If you want to get rid of them then it obviously helps to know the grasshopper’s habitat. In general, grasshoppers tend to be found in dry open areas with low a lot of low plants like grass. The low, open space makes it more effective for the grasshoppers to use their long wings. If these grasshoppers are a recent problem, then a change in your garden may have caused the increased population. Moreover, here are some interesting natural solutions.
1. Use a Garlic Spray
One thing that grasshoppers do not like is the smell and taste of garlic. Applying a bit of garlic solution to your garden won’t kill the grasshoppers but it could do enough to keep them away. Gardeners can create the garlic spray in a number of ways. One way would be to crush the garlic and mix it with water or mineral oil.
2. Use other natural repellents
Consider other natural alternatives such as cilantro. You might want to even consider growing these plants as barriers around your valuable gardening crops. Depending on the severity of the grasshopper infestation, the width of the barrier you create with the plants and herbs may have to form centimeters to a few inches thick, and would also need to be placed across the whole garden to leave no wiggle room for them.
3. Dust the plants with flour
Flour gums up and blocks the grasshopper’s mouth, which prevents it from eating. As we mentioned before, grasshoppers eat its body weight per day so imagine the devastating effect flour can have on the grasshopper population. One note of caution. When you use this method, make sure you are only using ordinary all-purpose flour. There are certain types of flour, such as self-rising flour, which contain salts that could ruin plants in the garden.
4. Introduce beneficial insects
Encourage the presence of beneficial insects like spiders, praying mantis, and beetles. Beneficial insects are natural predators for pests like grasshoppers. They feed on the grasshoppers and for the most part leave your garden alone.
5. Set up a long grass trap
Grasshoppers prefer long grass. Allow a patch of grass to grow uncut in an isolated area of the backyard. If it goes to plan, more of the grasshoppers will hang around that area. This makes it a lot easier for you to control the grasshopper population in the garden.
6. Insecticide
Purchase an insecticide. Choose an insecticide that contains either carbaryl, bifenthrin,cyhalothrin, permethrin or esfenvalerate, for control of large infestations. Grasshoppers become immune to insecticides as they grow, so spray them while they are young for the best results.
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