lesa
Garden Master
They did not touch mine last year- so, I am hoping I am safe...
Declaring war on squash vine borers
- Thread starter wsmoak
- Start date
hangin'witthepeeps
Deeply Rooted
I planted a zucchini in a half barrel this year (actually two). I waited until it had flowers starting to grow then planted my other zucchini's in the ground in the garden.
My plant was beautiful....
and got bigger
then was attacked
I then dragged the barrel out of the garden, poured Sevin dust all over it and covered it in netting. I killed all those dern squash bugs and vine borers on that plant. I even laughed evil-ly when I watered it and watched those squash bugs climb on the poison laden stems getting away from the water. Ha..... Ha, Ha, HA!!!!
I will plant a sacraficial zucchini in a barrel next year, just so that I can chant DIE Squash Bug, DIE, ha...... ha, ha HA!!!
I still have the zucchini (one survived). I can't eat the zucchini it produces, but I like the cool reminder. Ha.... ha, ha, HA!!!
BTW, my zucchini's in the ground are producing tons of zucchini's and couldn't be more happier.
My plant was beautiful....
and got bigger
then was attacked
I then dragged the barrel out of the garden, poured Sevin dust all over it and covered it in netting. I killed all those dern squash bugs and vine borers on that plant. I even laughed evil-ly when I watered it and watched those squash bugs climb on the poison laden stems getting away from the water. Ha..... Ha, Ha, HA!!!!
I will plant a sacraficial zucchini in a barrel next year, just so that I can chant DIE Squash Bug, DIE, ha...... ha, ha HA!!!
I still have the zucchini (one survived). I can't eat the zucchini it produces, but I like the cool reminder. Ha.... ha, ha, HA!!!
BTW, my zucchini's in the ground are producing tons of zucchini's and couldn't be more happier.
Ridgerunner
Garden Master
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I'm pretty sure Vfem knows the difference but I'll post these photos anyway. I've seen others get confused between the two on this forum.Greenthumb18 said:Lesa- Hmmm I thought butternut squash would be safe from the borers, maybe not thenlesa said:. Just in case I'll definitely try to bury the stems and maybe cover the plants from those borers.
The borer
Then the Squash Bug, the one that I really hate.
I've had good luck splitting the stalk and taking the borer out, but the bugs soon overwhelm mine. I'm not trying to grow any squash this year because of the bugs, not the borer. I'll see if a year of starving them cuts the numbers back any next year.
gardentoad
Attractive To Bees
We are still kind of new to gardening, we have done it in the past but
Only a few plants at a time,and never really paid a lot of attention to all the bugs, well this year we have planted a few more items and have made our garden a lot bigger for next year, have even started a compost bin and have the frame work for a small hoop green house,
Also I might add we will be doing all containers (half plastic drums)
Because of having bad backs and can't bend over. Getting down is no trouble it's the getting back up.
It is a lot easier to weed, also we can control the makeup of the soil
My question is from the post above we have those squash bugs and they have killed 1 plant so far, my wife has been after them with
Dish soap, we were trying to keep away from harmful stuff..well anyway we have been talking about sevin dust, why can't you eat your zucchini after you dusted it.
TIA for any info on this matter
Don :watering
Only a few plants at a time,and never really paid a lot of attention to all the bugs, well this year we have planted a few more items and have made our garden a lot bigger for next year, have even started a compost bin and have the frame work for a small hoop green house,
Also I might add we will be doing all containers (half plastic drums)
Because of having bad backs and can't bend over. Getting down is no trouble it's the getting back up.
It is a lot easier to weed, also we can control the makeup of the soil
My question is from the post above we have those squash bugs and they have killed 1 plant so far, my wife has been after them with
Dish soap, we were trying to keep away from harmful stuff..well anyway we have been talking about sevin dust, why can't you eat your zucchini after you dusted it.
TIA for any info on this matter
Don :watering
gardentoad
Attractive To Bees
gardentoad said:Well with this double post looks like I'm new to posting also
Don :watering
vfem
Garden Addicted
I KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Ridgerunner said:I'm pretty sure Vfem knows the difference but I'll post these photos anyway. I've seen others get confused between the two on this forum.Greenthumb18 said:Lesa- Hmmm I thought butternut squash would be safe from the borers, maybe not thenlesa said:
The borer
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/6180_squash_borer.jpg http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/6180_squash_larvae.jpg
Then the Squash Bug, the one that I really hate.
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/6180_sqadult.jpg
I've had good luck splitting the stalk and taking the borer out, but the bugs soon overwhelm mine. I'm not trying to grow any squash this year because of the bugs, not the borer. I'll see if a year of starving them cuts the numbers back any next year.
DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!
Just lost my last squash plant to the borers.
I was so busy waging war on the squash bugs that it was too late when I noticed the borers. I preformed surgery on the plants as best I could to get those white squishy masses out of the plants, but the plants had given in and were done for by then. 
Nasty brown and mushy.... so what I couldn't get after the initial incisions I pulled the whole plant (all of them) and fed to the dear chickens. At least I still have a drawer full of squash from how productive they were to get me through a couple more weeks. I even pickled 7 quart jars. I did plant 1 zuke by accident in a different bed, and its thriving just fine, just starting to fruit even... found squash bug eggs on the leaves today. I sure hope I got them all.I am however going to skip pumpkins this year... I'd rather not bother!
hangin'witthepeeps
Deeply Rooted
The VB is what got one of the plants in the barrel. I found once they get in there, the war is lost. So I'm still going to plant my sacrificial plant because those VB were out early this year. I wish I was fast enough to catch that red bug (moth?) and smack him with my fly flap. They almost look like wasps buzzing around my zucchini.
hangin'witthepeeps
Deeply Rooted
BTW vfem, my uncle told me last year he would pull all his squash mid summer and plant a late crop at the end of July when all the VB were gone. Don't know how far into NC you are and if this will work for you.
By late summer my tomato plants were covered in squash bugs. This year I'm spraying with dish soap.
Ha ..... ha, ha, HA!!!!! Die Squash Bugs, DIE!!!
I KILL YOU ~ Jef fa fa Dun HAM dot com,
By late summer my tomato plants were covered in squash bugs. This year I'm spraying with dish soap.
Ha ..... ha, ha, HA!!!!! Die Squash Bugs, DIE!!!
I KILL YOU ~ Jef fa fa Dun HAM dot com,
lesa
Garden Master
Aren't we funny murderers!! I had my young nephew here a couple weeks ago-my call to battle was "come on guys, you want to go kill something!!"
My pumpkins and gourds look so nice right now. Every morning and evening, I am checking them for bugs. The stems look a little rough- I won't be surprised if the dreaded VB's have found them.
My pumpkins and gourds look so nice right now. Every morning and evening, I am checking them for bugs. The stems look a little rough- I won't be surprised if the dreaded VB's have found them.
vfem
Garden Addicted
For while you are on the hunt on those plants... here are what the vine borer eggs look like. Most commonly found on the stems and not on the leaves.
