SQB

[nachoqtpie]

So... I was outside collecting strawberries before it started raining... and I noticed a Squash Vine Borer on the pumpkins!!

What can I use to keep these evil foul beasts at bay before they start attacking??? Anything? I tried to kill it with my shoe, but he flew away before I could get him!

 

[catjac1975]

Gardens alive has a very comprehensive approach described. I use a lot of their organic products. My pest problems have greatly decreased over the years. I believe that good soil promotes strong plants. Organically the thinking is that healthy plants do not attract pests. Our chickens roam the garden during the off season eating and scratching.
http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=804

 

[897tgigvib]

Multiple weapons!!!

Draw up a declaration of war and talk about the day that will live in infamy!!!

Start with 25 pounds of Diatomaceous Earth.
Get a lot of Praying Mantis.
Use Neem Oil.
Hire a bunch of 10 year old kids for a bug catching contest. Have cookies and awards.
Hire kids to go get a whole big bunch of Toads. Awards for them if they each bring 10 toads. Big Frogs count. 2 small frogs count as one toad.
Make sure your vines are setting roots at each node. Pamper the nodes like cuttings.
Purchase a troop of Monkeys and train them to catch Squash bugs! Day and night, constant vigilance.

Failure is not one of those things that is optional! Win this war! Play a recording of Tschaikovsky's 1812 Overture real loud in the garden!

 

[nachoqtpie]

Multiple weapons!!!

Draw up a declaration of war and talk about the day that will live in infamy!!!

Start with 25 pounds of Diatomaceous Earth.
Get a lot of Praying Mantis.
Use Neem Oil.
Hire a bunch of 10 year old kids for a bug catching contest. Have cookies and awards.
Hire kids to go get a whole big bunch of Toads. Awards for them if they each bring 10 toads. Big Frogs count. 2 small frogs count as one toad.
Make sure your vines are setting roots at each node. Pamper the nodes like cuttings.
Purchase a troop of Monkeys and train them to catch Squash bugs! Day and night, constant vigilance.

Failure is not one of those things that is optional! Win this war! Play a recording of Tschaikovsky's 1812 Overture real loud in the garden!

I did find A toad in my garden... but apparently I didn't have what it wanted to stick around and I haven't found it since. :-( When we get paid next Friday I'm going to order some PM and some DE. I believe I can find the neem oil at Lowes.

Gardens alive has a very comprehensive approach described. I use a lot of their organic products. My pest problems have greatly decreased over the years. I believe that good soil promotes strong plants. Organically the thinking is that healthy plants do not attract pests. Our chickens roam the garden during the off season eating and scratching.
http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=804

The soil is pretty healthy... at least I think! I did just find a dead borage in mt watermelon bed tho. When I pulled it up there were lots of little tiny green bugs in there so I sprayed water in the hole using the jet function on my hose. :/ I hope that killed 'em. I'm going to have to see if hubby wants to do some floating row covers for the pumpkins... I'm 100% positive that Monk will... LOL

 

[curly_kate]

Ugh, I HATE those (&^$^(_!!@# things!! The chickens worked over the garden last winter, and I've been seeing toads all over the place, so hopefully I'll have some better luck this year.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

marshall, you're a hoot!

 

[momofdrew]

marshall, you're a hoot!

I agree....

be sure the DE is a food grade product not the DE they use for pool filters

 

[nachoqtpie]

We're going to start our pumpkins over...
the biggest one is now all yellow and dead. There are 2 others, but I think they've been hit as well. We didn't get the DE in time. Lil man is upset, but, that's just the way that the cookie crumbles.

 

[lesa]

I only planted one pumpkin- and I put a toilet paper roll collar around the stem. Since they come up the stem, I am hoping this will deter them... Not sure, but I figured it was easy enough to try.

 

[momofdrew]

I only planted one pumpkin- and I put a toilet paper roll collar around the stem. Since they come up the stem, I am hoping this will deter them... Not sure, but I figured it was easy enough to try.

that is a great idea Lesa