squash borers

[springfever]

I think this was addressed on an earlier forum but anyway. I was buying some squash and a gentleman started telling me about squash borers. Since I am a new gardener and never raised a squash and have a bunch in the ground already, it freaked me out. What should I do about this little critter? Is it too late to put anything around the plants. He said I should have put something in the hole before I planted. help!

[Blanesgarden]

Are you reffering to the that Evil..Squash Vine Boarer?

[springfever]

Well, the guy said that the bug goes into the stalk of the plant and you can have a big beautiful plant one day and then, bam, it just dies!! so , sounds evil to me. what do you do about it?

[Blanesgarden]

A fellow gardener in Texas, (not on the site) has actually quit growing squash because of these.
How bad do you want squash?
As for me...Ill get several dozen nice pickings, then its over...for some crazy cosmic reason, I cannot grow these every month, like I can beans and tomatoes.

Back to the SVB....
You can use a floating row cover, youll have to go out there, every morning and lift it up, get down in there and Hand pollinate them.
or....
You can wait till mother SVB has made her pass, and wait to plant in the later part of the season,
She flys in, lays her eggs, the eggs hatch and drill into the plant, all the while your picking Zukes from it...We have this discussion every year....so Im not the only one youll hear from on this....Good Luck with em, pick what ya can!:cool:

[Emerald]

here is the link to the squash vine borer-- rachelle took great pictures of the critter that lays the eggs and it is the larva or babies that crawl down from the leaves and bore into the vine. there are things that you can do to fix the problem.. so check it out!!:D:D
http://idigmygarden.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8003
that should take you right to the thread ok?? EM

[springfever]

thanks so much!

[FiberFlinger]

I swear by tobacco juice.

Bunny

[Blanesgarden]

I swear by tobacco juice.

Bunny

Please, explain this technique?

[manonash]

Yes, please tell us more Bunny!

[pepperhead212]

And here's another borer thread (http://idigmygarden.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8159), with other discussions of the bug.

[javogh]

I planted edible gourds and luffa last year - and the borers left them alone - yay! But the vines Took Over Everything! If it were not for the fall freeze that killed them, my gourd/luffa patch would currently Rule The World!
curses, foiled again...