A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 Little green grashoppers

Hi, all! I have little green grasshoppers that seem to enjoy munching on all my plants, especially my hibiscus and coleus plants. I've also found caterpillars enjoying themselves on the vegetation, too. Is there anything I can put out to repel these darn things? I hate to use pesticide because I have plants to attract butterflies. HELP!!!!

Well, never mind...I lost my patience when these wretched green pests attacked my hibiscus cuttings that I've so carefully nurtured for the last 3 months. I gave up and bought some insecticidal oil spray.
That'll teach 'em!! Eat my little babies, will you... :p :p

Sheritoots,
How big were the catapillar's.
If they were tiny, about say under one
inch and a bright green. (maybe a lime green)
They were more than likely cabbage worms???
I get them on my columbines.
I saw your post, I've never had them on my hibiscus, so I wasn't sure.
Not sure on the grasshoppers....
If it was the cabbage ones, there's nothing to deter them that I know of except,
A good finger pinching seems to deter that one particular one, One at a time!!
Squwish, Squwish!!
Sorry I couldn't have been more help!
How did what you did, do????
Weezie

Hi, Weezie! As for the catapillars, I don't see them too much really, but we have the same cure for them...squish, squish!! As for those little green *#!!**^^!!!!! grasshoppers, haven't seen 'em since I sprayed the plants, but I'm kinda holding my breath...sometimes these sprays can damage plants. :rolleyes: But I did read the plant listing on the container, and most of mine are on it. I left my butterfly attracting plants alone, don't want to kill my butterflies!! So far, so good, though! :p
Thanks for the reply!!

Hi Sheri,

I have had the same problem as u earlier in the summer, except it was with japanese beetles. I didn't want to use sevin dust but it eventually got to the point that they were out of control and there wasn't going to be any flowers left for the butterflies!!!The sevin dust didn't stay on long( because of all the rain) and my beeltes are not a problem anymore...
Actually, now it's the carpenter bees... They seem to be very numerous this year. They don't hurt my coneflowers, but they do damage the flower of my butterfly bushes. I thought about spraying my flowers in the evening and letting the poison stay on the flowers for a few hrs during the day (just long enough to kill the bees) and then spraying the plants down with water to wash the poison away. I really don't have many butterflies yet, but as it gets closer to fall, they will increase. I love watching them. They are so fascinating.......