Squash bug war

To all my gardening friends locked in mortal combat w/ the evil squash bug, who think you are holding your own. I have a challenge for you tomorrow, take your water hose w/ a spray attatchment and spray the base of your squash plants in the middle of the mass of stems if you dare!!!!! Be prepared to squish, cuss, and cry. Also be prepared for the nightmares that are sure to follow. But don't give up we can exploit this weakness in them for our advantage!!!!!!!!!

I haven't gone to war with the squash bugs just yet.... but man, I am getting those stink bugs laying eggs all over the raspberry plants and headed straight for my unripe tomatoes! UGH!!!!

Squishing stink bugs means I really have to SCRUB my hands.... yuck!

Squash bugs / stink bugs ..................................... I know they are technically the same thing, but close enough for me!!!!!

Now is the time for you to plant a 2nd crop of squash if your climate allows it. I started my 2nd planting from seed last week and will do so again by July first. That way you will have more plants ready if the war fails for this crop.

Kassaundra said:

To all my gardening friends locked in mortal combat w/ the evil squash bug, who think you are holding your own. I have a challenge for you tomorrow, take your water hose w/ a spray attatchment and spray the base of your squash plants in the middle of the mass of stems if you dare!!!!! Be prepared to squish, cuss, and cry. Also be prepared for the nightmares that are sure to follow. But don't give up we can exploit this weakness in them for our advantage!!!!!!!!!

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We had to pull out Austins pumpkins yesterday. They were just too far gone. I burned the stems tho.. LOL

We're going to plant more here in the next few days.

I have planted some extras this week, just in case.

Your challenge scared me! I have lost all of my first yellow and zucchini squash to squash bugs and haven't been able to get any leverage. It's my first time dealing with them..I'm hoping to be able to get a second crop in next weekend away from the first. I have basically just given up on the first ones..I hate those things..

The only way to be successful against them that I know of w/o using chemicals is to be ready at the beginning several times a week inspect every plant and squish every egg, nymph, and bug you find. You need to do something about your plants you are "giving up on" if you just let them be as soon as they have killed those they will go on to your new squash, they also will go after nearly any garden plant, they just prefer squash and cukes and will kill those first.

Your infested plants should either be destroyed. You could use chemicals since you aren't going to eat off of them and if they are that bad off there likely won't be any good insects to worry about. Or if you have a flame weeder or something similar you could super heat (or burn) depending on your area and climate the area to kill the bugs and nymphs, or just squish everything that moves. Either way kill them now.

I consider it a win if my last squash plant dies of frost and not those nasty bugs.

Kassaundra, I planted these away from my garden in a weedy spot, so I didn't keep a good eye on them. Since the plants are dying anyhow, what kind of chemical can I use? I initially sprayed them with Sevin and it didn't even begin to deter them.


For the next crop, I'll be planting them in my raised beds on the other side of my yard which I can watch closer..

I don't use chemicals, but I thought seven would work on the nymphs, I don't think there is anything that will kill the adults. Maybe someone who knows more about the chemicals will chime in.