How do i bring my garden back to life?
by
Yessker
+3
I had a ridiculous infestation of grasshoppers after the rain. They destroyed my pumpkins leaves, butternut squash, and zucchini leaves. It's awful we eat from those plants all the time and now I'm afraid they might die before my kids get pumpkins for Halloween. How do I remedy my situation ?
Try lime.Will restore ph level
I would also try Diatomaceous Earth sprinkled on the plants.
I don't grow vegetables so this may not work with food on the stalk. But in my non-veggie experience I've learned that if you have dying leaves you must remove them from the plant because they rob it of moisture. Do not wait till they turn brown. Removing drying leaves often stimulates new leaf growth which is important since the leaves nourish the plant the same as the roots. Fertilizer can burn stressed plants so if they're in the hot sun spread organic mulch around them to insulate against the heat. If they're in full sun and leaves are drying out, proving some shade in the heat of the day might help too. A gardener in my neighbor hood used to grow Dahlias commercially and she attached umbrellas over her plants.
I agree with trimming back the dying/dead leaves; this may help promote new growth. If the grasshoppers are still around, try to entice birds to your garden area with suet cakes and bluebird nesting boxes. Birds love to eat grasshoppers! I hope this helps.