Squash Vine Borers

[gottagardyn]

Ever since 3 years ago...I have had no "curcurbits" in my garden.Why? SVB's! Is there NO WAY to get rid of these beasties without SEVIN dust or somthing equally horrible? I really want a nice crop of acorn squash and cucumbers for next year-and yes I have tried everything but BAD CHEMICALS. (panty hose/crop cover/aluminum foil/you name it) Any good suggestions would be near and dear to my heart-I wanna get the soil and surrounding area worked on this fall so I can jump in there next spring. :confused:

[Silent]

You can also identify where the borers are in the vine, it generally 'bulges' a bit and there is a hole. Slit the vine and remove the borer, that will prevent any further damage.

Since the larvae emerge from the soil and bore into the vine you can also try using the same types of controls as you would use for cutworm. Generally when I plant out anything which is prone to having it's lower stem attacked I use a toilet paper roll 'collar'; it seems to help somewhat. Keeping an eye out for the eggs (rather flattened and a reddy-browny color) and destroying those can help.

Interplanting helps, so does planting out late, or having staggered planting times.

[Pharmerphil]

I raise giant pumpkins, not an easy trick if you're organic;,forunately, In this area, so far...No SVB's, now cucumber beetles are another story! :eek:

[Talondegato]

Try growing C. moschata varieties (they make the best winter squash anyway). That is Waltham. or the earlier Ponca and Bush Butternut (a Burpee variety)...Although not well known in the US the immature fruit can be used as summer squash, but the texture is firmer and smoother than Zukes, with a nutty flavor. I like 'em.

Moschata is less attractive to SVB. And to help further, throw a shovel of soil on the vine, it will make more roots.

Adam.

[strmywthr3]

I tried planting radishes w/my squash this year (let them flower). I didn't have near as many bug problems as I did the year before. Radishes also have the prettiest little pink flowers on them! One recommendation, if you plant your squash in hills, plant the radish seeds on the flat ground around the hills. I planted the seeds in the hills and it was just too much too close together, although it did work.

[Pharmerphil]

forgot to add, I still take a prevenitive measure and wrap the base and about the first 10 inches in remay scraps, aluminum foil...might have to give that a try!

[gardendude]

I don't try to fight the borers but try to stay ahead of them by putting dirt over the growing stems of the squash plants, this promotes root growth along the stem. This also might have an added benefit of increasing your yield or the quality of your cucurbits and with the stem covered by soil might prevent the problem. Of course this would be hard for vining plants but works well for zucinni and other same type growing plants. Good luck

[SunflowerMeg]

I have battled those pests for years, almost to no avail. I tried slitting the vines and removing them and then covering up the stem with dirt, etc. But there were always too many of them, and only one of me. I read in a Victorian forklore book to place an onion (just a regular ol' yellow onion type) on top of the hill next to the stem. I tried this and whether it was a coincidence of not, I don't know, but the plants faired better that year, as far as the borers went. But then, we got so much rain, that nothing survived! :rolleyes: My feeling is that once you get the SVB's, they are there to stay, year-after-year. I don't know if there's a way to get to their eggs or not. I wonder if there's something on the market we can treat the soil with before planting the squash??? Crop rotation never worked; the borers still found the squash stems.

[deb65802]

Radishes are supposed to ward off squash bugs. I am going to buy some before I plant my squash. I need all the help I can get.

[Pharmerphil]

sunflower, I use neem granules, and have for all the giant pumpkin, as well as the garden in general...get em' where they spend the winter that way by incorporating it into the soil.

[bluelacedredhead]

DE and rotenone. Sprinkled on the stem where it emerges from the earth. Repeat weekly.
I too was plagued by these horrible creatures until I discovered DE.
But it must be done weekly when the squash are just beginning to grow, to break the life cycle of the borer..
Scott's (the Miracle Gro people) have a premixed DE & rotenone product in a shaker that I use. A larger sized refill is available..

[dandelion meadow]

Thanks for asking the question! Am also looking for some relief this growing season.
One company I called, Biocontrol, suggested applying beneficial nemetodes starting before planting time in the earth where squash will go. The nemetodes are a bit expensive, and must be used when they arrive or within 2 weeks, if refrigerated. The other suggestion was to inject BT into the stem where borer is...usually, my plants are such a jungle that getting to the right stem at the right time with that hypodermic would be a major logistical maneuver.
The ideas in this post are definately more user friendly. Good luck to us all this season!

[deb65802]

Phil does it kill the other bugs in the soil? I don't want anything to hurt by earthworm babies.

[SunflowerMeg]

Sounds like some great ideas here that are definately worth a try. The bottom line...there is more than one way to "squash" a bug? :eek:

[bmarkham]

It mainly re-iterates the suggestions already in this thread, but
ATTRA has a comprehensive article on this here:
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/squashbore.html

[Pharmerphil]

Deb, NO, I have a very large earthworm population...They are our lil Buddies! :)