Cricket Control in the Garden | Dealing with Pests By Creating a Natural Ecosystem

So, a listener in the Facebook Group asked me what she could do to conquer the crickets that are eating their garden. They’ve decimated their garden two years in a row.

Gardening Know How Cricket Control

So I started doing some research. The first response I got was from one of my favorite sites Gardening Know How. They had interesting facts about crickets mating during the night and that by reducing your outdoor lights you could eliminate some of your problem. They also recommend encouraging predators, lizards, birds, other animals that will create a more balanced and healthy ecosystem.

Organic Lesson

I really like these natural ways from Organic Lesson. Use a garlic spray, dust leaves with flour, introduce birds or praying mantises, (mantids? is that the plural) or raising chickens or guinea fowl. The only thing I wasn’t fond of was the flour made the crickets starve somehow…

Several articles talk about water. Crickets needing water, but it’s been my experience we see the most crickets when things really start to dry out. I was wondering could you really soak down the outer part of your lawn or yard.

I did like this article from Home Remedy Hacks about planting beneficial weeds and other nitrogen-fixing plants that crickets don’t like garlic, clover and sweet peas in your garden, as nitrogen-fixing plants irritate crickets and can drive them out.

The Arizona Extension Service recommended predators as well:

  • Many cats prey on crickets and keep indoor populations down. Keep cricket numbers down outdoors by encouraging natural enemies like lizards, birds, and harmless spiders.

They all seem to agree that:

  • long grass and low bushes give crickets hiding places you want to eliminate.
  • crickets are attracted to lights at night and water sources during the day.
  • predators including cats, birds, and beneficial insects like praying mantises and wasps can be the best way to develop a healthy ecosystem that includes some crickets.
  • and crickets don’t like strong smells like garlic.

 

About the author, Jackie Marie

I'm an artist and educator. I live at the "Organic Oasis" with my husband Mike where we practice earth friendly techniques in our garden nestled in the mountains of Montana.

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