Declaring war on squash vine borers

[Kassaundra]

My plan for the squash bug (don't know about the borer) was to "harvest" them when I harvest the squash and feed them to the chickens, but I haven't found any yet.

 

[vfem]

I did find a site that suggested using BT and injecting it right into the hollow stems on the zuke and squash plants and they work from the inside out since the VB larvae starts in the hollow stems and work their way to the main one over time. This will kill them before they can destroy the whole plant. Chances are you'll only loss a few leaf stems and the plant can thrive again.

I am thinking of going and picking up some BT anyways. (This is based on those tiny wasp looking things are actually moths!!!)

 

[Ridgerunner]

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.

I can only speak for myself on this question. I do eat things after I use Sevin on them. I wait a couple of days after treatment and I wash the things really well, but I'll use them. I prefer not to spray and I spray very sparingly, but I will when nothing else works. Flea beetles on eggplant usually drive me over that edge.

Some people on this site are "organic" and Sevin is not an approved organic pesticide. That is a very good reason some people won't use it or won't eat the produce after it has been treated.

 

[lesa]

Kassundra, I am willing to bet, if you gently lift up your plants- and look at the bottom side of the stems (the part touching the dirt) you will see squash bugs. They look exactly like pieces of dirt- the evil devils. Also, check the underside of your leaves for eggs...
Hopefully, I am wrong and you are one lucky gardener!

 

[Kassaundra]

I have always had them, so I'm assuming I'm missing seeing the nasty little devils, or they know I'm sending them to the chickens and intimidation in working!

I saw some eggs on the top of a squash leaf today, a cluster of about 8.

I was also way later then normal for me in planting them out, and this year has been especially hot and dry for our area, temps at 100 for 2 weeks and no rain. don't know if that make a diff to the devils or not?

 

[Kassaundra]

Okay I have looked and have the vine bore and the squash bugs. I've been at war for a few days now the vine bore I can't do anything about, but the plants still look healthy blooming like fools and all. I was squishing and drowning for a couple of days, but was loosing the battle. So last night I started the tobbaco tea. I know it is not selective, but I have a stream spray bottle that I am using for the base of the plants only to minimize the carnage to hopefully only squash bugs.

I have a question though, are the smaller white softer bugs the sub adult versions of the larger brown hard bugs?

Oh and my plan to feed them to the girls didn't work, found a bug they don't like to eat, wonder if it is b/c of the pungent smell?

 

[sparks]

Might be too late for some but somewhere I read to plant Tansy with your vine crops. I started the Tansy in March of this year. I planted 2 with every vine I planted (grew the vining plants myself) so far (knock on wood) everything looks good. The Tansy is about a foot tall. I`m hopeful!

 

[Kassaundra]

Might be too late for some but somewhere I read to plant Tansy with your vine crops. I started the Tansy in March of this year. I planted 2 with every vine I planted (grew the vining plants myself) so far (knock on wood) everything looks good. The Tansy is about a foot tall. I`m hopeful!

Just looked up info on Tansy, it is to late for me this year, but it has definately been added to my to buy seed list for this coming year.

 

[gardentoad]

Might be too late for some but somewhere I read to plant Tansy with your vine crops. I started the Tansy in March of this year. I planted 2 with every vine I planted (grew the vining plants myself) so far (knock on wood) everything looks good. The Tansy is about a foot tall. I`m hopeful!

Just looked up info on Tansy, it is to late for me this year, but it has definately been added to my to buy seed list for this coming year.

Yeah me too, sounds like something that could work, I just need to keep my chickens out of the garden, right now they go thur
My cattle panels


Don :watering

 

[lesa]

Gardentoad- that is the one place chicken wire, actually works! Can you string some up on the chicken side of the panels?