I replanted my Elderberry bush in the back yard recently. I first wrote about growing this Elderberry bush from a small plant start back in April. Well the replanted Elderberry bush had been doing very well in its new location until the grasshoppers discovered it. Grasshoppers started eating the leaves and the bush was suffering terribly. So I set out to find a non-toxic, home recipe for protecting my plants and getting rid of the grasshoppers.

After doing some research I mixed up this grasshopper brew to repel and hopefully kill the grasshoppers around my back yard. So here is my pet friendly, homemade mix for getting rid of grasshoppers using supplies I had in my cupboard.

Materials Needed:

1 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon of grated Fels-Naptha laundry soap
1 gallon container (old juice jugs work well)
1 spray bottle
Water

Dissolve the grated soap flakes in one cup of warm water. Stir well and pour the soap mix into the one gallon container. Add one cup of white vinegar and fill the container about 3/4 full with water. Put the lid on the jug and shake well so the solution is thoroughly mixed.

Fill a spray bottle with your solution and spray around your plants, bushes, brush, grass and other surrounding areas where you what to get rid of grasshoppers. Spray directly on grasshoppers you see in your garden and other areas that you want to protect.

Apply daily and spray areas thoroughly with the solution. Make sure to shake the container well before each application.

Conclusion:

After one application, I found several grasshoppers still around the next day. After one week, I saw only one grasshopper in the treated area. My Elderberry bush seems to be free of grasshoppers and is beginning to recover. I am not sure if the grasshoppers just don’t like the solution or if it actually kills the grasshoppers but it does appear to be working to repel them.