Plants that repel grasshoppers are easy to grow with minimal care. We guarantee that you will find out how to stop grasshoppers from eating plants in this article.
Moss rose and junipers may just help you in your cause. How do plants repel grasshoppers?
Continue reading to know the answers to these and more!
Contents
Options for Plants That Repel Grasshoppers
It is quite a task to get rid of grasshoppers. By now, you must have searched for grasshopper control methods like how to kill grasshoppers, how to get rid of grasshoppers with flour, get rid of grasshoppers with vinegar, etc.; unfortunately, they do not provide satisfactory solutions. You might have even used garlic spray or hot pepper spray, but we all know how that might have ended. Plants, however, have known grasshopper-repelling properties.
1. Moss Rose
Moss Rose, also known as Mexican Rose, belongs to the Portulacaceae family and is native to South America. They are well-known flowering annual succulents that finish their life cycle in a single growing phase and do not grow year after year. Grasshoppers find it distasteful because of the fragrance. Shade your plants with floating row covers to help them do their job more efficiently.
– Growing Season
They like high heat but low humidity. They tolerate cool temperatures as long as there is no frost involved. However, they grow best when summer arrives. The plants bloom from summer to fall’s first frost and die at the end of their growing season.
Moss roses have a fast growth rate but could be a lot taller. They are only 3 to 8 inches tall and 6 to 12 inches wide. The flowers are bright red, pink, yellow, and orange, whereas the leaves are oblong with pointed tips.
– Specific Needs
The plants look and bloom their best with six to eight hours of full sunlight. They do not produce flowers in shaded areas, and the ones do not open when grown in shaded areas.
Rocky and sandy soils are not a problem for moss roses as long as they are well-draining and thrive in them. They die in soils that have too much water content. If you have moss roses in your garden in clay soil, transfer them to a container to improve the soil’s drainage.
They have low watering needs but do not expect them to be as drought-tolerant as cacti. They withstand dryness periods but flower well with a bit of moisture in the soil. If your area is experiencing longer periods of drought, add an inch of water per week to the plant’s soil.
Moss roses do not need fertilizers. However, add a slow-release all-purpose fertilizer when you plant them to support their growth. Add a fertilizer rich in phosphorus to have abundant blooms in the growing season.
The easiest way to propagate them is through cuttings. Use a sharp and clean pair of scissors to make a 4-inch-long cutting with one node from a mature plant that has grown for at least one growing season. Combine moist soil, sand, and peat moss in a small pot and cover it with a plastic bag to trap the humidity. Place the pot somewhere that receives bright, indirect sunlight and water it now and then to keep the soil consistently moist. The cuttings are ready to be transferred within a few weeks as soon as the roots emerge.
2. Junipers
Junipers are shrubs that belong to the Cupressaceae family and are native to North America, Europe, and Asia. They produce a woody, cedar fragrance that ensures the grasshoppers eat their last meal in your garden. Plant it now, and thank us later.
– Growing season
Spring is the best time to plant junipers, but it is also possible to plant them in the early days of autumn. The spacing between the plants depends on the type of species and the growth attributes.
Junipers grow about 1 foot per year if taken care of correctly. Their height varies between 6 inches to 15 feet and a width of 1 to 12 feet. The foliage color ranges from dark green to light green, blue, yellow, and various shades.
– Specific Needs
Junipers are sun-lovers and prefer sunbathing for as long as the sun lasts. Less sunlight leads to abnormal behavior like retarded growth. It takes a lot of work for Junipers to survive in shaded areas.
They do not have specific soil requirements apart from the fact that it needs to be well-draining. They adapt to every soil and are not particular about its pH, but it does appreciate the range between mildly acidic to mildly alkaline. Junipers grow on various landscapes, including slopes and plateaus, dunes, rocky hillsides, etc. But do not let all this stop you from choosing rich and well-draining soils for your junipers.
Although junipers are known to be drought-tolerant, they adapt to both wet and dry conditions. They do not like to be overwatered, so make sure that there is proper drainage. When grown in their native regions, they do not require watering except for the occasional waterfall.
They are not heavy feeders and do not need to be fertilized regularly. An extreme measure, but if needed, fertilize them once a year in early spring or late winter with a slow-release tree and shrub fertilizer to help combat the garden pest.
The easiest method to propagate them is through rooting the branch cuttings. In summer, take a 4-inch long cutting from a branch’s tip, preferably the one with a brown tip, and remove the needles from the lower half. Dip your prepared cutting into a rooting hormone. Take a pot that consists of a poriferous potting medium, like sand.
Place your potted cuttings in a shaded but warm area and keep the soil moist until the roots develop. The roots emerge within six to twelve weeks. If you live somewhere cold right now, shift your pot to a shaded location until summer arrives. Allow your cuttings to grow for a full year in the pots before you transfer them to their designated landscape.
3. Forsythia
The plant is a shrub commonly known as Golden Bells and belongs to the family of Oleaceae. It is a shrub that is native to Asia. It is one of the many natural grasshopper repellent plants grown for their appearance. Encourage natural predators to go away for good with it in your plant collection.
– Growing Season
The best season to grow it is spring, but most gardeners plant it in winter when the risk of frost has passed. It has a fast growth rate that adds 24 inches to its height in a year. The height and width vary between 2 to 10 feet.
It has an upright posture known for its long branches that bear beautiful yellow blooms in early spring. The leaves are small and do not overshadow the flowers, allowing you to have an uninterrupted look at the mesmerizing flowers.
– Specific Needs
The shrub loves the sun and needs at least six hours of sunlight daily. It survives with fewer sun exposure hours but does not bloom as much as it does with the designated hours. It prefers loose and well-drained soils but tolerates clay soils too. The plant has no specific soil pH requirements and thrives in acidic and alkaline soils. The soil must be well-draining to adjust the compact soils when needed.
The plant grows best in moist soils but tolerates drought conditions when it matures. Water it at least 2 inches per week when an extended period has gone by without rainfall.
Suppose your shrub appears to have good health and is less than a year old. Please do not add any fertilizer to it. After it is over a year old, add a cup of granular fertilizer every few weeks throughout spring and summer.
Furthermore, it is best propagated through stem cuttings in early to mid-summer. Take a 4 to 10-inch long stem cutting from a developed plant that has bloomed for at least one growing season. Take the cutting only when the blooming has completed, and leaves have emerged. Cut the leaves from the bottom 2 inches of the stem.
Mix moistened peat, perlite, and sand, add it to a container and bury your cutting in this mix. It takes thirty days for the roots to grow up to 1 inch, so water your cutting gently until then. Transplant your cutting once the roots have been established into a larger container for one or two seasons before you plant it in your garden.
4. Lilac
Lilac belongs to the family of Oleaceae and is native to Southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and some of the types are widely cultivated. Common lilac bushes are deciduous shrubs that bloom in the springtime. Plant these fragrant lilac plants to prevent grasshoppers in your garden.
– Growing Season
The ideal time to sow lilac bushes is early fall before the ground freezes. Lilac bushes prefer fairly cool summers and cannot grow in hot and humid areas. They have a moderate growth rate of about 1 to 2 feet per year. Also, they have heights ranging between 12 to 16 feet and widths between 8 to 12 feet.
The blossoms appear in branching clusters or panicles. Each flower is only about one by three inches across. The leaves are gray-green to blue-green and reach around two to five inches tall. The color does not change in the fall, and the bark of this plant is gray to grayish brown in color.
– Specific Needs
Lilac bushes grow in full sun for at least six hours of direct light on most days. They tolerate some shade, but too little light leads to abnormal growth behavior like limited blooms.
They prefer rich and loamy soil with a neutral to alkaline pH and excellent drainage. Lack of drainage leads to problems like root rot and various fungal diseases. Lilacs usually like a moderate amount of soil moisture.
When you plant young lilacs, clean them at least once or twice weekly when the soil gets dry. The drooping leaves are the plant’s way of telling you that the soil has become too dry. They tolerate short-lived droughts and require watering to cope with dry and hot spells.
Test your soil before you add any fertilizer to it. If the results do not show any need for any fertilizer, congratulations, there is a strong possibility that you won’t have to fertilize your lilacs for many years. Do not add fertilizers that are high in nitrogen, as they decrease the plant’s blooming ability. Use balanced fertilizers instead if needed.
5. Crepe Myrtle
The Crepe Myrtle is a member of the Lythraceae family and is native to Asia. It is categorized as a deciduous tree or as a large shrub.
Crepe myrtle care to eliminate the grasshoppers includes a deep and thorough spray of insecticidal soap or neem oil. Make sure to spray on the leaves’ lower surface as well. Sit back, relax and let the plant do the rest of the job.
– Growing season
Crepe myrtles bloom in late spring to early summer. They grow moderately to fast and increase height by 1 to 2 feet yearly. The height varies between 6 to 25 feet and the width between 6 to 20 feet. The color of the leaves also varies with the species. Some species have bright green leaves, others can be a deeper green, and there are also crepe myrtles with dark green-purple to bluish leaves.
– Specific Needs
To get the plant’s signature blooms, crepe myrtle needs full sun exposure. Place it where it can get at least six hours of sun daily. Any time less than six hours leads to a massive decrease in the plant’s ability to bloom.
Crepe myrtle does not have specific needs regarding soil pH, but it does prefer neutral or slightly acidic soil over alkaline soil if given a choice. It does not tolerate water, so the soil needs to be well-draining. Avoid rich soil as it produces more leaves as compared to flowers.
Water crepe myrtle often to keep the soil moist. Water the roots deeply, especially during dry spells. The plant needs watering throughout its growing season, and if you live somewhere that does not receive enough rainfall, water it as you would water a freshly planted plant.
Try to keep a light hand on fertilizers or avoid them. Add a slow-release fertilizer rich in nitrogen content if the situation is unavoidable. Test your soil to know if it is suffering from a nutrient deficiency or has some other issue with the plant.
It is best propagated through semi-hardwood cuttings. The process is as simple as it gets. Place your four to 6-inch cuttings in the water and wait for the roots to emerge, which does not take more than two to three weeks. If the roots offer resistance on the slightest tug, your cuttings are ready to be transplanted.
6. Sage
Sage, also known as culinary sage, is a herbaceous perennial that belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is native to the Mediterranean. The plant’s peppery aroma is a good way to deter grasshoppers. It attracts butterflies and other beneficial pollinators.
– Growing season
Plant sage in spring or fall for optimal growth, both in containers and outdoors. It has a moderate growth rate and is as tall as 2 to 3 feet and the same wide. Its blooms vary between white, blue, purple, and pink spiked flowers in summer, while the leaves are grayish-green, aromatic, and ovate, which are up to 4 inches.
– Specific Needs
Sage needs at least six hours of direct sunlight per day to thrive. However, make sure to expose your plant to the afternoon sun if you live in an area that experiences extremely dry conditions. It prefers a well-draining loamy soil as wet soils cause problems like root rot and, in worse cases, death. A slightly acidic to neutral pH soil works best for sage. Add diatomaceous earth to the soil for additional support.
It does not have many water needs and is drought-tolerant. Water the mature plant when you feel the top inches of the soil have dried out. Do not water the leaves as it causes mildew. Sage is a light feeder. Add compost or organic fertilizer to enhance the flavor of the leaves.
The easiest way to propagate sage is through cuttings. Take a 4 to 6-inch long stem cutting with at least one or two nodes, and make sure you cut it diagonally rather than straight. Remove leaves present at the bottom 2 inches of the stem. Dip the stem in auxin hormones (rooting hormone) and place the cut end in a glass of water. Place your glass somewhere that receives a good amount of bright sunlight. The roots emerge within two weeks, and you can transplant them wherever you want.
7. Verbena
Verbena belongs to the family Verbenaceae, is grown both as an annual and perennial, and is native to Europe. You must be wondering how to use neem oil for grasshoppers. To help enhance the plant’s pest control ability, spray the leaves with oil, water, and liquid soap.
– Growing Season
Plant verbenas in spring or summer. Their blooming period starts in May and lasts till October. Once the weather warms up, they have a fast growth rate but only grow up to 9 to 12 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide.
The flowers vary between white, pink, purple, and red, while the leaves are pear-shaped and hairy. The lower side of the leaves is slightly curved towards the stem.
– Specific Needs
The plants need a minimum of six hours and a maximum of ten hours of full sun to thrive. They bloom less if you place them in a shaded area. They like dry, well-draining soils with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Heavy clay soils lead to problems such as root rot. Remove any dense soil that the plants might have.
Keep them moist until they are mature. A single foot of water or even two per week is enough. They tolerate short-lived droughts. Verbenas are light feeders but need a balanced slow-release fertilizer to bloom according to the product’s instructions. Use a liquid fertilizer if they are growing in containers.
Clip off the stems to propagate verbenas. Cut a four to 6-inch long stem and remove the leaves. Dip it into a rooting hormone and add it to a potting mix. Cover the pot with a row cover and allow the roots to grow for several weeks before transplanting them.
Conclusion
We all are in the same boat when it comes to repelling grasshoppers. But do not worry; plenty of plants do the job. Whichever plant you decide to have for repelling them, always remember the following points from the article above:
- If you don’t mind plants that have a woody fragrance, Junipers are the best option.
- Forsythia not only repels grasshoppers but also adds visual interest to the landscape.
- Sage and Verbenas are light feeders if you are looking for low-maintenance plants.
After knowing more about these plants that repel grasshoppers, you can protect your garden.
References
- https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C956
- https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/verbena/growing-guide
- https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/sage-salvia-officinalis/
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