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Dealing with Grasshoppers

AzJon

AzJon

I did a check through the forums, but didn't find anything grasshopper specific, so here we are.
 
My guijillos have been going along nicely. Two days ago, I saw one was starting to turn red! Woohoo!
 
Today, checked back at the garden and the entire end of the chile was eaten off. There are a bunch of grasshoppers in and around the garden, so I reckon this was the offender. I doubt it was the friendly neighborhood cat that likes to mill about in my garden patch.
 
Anyhow, internet searches recommend hot chiles cooked and blended into a spray to deter grasshoppers. Apparently mine like it hot, because they have no issue eating away.
 
Any suggestions for dealing with these little buggers?
 
A lone wolf pepper turning red is usually an indication of insect activity.  It's usually some kind of hole bored in it or part of its been eaten.  We have lots of hoppers here and some of them are huge.  They do the same to us and eat the ends of a few peppers.   I've tried to eradicate them but haven't been successful.  In the past, I've used Carbaryl and Permethrin.  Some folks use garlic spray and some tout Neem oil as being effective.  I haven't found anything that was totally effective because those suckers are flying all over the place.  We don't use anything anymore.  Cats, chickens and our Eastern Bluebirds love those hoppers.  Now it's some for us and some for the hoppers.  
 
I agree with the Dangler on this one.  Gotta give the devil its due.  Plant too much, and you'll end up with just enough, if you're in a bad predicament like that.
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The real solution for a garden that doesn't want to be chemically managed, is to find a plant that attracts grasshoppers, more than peppers.  There are few pests that will beeline for a capsicum plant.  Just being a little clever, and finding some sacrificial herbage, is really a great way to handle such problems.  If one could attract grasshoppers to a particular plant, where the good bugs aren't needed, a simple knock down soap spray would be far too easy.
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Some people plant companion plants to deter certain pests.  However, I've not really found that to be terribly effective, where pests are determined, and/or any other thing is out of whack.  It works... a little.  But I wouldn't bet my life on companion plants.  Sacrificial plants are highly effective, though.  Observe your area, and see what they're eating the rest of the time.  Even if it's a weed, get pot some up, and appease them, until you can whack them. 
 
I always have some crickets in the container plants growing in my backyard and recognize the munching they do on leaves.  The damage isn't bad so I've just let them be - also I haven't seen any pod damage I attribute to them so it was kind of a no-harm-no-foul deal.  This season I toyed with the idea of buying some praying mantis egg sacks to release in the backyard.  I think for a relatively small scope grow that could have an effect on bigger bugs like crickets and stink bugs, plus the mantises are kinda cool to see around.  Of course, that takes starting ahead by putting out egg sacks in the spring and for a bigger grow or significant infestation probably wouldn't do a whole lot.
 
Good luck with the rest of your guajillo avoiding a similar fate. 
 
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