Hippity-hoppity

  Ever since I was a kid, Leafhoppers have sort of baffled me.  They seem so innocent but can cause untold damage to plants.  Leafhoppers are those innocuous-looking critters that bounce around on the grass and other plants when disturbed.  They are hard to see except when they are startled.  Then they can leap for seemingly great distances and once again disappear from sight almost instantly.  As kids enjoying a relaxing afternoon in the cool grass, my siblings and I would catch these things by the dozens.  We thought their innocent looks meant they did no great harm.  Boy, were we wrong!

  Leafhoppers are sap-sucking varmints!  They creepy-crawl around on plants and puncture the plants' stems. The sap is then sucked out causing brown spots, crinkly leaves, brown tips and curled leaf edges. This can all stunt the growth of many plants.  Oh, and they CAN bite humans!  (Not often, but are able.)  

  I spotted the brigade of Leafhoppers on the Boysenberry vines.  They were marching up the canes to the tender upper leaves.  I know that the berry season is almost at an end but I figure that I should rid the area of as many of these guys as I can while they are clustered in one spot. The rains prevented my efforts today but I shall be out bright and early in the morning with my insecticidal soap spray.  Hopefully, I can get rid of a bunch of the stinkbugs at the same time and rescue my tomatoes from their attack!  Oh, the problems of organic gardening!  It would be so easy to fall back into using the harmful chemicals if I was not determined to live healthier!  Nope....NOT HAPPENING!