Declaring war on squash vine borers

[wsmoak]

I knew it was going to happen after they got the Australian butter squash, the yellow squash, the zucchini... and now my Jarrahdale pumpkin that was *just* starting to form itty bitty pumpkins has them.

Has anyone used Spinosad long enough to know whether it's effective on squash vine borers?

I see the black-and-red wasp-looking things out there that are the cause of this misery, so I know they're laying more eggs as we speak.

I'm fine with stronger measures -- Sevin dust is my usual next step.

What *works*?

I'm following a succession planting plan for the summer squash, pulling them out before the larvae mature, but that won't work for the pumpkins and winter squash that take so long to ripen.

-Wendy

 

[vfem]

I am of no help... all my organic tricks... have failed me!

 

[dickiebird]

I'm looking for the frase every day and so far so good, no borers!!!
I did move my cukes ect as far away from where they were grown last year as I could but I know the bums will find them.
I started using sevin a few days ago but it rains here almost every night so I'm not sure that will stop their shenanigans since I don't want to treat again until dusk, which leaves several hours for the plants to sit without protection.
Wel I guess I'll hope for the best!!!

THANX RICH

 

[trimman]

Don't know about Spinosad for the squash vine borers, worked great for the leaf miners I was having problems with.

I knew it was going to happen after they got the
Australian butter squash, the yellow squash, the zucchini... and now my Jarrahdale pumpkin that was *just* starting to form itty bitty pumpkins has them.

Has anyone used Spinosad long enough to know whether it's effective on squash vine borers?

I see the black-and-red wasp-looking things out there that are the cause of this misery, so I know they're laying more eggs as we speak.

I'm fine with stronger measures -- Sevin dust is my usual next step.

What *works*?

I'm following a succession planting plan for the summer squash, pulling them out before the larvae mature, but that won't work for the pumpkins and winter squash that take so long to ripen.

-Wendy

 

[wsmoak]

I'm looking for the frase every day and so far so good, no borers!!!
I did move my cukes ect as far away from where they were grown last year as I could but I know the bums will find them.
I started using sevin a few days ago but it rains here almost every night so I'm not sure that will stop their shenanigans since I don't want to treat again until dusk, which leaves several hours for the plants to sit without protection.
Wel I guess I'll hope for the best!!!

THANX RICH

I'm not sure it'll prevent the moths laying eggs, but if there is poison on the stem when the eggs hatch and the larvae starts to chew into the stems, they should die if they get a mouthful of it.

Here's the stuff... http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=8756

:::sigh::: Guess I'll find a farmers market for yellow squash and let someone *else* deal with it.

-Wendy

 

[wsmoak]

Sooo, as I yanked out the infected pumpkin vine, I discovered that it had grown roots at intervals along the vine! Apparently I could have just cut out the infected part and crossed my fingers that it would have grown enough roots to keep going. Oh well, maybe next time.

-Wendy

 

[lesa]

Yes, often you can bury part of the stem and it will take root, quite quickly. It won't be as big as the mother plant, but it will live. I used that technique with my white pumpkins and still got 6 or 8 pumpkins out of it...

 

[Greenthumb18]

:coolsun This year I actually am just growing winter squash instead of pumpkins. They have a solid vine that vine borers can't damage. Although I do have two pumpkin plants that came up from last year and I decided to let it grow it just might produce pumpkins.
I planted nasturtiums near all my squash plants, their suppose to help repel the squash vine borers and I also bury the pumpkin stem to make it difficult for the vine borer to get into the pumpkin plant. I'm hoping these two things will make a difference.

 

[lesa]

Greenthumb- I thought the same thing about butternut- but vfem says they got hers... So, be careful!

 

[Greenthumb18]

Greenthumb- I thought the same thing about butternut- but vfem says they got hers... So, be careful!

Lesa- Hmmm I thought butternut squash would be safe from the borers, maybe not then . Just in case I'll definitely try to bury the stems and maybe cover the plants from those borers.