kill larvae of the mature pest above. Then a rinse if given to remove the insecticide.

Farmers in the south-west are experiencing a heavy invasion of grasshopper--and expecting more as the heat continues. They have no quick-answer to effectively rid them of the pest so I'd say, if you can remove them by hand, then that's the way to go.

Its also good to apply it to the soil beneath the sprayed plant so that it can also kill larvae of the mature pest above. Then a rinse if given to remove the insecticide.[/quote]

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Loonie: You say to spray the soil beneath the sprayed plant and then you say to rinse to remove the insecticide???? Don't understand. You spray and then rinse? Doesn't that remove the solution and be ineffective?