Radishes and squash

[obsessed]

Last year I was totally plagued by the vine borer. I lost three different crops.

This year I let my early radishes go to flowering and no vine borer. I know that I am chancing it by even posting this but I think it does work.

I am also totally amazed at the size of radishes as they bloom. They are freakin huge like 3 to 4 feet tall. I let a lot of them flower hoping that more would be better. I will probably do it again.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

when you go to pull the radishes you will have a fight on your hands! they get a really loooong tap root when you let them go to seed. but companion planting seems to work really well for keeping pests at bay from your main plant. and another benefit of letting the radishes go to seed is you won't have to buy more seeds for them next season!

 

[desertgirl]

I just planted a bunch of radishes around my squash and cucs for this reason. Glad to hear it works!!

 

[lesa]

Just planted mine yesterday- hoping for the best. Either way, it seems like awfully cheap insurance!

 

[desertgirl]

:happy_flower Yup!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Several sites specifically mention icicle radishes, not the red ones, for help with squash borer. I don't know if the red ones are any less effective or not. Just thought I would mention it.

 

[Grow 4 Food]

I planted icle around my squash and zukes so hopefully I will get the same outcome! DONT PULL OUT THE RADISHES YET!!! wait until they form the seed pods (looks like a soybean). They are the BEST in salads or just eating them straight. I have almost started growing the radishes for them more than the radish.

 

[vfem]

I grow the icicle... I never thought of checking the reds! Thanks for mentioning that!

 

[obsessed]

Well to my dismay I see evidence of the vine borer. Radish or no radish that bug is persistent.

So now I guess I go looking for BT to inject the plants. I am thinking about giving up on squash for a year. Cause I read that the eggs of the borer will be in my soil. So floating row covers is not an option and I don't have any more space to rotate.


Stupid bug didn't read the book.

 

[Grow 4 Food]

Not sure if something else got to them or what but they seemed to die quicker this year than before with the radishes. I have lost all my squash, zukes, and cukes this year.