Squash Vine Borers (SVB)(Melittia cucurbitae)

[Durgan]

Squash Vine Borers (SVB)(Melittia cucurbitae)

This is the first year that I have attempted to seriously grow squash. Beautiful plants, which had to be removed before producing fruit. I planted some seedlings at the beginning of July, but only got a few fruit before freeze up. Next year I will plant in late June and hope this is outside the SVB window for appearing. Also I will use a vacuum cleaner to remove the adults from the flowers in the early morning in an attempt to control.

 

[lesa]

It is quite a battle. I recommend planting butternut squash. Super easy to grow and the stems aren't hollow so the SVB don't bother them at all.

 

[Durgan]

It is quite a battle. I recommend planting butternut squash. Super easy to grow and the stems aren't hollow so the SVB don't bother them at all.

I will sure give buttercup squash a try. It is astonishing just how devastating the squash vine beetle can be.

 

[nachoqtpie]

We get a double whammy of SVB... they get 2 cycles here. :/

 

[baymule]

We get a double whammy of SVB... they get 2 cycles here. :/

Haha, I think they live all year around! Here is my recipe for garden bugs that eat MY veggies! This stuff really works! Feel free to copy and add to your garden lore.

For killing garden bugs and pests

Voo-Doo Juice

1 package of chewing tobacco

1 pod of garlic, crushed, not a clove, but the whole pod

1/4 cup of Tabasco

1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid

Boil 1 gallon of water, add pouch of chewing tobacco and crushed garlic. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Let steep until cool. Strain, then add Tabasco and soap. Pour into a 2 gallon sprayer and top with water. Spray on garden after 7 PM, so as not to injure bees. Be sure to spray the underside of leaves too.



I soaked the stalks of my squash with Voo-Doo Juice that showed the classic signs of squash borers, the gooshy brown worm poo oozing out of the stalk that says worms are eating the guts out of my squash plants! It killed them. The squash survived and produced lots of squash. I loves me some VOO-DOO JUICE!!!!

 

[catjac1975]

I grow rumbo squash. They do not seem to like it as much. I believe allowing your chickens to forage in your garden on the off season reduces the pest population. What is the adult that you are vacuuming?

 

[Kassaundra]

We get a double whammy of SVB... they get 2 cycles here. :/

Haha, I think they live all year around! Here is my recipe for garden bugs that eat MY veggies! This stuff really works! Feel free to copy and add to your garden lore.

For killing garden bugs and pests

Voo-Doo Juice

1 package of chewing tobacco

1 pod of garlic, crushed, not a clove, but the whole pod

1/4 cup of Tabasco

1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid

Boil 1 gallon of water, add pouch of chewing tobacco and crushed garlic. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Let steep until cool. Strain, then add Tabasco and soap. Pour into a 2 gallon sprayer and top with water. Spray on garden after 7 PM, so as not to injure bees. Be sure to spray the underside of leaves too.



I soaked the stalks of my squash with Voo-Doo Juice that showed the classic signs of squash borers, the gooshy brown worm poo oozing out of the stalk that says worms are eating the guts out of my squash plants! It killed them. The squash survived and produced lots of squash. I loves me some VOO-DOO JUICE!!!!

My favorite pest control for squash bugs (the kind I think is being talked about vacuming up) is a water hose and a couple of trusty chickens. I spray the base of the plant making all the squash bugs climb the stalks and my girls gobble them up like candy. They have never touched a squash just the bugs.

 

[so lucky]

I'm gonna try that VooDoo Juice. I bet it does work. Tobacco used to be widely used for insect control. It was very effective. It is off the market, now, just like all the other really effective stuff. I have a couple of ancient canisters of it, left over from a now-defunct garden store. Just haven't had the nerve to use it. Maybe no good now, anyway, after about 40 years or so.

 

[nachoqtpie]

I'm going to have to try the voodoo juice too! My son has tried to grow pumpkin for the last 2 years we've had our garden and both years they were killed by SVB!! Do you have to use it every night baymule? Or just after a rain? Or when you see the poo goo?

 

[baymule]

I only used it twice this past summer. It also helps to bury the vines as they grow longer. That way, they can take root and grow from that point if the main root is killed by SVB's. I had corn worms in my tomatoes this spring and the nasty boogers were eating my tomatoes from the bottom. A tomato would start that blush of red, we'd get all excited and when we picked it, we got a handfull of goo. That really creeps me out. I can clean a gut shot deer-no problem- but worm poopy goo just grosses me out.

The SVB's never gave up the attack, we just battled it out. When the vines finally did die, I was really tired of squash anyway.