Market Farming

[Carla Maness <manessfarm AT gmail.com>]

We haven't had much luck using the organic stuff. Nolo bait works, but it takes time, a long time, it's expensive, and you have to keep putting it out. Meanwhile, those baby grasshoppers are growing into adult grasshoppers and eating everything in sight.  I've recently lost a 400' row of flowers, a 400' row of cucumbers, and nearly all of a 400' row of squash to grasshoppers. 14 flats of lettuce recently seeded were nearly wiped out due to the little darlings.

I'll be glad when my neighbor plants his winter wheat. Once it's up the hoppers will move onto his place and leave me alone. That seems to the magic cure around here. The neighbor is waiting on rain, the rain won't come, and the grasshoppers are eating everything.  This year is by far the worse we've ever had as far as grasshoppers go. And, aphids too, for that matter. They are on everything. 

I'm about ready to torch the place and be done with it. Sadly, we are still under a burn ban so I can't even do that :)

Carla

Perkins, OK

On Sat, Sep 8, 2012 at 6:04 PM, Todd Lister <toddlister1 AT gmail.com> wrote:

That's ARBICO.

On Sat, Sep 8, 2012 at 7:00 PM, Todd Lister <toddlister1 AT gmail.com> wrote:

I use a product called Semaspore Bait. It is readily available on the net. It is in the form of what looks like small oat flakes. Don't know exactly what it is but it works. It's organically approved. It works by starting a disease that spreads in the hopper population. Grasshoppers cannibalize other hoppers that are injured or sick, thus spreading the illness. Needs to be re-applied after heavy rain. I try to always have a bag on hand in the spring. I broadcast handfuls throughout the place. Not on the actual food.
It is VERY important to keep hopper habitat under control. I spend a lot of time weed eating all grasses and non crop veg. numerous sources price this product differently. ARBIC is a good source for a lot of organic resources for pest control from ladybugs and preying mantis to nematodes. Check them out:

http://www.arbico-organics.com/product/semaspore-organic-grasshopper-control/pest-solver-guide-grasshoppers-crickets

Good luck,
Todd Lister
Veribest Farm
Vesta Ga

On Sat, Sep 8, 2012 at 3:15 PM, Pam Twin Oaks <pam AT twinoaks.org> wrote:

Does anyone have an organic way to deal with baby grasshoppers and/or crickets? We seem to have millions. . .
And what do crickets eat, anyway?

Pam, Twin Oaks, central Virginia, where the monsoons may be over for now.

--
Pam Dawling
 
Author of Sustainable Market Farming, Intensive Vegetable Production on a Few Acres
http://www.sustainablemarketfarming.com/
http://www.facebook.com/SustainableMarketFarming
http://www.newsociety.com/Books/S/Sustainable-Market-Farming

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