Successful ways to combat mole crickets in the garden

You can read about how to combat and defeat mole crickets in your garden in this article. Every gardener has encountered this problem at least once in their life. This isn't to say that this pest is unique, but it's quite difficult to eradicate it once and for all on your own.

The mole cricket is often called the "ground cricket." If one has taken up residence in a garden, a comprehensive control strategy is required. It's worth emphasizing that these insects are most weakened in damp and humid weather. However, to ensure effective control, we need to discuss control methods in order.

About the threat from below

There are numerous forums on the Internet where people actively discuss, How to deal with mole crickets in the garden And win. Because the presence of these voracious eaters causes significant harm to gardeners. Be prepared for a protracted battle, and you might even have to involve your neighbors.

The mole cricket is an omnivorous parasite, equally fond of root vegetables and vegetables. It can travel long distances and even swim. But most of all, this parasite prefers comfortable conditions—loose, moist soil that is periodically irrigated. Therefore, vegetable gardens are considered the best habitat for mole crickets.

Prevention first

Of course, so as not to enter into it later into a difficult fight with a mole cricket, you need to initially take certain preventive measures to prevent the development of the parasite in your garden.

However, it's worth emphasizing that this parasite is highly adaptable, so treatments are carried out in different seasons and in several stages to ensure success. Specifically, in the fall, you'll need to set up a special trap in your garden. Trenches up to 50 cm deep should be dug and filled with manure.

Here's the catch: mole crickets are very fond of dung heaps. They prepare for winter in the fall and, of course, will definitely notice such comfortable conditions. Then, the gardener must wait for frost to set in, allowing the mole crickets to freeze, and then destroy the manure.

In early fall, you can prepare a solution of ten liters of water and 0.1 liters of kerosene. This poison can be poured into the mole crickets' burrows, which will be discovered during the cleaning of the area and preparation for winter. As for specific methods of combating this pest, they are effective both in the spring before planting crops and after planting vegetables and root crops. It is believed that spring eradication measures are the most effective.

Options for how to fight and defeat mole crickets in your garden (with video):

1. Over the winter, gather a sufficient number of chicken eggshells for spring. Grind them into a powder and mix with vegetable oil. Bury this mixture around the perimeter of the area. When the mole cricket starts eating the "delicacy," it will soon die.
2. You can also bury jars in your garden in the spring before planting. Fill them one-third full with water. Since mole crickets live and move underground, they can become trapped in such a way and then be unable to escape.
3. When planting in spring, you can add a clove of regular garlic to the holes. This amount won't harm the future harvest, but the active ingredients in this spice will repel mole crickets.
4. In May, it's recommended to weed between rows and loosen the soil to a depth of 15 cm. This mechanical soil cultivation will destroy pest eggs. Incidentally, this procedure can be repeated in early summer.
5. The area where manure, compost, and fallen leaves are stored must be fenced off and checked for cracks. Old linoleum, tin sheets, or other materials can be used for this purpose. Bury the material to a depth of 50 cm in the soil, leaving the same amount of soil above the surface. The mole cricket will be near the pile but will not be able to get inside. This is an excellent opportunity for the gardener to exterminate the pest.

How to scare

The following are common options for combating this pest, as a simple deterrent. For example, marigolds can be planted between rows of plants. Alder also repel mole crickets from a plot (even just torn branches, planted around the plot at short intervals). Alder branches need to be replaced periodically.

It's already been mentioned that you can place a clove of garlic in the hole when planting crops. Alternatively, you can use pieces of fish (this will begin to repel the pest once the food begins to rot), onion skins, or already picked marigold buds.

Incidentally, onion peels are excellent for making decoctions. Add a kilogram of peels to a bucket of water, let it steep, and then water the crops with this mixture after each rain. According to reviews, five such waterings are enough to get rid of mole crickets.

These are the main methods that will help you fight mole crickets in your garden and win. As you can see, it's not necessary to resort to harsh chemicals, which can kill the pest but harm the soil and crops. However, it's important to remember that the battle will be long, and you'll need to have plenty of patience.