Grasshopper ruining my tomatoes!!!

Allen, TX

I have a grasshopper in my garden that - according to the TAMU website - is identified as a "differential grasshopper" . Whatever it is, it is taking over my garden as it's own and DECIMATING my tomatoes, having eaten through half a dozen already (see pic).

What can I do to kill it? I saw it one day and sprayed it with insecticidal soap, but it laughed at me. I knocked it off with a stick and thought that was it, but obviously not. Now, I inspect morning, noon and evening but can't find it anywhere. Evidently it is coming out at night, as each morning I find another half-eaten tomato. I have GOT to find and kill this sucker before we have NO tomatoes anymore. I have an organic Square Foot Garden and have been trying to keep away from chemicals. Apparently, I don't have much choice if I want to continue eating tomatoes.

Somebody PLEASE help me. I live in (the inferno) of North Texas....triple digit temps every day for the last week.

Thumbnail by TXBBQ

Hi TXBBQ,
We live in Central Texas, just south of Waco, and we have 'hoppers, too! I have found the only thing that helps is to drape the plant in two thicknesses of deer netting (we got a big roll at Tractor Supply for about $10). The two thicknesses are needed because the little buggers can get through the holes on only one thickness. The netting has to reach the ground so they can't get under it to do their damage. It's inconvenient to have to raise the netting to pick, but it beats losing tomatoes.
By the way, if anyone tells you chickens will take care of the grasshopper problem, don't believe them!

Allen, TX

In doing some research online, I ran across a product that is made for organic gardeners from Safer. It's an insecticidal soap with seaweed and some other ingredient that is purported to stick to their skin, infiltrate their systems and completely dehydrate them to death. And it is safe for organic plants. Grasshoppers are among the list of pests it kills.

I bought a couple bottles today and applied it to my SFG. We'll see how well it works. I will come back and report my results for everyone's benefit. I hope I don't lose any more tomatoes. They are SO delicious...unlike anything I have ever purchased in a grocery store. I'll never do that again - if I can help it. Well, I guess through the winter months I'll have to, but spring through winter...never again.

Incidentally, I highly recommend the TAMU engineered "texas SuperStar (BHN444) tomato. It is the best I've ever tasted and produces abundantly.

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