Anyone Grown Squash and not gotten SVB or Squash bugs?

13 years ago

I resued 3 more plants by operating on them. This week I also pulled every pumplin plant I had, each dying one at a time even after operating. I just also just now injected bt into the stems after cleaning, some I just injected them.

My pattypans, I couldn't dare to gut them again, they are just now recovering and I even picked a squash from them today, one on the other bush next to it. If I gut it again, in this heat, it may not make it, so I just injected them. Do you think that will work?

Has anyone planted squash and not had any problem with theirs? I would love to know for either fall July planting or for next year.

Thanks ahead of time.

Featured Answer

sjkly

13 years ago

This is my first year growing squash. I have seen a few squash bugs, killed a few, removed some eggs but no real problems.
I am not sure I have even seen any squash vine borers-certainly no plant loss-I am hoping it isn't because it is too early here.

By the way I have hosts of lizards that run through my yard, hang out on my porch and even occassionaly get into my house.

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Comments (61)

scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
I'm not going to kill the bees. The weirdest part is I can never see them at the base of the plant. I've been looking on the leaves only. Maybe I'm not finding what I'm supposed to. I'll have to check tomorrow for something near the root.

Thanks though, I've heard others say they use this wish success, I've read there is nothing that works.

I'm going to plant a squash plant with potash and tobacco in the soil, see if that one works. They say it has to be started from seed. Potash is just ashes from burnt wood. We'll see.

Good luck on yours and thanks for the help.
laura21774
13 years ago
I had SVB kill about half of my squash/zukes last year, but it was late into the season, so I had already gotten a good harvest out of 'em. This year, I planted them in a different spot and have been neeming weekly. Hope they dont come back! I have found two squash bugs on one of my zukes though. I squished em with my fingers.
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I have the same troubles, but am learning some ways to get around them. First, I wouldn't personally recommend tromboncino if you are a yellow squash fan. If you like zucchini, then yes, it's a good replacement. It has tremendously long vines. Growing moschatas is the trick. You will have no problems with SVB with them. Their stems are solid and the worms don't bother them. In 2015, I grew Tahitian melon, which I learned is virtually identical to the Pennsylvania long neck squash. It/they made delicious squash for pumpkin recipes. I could not be more pleased. The squash are very large and baked down into a stringless, flavorful squash. I prefer their flavor to butternut for sure, but you may feel differently. I am going to try yellow crookneck this year in the hopes that I have gotten rid of the SVB for the time being and might actually get something to eat this year. We will see. I tried hand pollinating them in 2014 and it works, but once canning season started, I couldn't keep up. Pickleworms don't bother my squash, but they always bother my cucumbers. If I plant early on I will get a good harvest before the pickleworms arrive here in early to mid July. Then if I wait six weeks, I can replant and have a good fall crop of cucumbers too. I tried growing parthenocarpic vines last year and growing them under cover, but trying to keep the sprawling vines covered was a time consuming task.
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susan2010
13 years ago
Don't hit me, but I've never even seen a squash bug or borer around here. I think that has more to do with the fact that I'm gardening in a very urban environment, and there really aren't others growing squash anywhere nearby, than any skill or even luck. I do tend to start my squash later in the season, so maybe any "advance scout" misses me.
snowmanaxp
13 years ago
I have two squash plants, both were attacked by SVB. I did operate on both of them and they are doing fine now. But I was vigilent in picking SVB eggs off each day after the first attack. With only two plants it was still too much work. So far I only got one yellow crookneck squash.

I am reluctant to try them again next year because of all of the work I put into them. If I do plant them again I think I will have to put up a neeting around them. Hand pollinating would be much less time consuming.
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
I'm not going to kill the bees. The weirdest part is I can never see them at the base of the plant. I've been looking on the leaves only. Maybe I'm not finding what I'm supposed to. I'll have to check tomorrow for something near the root.

Thanks though, I've heard others say they use this wish success, I've read there is nothing that works.

I'm going to plant a squash plant with potash and tobacco in the soil, see if that one works. They say it has to be started from seed. Potash is just ashes from burnt wood. We'll see.

Good luck on yours and thanks for the help.
hoosiergardener
13 years ago
I just lost a zuccini plant to squash bugs! I have never heard of them till now when I went online to figure out why my zucc plant was wilting to the ground. I did find eggs on 2 of the leaves of my other zuccini plant and removed them by taking a piece of duct tape and pressed the sticky side to the eggs/leaf. They all came right off and I squished them.
To get the squash bugs, water the plant with a garden hose and the bettles walk up the stem (they hate water). I then pick them off and squish them. I got 4 of them today after finding the leaves.
They are messing with the wrong gardener lol!
sjkly
13 years ago
This is a pretty urban area too and although most people have fairly large lots most of them are too sloped to be very easily gardened.
I somehow missed a cluster of squash bug eggs and happened to catch them as they were hatching. Killed a bunch of nymphs today.
sckitchen_gardener_8
13 years ago
I have not had problems yet. The SVB destroyed all my squash and zucchini last year. I am trying weekly injections of Thuricide with a turkey injection needle. I wish the needle were smaller. The stems of most, but not all, zucchini and squash varieties are hollow. The borer, after hatching, drills a hole and inhabits the interior part of the stem, eating the stem internally, eventually causing the death of the plant in most cases. One sip of the correct concentration and its over in a day or so. A young borer stopped early does not do as much damage. My repeated jabs with the needed into the stem does not seem to cause stress to the plants either. The liquid thuricide is considered harmful to certain caterpillars and is not harmful to bees. Since the liquid is completely injected inside the stems, it is quite possible other caterpillars are not harmed.
vaherbmom
13 years ago
We have both here where I garden. I have lost many plants to them and over the past few years have developed an arsenal of strategies to combat them. So far this year I have not lost any plants to SVB but I do handpick squssh bugs every morning and evening. They are actually on my melons and cukes more than on the squash. I also diligently search for squash bug eggs on the leaves and destroy any that I find.

Here are some things that I've been told help to protect against SVB, squash bugs or both:

yellow dishes (I use recycled styrofoam meat trays) filled with water attract the SVB moth and it drowns

plant nasturtiums and icicle radiehes around all vining crops

wrap stems of vining crops with aluminum foil

smear Vapo-rub (I use Walmart brand) on stems of vining crops

plant resistant varieties--"sweet mama hybrid" is supposed to be resistant to SVB and "early prolific" "early summer" "royal acorn" "sweet cheese" and "table queen" are supposed to resist squash bugs

As previously mentioned, row cover and then hand pollinating are often suggested but I have found row cover impractical for trellised cukes & melons so I have not used that strategy.

Hope something in there helps. We are having good success this year so far.
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
This all sounds good! I hand pick sometimes every other day, because the eggs got less and less, I smashed lots too. I don't think they are laying just on the leaves. I looked below hoping to see any at the bottom of the stem, none at all. I didn't treat some yellow squash because they are useless and ruined by now and I'm waiting for them to die right now. I tried to save the patty pans and now I may inject some in the cantaloupes just in case.

The first time I found them, they were on the cucumbers. There aren't any on them now each day I look over them, not so much now, but they are healthy. I yanked one plant for looking sickly, but that's it. I have bad soil, so I don't get a lot anyways, but the squash is a different story, it's hard not to be able to grow squash, with the exception of the squash type bugs.

I'm afraid the foil would cook my plants, but I intend to put down paper underneath each plant as a mulch to see if that won't work. I don't have the patience to pick eggs 2 times a day. I'm leaning over in hot weather, although cooler today, and sweat it rolling down my face by the time I'm done even on a cool day. It's too hot and there are other things I could be doing. It's effective and the only game plan with that is to plant only one plant of each by itself, so it can be easily maintained.

I am going to put out yellow dishes for sure. At least I can get retribution by drowning them if nothing else. I planted acorn squash in the next plot with cayenne peppers, a pineapple head from the grocery store, a few mustard greens, and a sweet potato that is doing fine for now.

The pumpkins are dead for sure. I'm waiting for some butternut and cushaw to sprout. Also I planted some saved seeds from last year from my crooked neck squash, they didn't sprouts, so I'm going to try again. I'm going to try planting them with ashes and tobacco this time to try out the other methods. I have nasturtiums and now some radish seeds too.

I talked with my cousin about her garden, she put roundup on near the first planting, put seven dust on them and said she is doing great. I have an 2 uncles who do the same just about, they don't have problems. I don't want to kill all the bees though, I guess I'll give bt a try and see if it works.

I'm very sad that I can't get the easiest crop in the world to grow without chemicals. That's disappointing.
gardener_deebs
13 years ago
Some years (like this one) gardening in the Pacific Northwest can be pretty depressing - it's still rainy and cold, and tomorrow is July! But after reading all of these posts, I feel pretty lucky to live here because we don't have those bugs. Squash and pumpkins are some of the easiest things that I grow. I put the seeds in the ground, and they pretty much take care of themselves. For everyone dealing with these pests, I wish you the best of luck!
n2xjk
13 years ago
Cucumber beetles are the biggest pest here. Without frequent spraying, the little buggers swarm all over the squash and pumpkin plants and they can completely chew up young sprouts if I don't catch them quick enough. Last year, powdery mildew hit hard. Too soon to say if PM will be a problem again this year. On the whole its been dryer, which should help. I didn't have any SVB last year (the PM beat them out?), but SVBs have made an appearance from time to time in years past. Never had squash bugs here (too far north?).
novice_2009
13 years ago
Vaherbmom, I also read about wrapping foil around base of plants to keep the guys out. I also wondered if this would hurt the plant. It's worth a try on one plant if the bugs are a big problem- cheap and quick too! If anybody tries it, let me know if it works.
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
For a fall crop when it gets colder it wouldn't hurt to put the aluminum down. I got 2 out of 4 acorn now and as soon as they are a little bigger I will inject them with bt.

Am I wrong to do surgery to remove the bug before I put in the bt? I thought that had to be done before. I'll quit maiming my plants if that is the truth. It takes so long for them to recover. How often do you inject? I also see a little black bug going in and out of where one was dug out. It's hard and dry though, not mushy. I couldn't bury it that far from the stem.

I will buy a vics vapo rub bottle tomorrow and try that out too. It couldn't hurt. The smell of that would scare anything away.

How about that people are watering them so often, the bugs can't nest there? I just watered and will only have to water hopefully twice a week. I never thought to use that, but it might be the reason a lot of people are not having the problem. All my garden books say not to do that.

I don't want to kill the bees and everything good, but I want the garden to grow and if I have squash I want yellow squash.

That bug is totally annoying. I cannot believe one little bug could do so much damage. Well, it's nice to know some people have not been attacked meaning it might miss me next year.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with this bug, no matter how much I read it still looks like it's got be beat. I've read that nothing can kill them even chemicals, not even seven dust. So it's just an infestation. I'll treat it like lice! LOL!
laura21774
13 years ago
Ugggg just found some SVB damage on my zukes. Performed some surgery on em, hope they make it
nchomemaker
13 years ago
I don't know if this is just a good year, less bugs or it's the chickens, but so far I haven't had any. I have 2 chickens that roam around my garden and yard every day, eating bugs. I also have marigolds in my vegetable garden this year. I planted them everywhere, that may also be helping.
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
I have marigolds, only the cracker jack marigold has blooms accept one other type which is the majority, it has only 2 buds about to bloom, the rest are bald only with greenery. It's been a disappointing year. I can't say they didn't work because the marigolds didn't bloom soon enough.

I can't have a chicken and it would be a good bet they are taking good care of your garden, but a frog and a lizard are looking good. I am going to catch a few lizards and let them go in the garden this weekend, plus lay down some paper under new ones growing, inject some bt to my new plantlings. I read about the monsanto bt eggplant, don't like monsanto, but what if I put a few seeds in bt or sprayed in the ground on top of when they are planted? Maybe they will pick up the bacteria and grow inside as it grows. Something to think about.

I'm not into butterflies, as far as I can see their larvae eats vegetables. I have tons of wasps, good news seems to be that there are fewer eggs, it is July, so maybe they do stop laying then.

Another plan is this, plant them under cover, let them bloom like crazy and maybe hand pollinate, but in July take the covers off and let them go from there. Healthy grown plants past the worst of it that can produce squash without much worry.

Sorry to hear your zucchini got it too. After all this time and now to catch it. Maybe you can stick the thing with a large sewing needle and kill it inside. Maybe even injecting garlic inside will kill it. There has to be something.
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
Here's a nice new gardening tool to drown the squash vine borers!

{{gwi:70895}}

Next year I see 4 bird baths made from these things! Any craft ideas to make them look professional?

Here is a link that might be useful: yellow bucket
nefrugalgardener
13 years ago
To get rid of squash bugs a good offense is a good defense, jump all over the problem as soon as you see them.

Squash bugs, and squash borers are two different kinds of bugs/issues. You cannot "pick" off borers as they are already "inside" the squash stalk. Old gardeners use a wire and fish it inside the stalk where the hole is to impale them.

For squash bugs, check out this blog...http://nefrugalgardener.wordpress.com/

Here is a link that might be useful: New England Frugal Gardener Blog
wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
13 years ago
I did something a couple years ago that has really worked concerning squash bugs. In the fall I dilligently killed off all the squash bugs. At that time they are on the remaining bits of green leaves and any fruits...also I did it on my neighbor's squash...the only other closeby squash.
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
I've been digging them out sending the plants into shock, but when they get healthy again, and new one or two or three has already moved in. I only have 2 original plants left, they are sweet dumpling that have produced nothing yet. Maybe they don't do well near sorghum.

I have 2 new plants not doing well, royal acorn, it's just hot. They wilt terribly bad, but they are supposedly resistant to bugs. I've seen some great ladybug activity on them and the canaloupe, so I feel that is the only bug doing it's job, or that I can see. More plants the ladybugs are attracted to are probably priority for next year just like more plants for the groundbeetle. Some water fountains in there will attract dragon flies, frogs and lizards. I've never seen what dragon flies do, but they say they eat bad bugs too. I see a lot of those. I have cucumber plants, but not the best at all. I planted a variety that barely grew, got some volunteers from last years variety that started out great, not so good now. It's just way too hot for anything to do good, heat index is 101 today.

A giant enema at the end of the year would a good job. My uncle does that at the beginning of his growing season every year, I think round up. It kills worms too. It's hard to be organic when facing infestations of everything all year.

I'm confident there will be something next year that will work. One or many methods applied have to have a significant impact. I've read of people who lose them every year, some refusing to grow it at all, like me and corn. I'll plant one stalk next year and every year, if it does well, I'll plant more.
heather38
13 years ago
As a non native to the US? as I have little knowledge of it, but be due the the area I am in, maybe not a problem, but could be and my little story will tell it? but one of my plants just suddenly died last year, at the base/foundation, within days just died the rest of the plant fine, it started traveling up the plant? again this could be something else? but in a moment of angst, I asked My Hubby who has a PHD in incredibly complicated and what does that mean, potato virus X!??? but basically he is a biologist, apparently in Plant life, but he really knows stuff all! apart from how plants die! very useful! not! he can kill them! can't keep them alive!, until this :)
I was as I say upset, he said squashes set down roots along the stem, check along the plant and if it has lots of roots, before your fruit and after the dead area, cut it, after the dead area.
I was understandable not impressed by the man who can kill Mint in it's tracks, but I examined my squash and sure enough, along the vine the roots went into the ground, at one point, I lost my footing (sleep slope)and whilst holding a bit of stem tore it, needless to say, I did lose a lot of my plant from the tear to the base, but from the next root placing, I got some Squash, maybe not a Blue ribbon holder, but decent examples.
I have no idea if I stopped the evil borer or if it was just something else, but Hubby got a reward ;)
buddy99
13 years ago
BOO to the SVB!!! This is my first year to plant a garden, after successfully growing several vegetables in pots, I decided to create a "raised bed", worked hard, and was delighted with the success of the plants. My potted zucchini wilted and died in two days, while I was planting my raised bed plants - and I had no idea why. But, the other day, on of my flourishing zucchini plants wilted in one day again! This time I researched on the internet, and realized the culprit was the SVB! Curses to you, doggone bug! I remember seeing these "wasp like" creatures with red bellies flying around earlier, and had no idea that they would create such havoc and heartbreak to me later. I tried to perform "surgery" on the last living zuke plant, but IÂm afraid itÂs a lost cause. AND, to make matters worse, an adult SVB was flying around me while the procedure was taking place Â theyÂre still around at the end of July Â here in Texas. I guess IÂll learn new ways to prevent and be proactive for the next crop.

On the good note, I have a baby cantaloupe finally growing Â around the size of a tennis ball! I guess itÂs too hot for the tomatoes to set out fruit. I just want to produce ONE fruit or veggie from this garden! Please, oh please, grow cantaloupe, grow!
buddy99
13 years ago
BOO to the SVB!!! This is my first year to plant a garden, after successfully growing several vegetables in pots, I decided to create a "raised bed", worked hard, and was delighted with the success of the plants. My potted zucchini wilted and died in two days, while I was planting my raised bed plants - and I had no idea why. But, the other day, on of my flourishing zucchini plants wilted in one day again! This time I researched on the internet, and realized the culprit was the SVB! Curses to you, doggone bug! I remember seeing these "wasp like" creatures with red bellies flying around earlier, and had no idea that they would create such havoc and heartbreak to me later. I tried to perform "surgery" on the last living zuke plant, but IÂm afraid itÂs a lost cause. AND, to make matters worse, an adult SVB was flying around me while the procedure was taking place Â theyÂre still around at the end of July Â here in Texas. I guess IÂll learn new ways to prevent and be proactive for the next crop.

On the good note, I have a baby cantaloupe finally growing Â around the size of a tennis ball! I guess itÂs too hot for the tomatoes to set out fruit. I just want to produce ONE fruit or veggie from this garden! Please, oh please, grow cantaloupe, grow!
flora_uk
13 years ago
OK folks get your green spectacles on. We don't have SVB here. The zucchini have just started and it looks like a glut year.
greenie88
13 years ago
"OK folks get your green spectacles on. We don't have SVB here. The zucchini have just started and it looks like a glut year."

We can fix that...or can we. Wonder if the SVB can't handle the winters.
pepper71
13 years ago
I lost my firs battle to them but have not lost the second. I believe in the northern state the have one generation a year and in the south 2-3. All my plants (5) got SVB I pulled them and replanted. When I seen the moth show up buzzin around the plants I sprayed heavily BT caterpillar killer on the base and stems. I also inspected for eggs. I then layer hay to block acces to the stems at the soil from the SVB moth. Seems to have worked. But know my plants are dieng from a aphid infestation, but that dang SVB did not get them,lol.
buddy99
13 years ago
Does anyone know how the adult SVB lives - meaning, I can spray for wasp nests - but what are their habitat routines??? I would like to kill (sorry to say) all the adults I can? I don't find posts on where they light in the day, or night. Any clues?
flora_uk
13 years ago
greenie88 - don't you dare.... Not sure about your winter theory. We don't get much very cold weather. The average December temp where I live is 39f. I think it's probably because squash are not indigenous to Europe so the associated bugs aren't here. Our no 1 pest is snails and slugs.
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
I think it's that the ground doesn't get a good long freeze in the south or a freeze at all. Our ground froze for about one week in a terribly bad cold year. Not usual for us, but still in Tennessee, they lived! Sad!!

They burrow in the ground and being I've been picking eggs and all, I think they they lay there too. I was lazy towards the end when I knew they were dying waiting every few days, but nothing hatched anyways that I found. It should take a week for eggs to hatch, but since they slowed egging and I slowed only a few days picking, I still don't see how they got an infestation again. I didn't bother picking and didn't know a bug could do that much damage or I would have.

My uncle kills everything before he plants his garden each year,I think with roundup, but what ever it is, it kills everything including worms. No need to worry about last years bugs that way. I'm organic, so I'm the only one of my family without squash. I'm still going to try the organic route accept in beds. This winter I'll be tearing everything down and out.

I read somewhere on another board a man talked of one plant that never got it, he said he planted bread poppies near them. I bought some, but I was thinking maybe the opium poppies would be much more poisonous. I may try to buy some of those and plant with one plant, some other methods with another.
vikingkirken
13 years ago
This is just my personal experience... but my garden has been a rather dramatic "testimonial" case for beneficial insects this year. I have squash planted in several beds throughout the garden... some parsley that went to seed fell over on a bunch of my squash, attracting a ton of tiny parasitic wasps. I decided to leave it and see what happened... well, the only plants I lost to SVB were the ones NOT right next to/under the parsley. And even some which were hit didn't die, predators must have taken care of the larvae before they could do much damage. Some internet searching reveals that parasitic wasps destroy moth eggs (SVB is a type of moth), so maybe that's what did it!

I will be letting my parsley go to seed from now on, and maybe will try dill or similar next year as well...
vieja_gw
13 years ago
I never have had a problem with SVB but have had with the squash bugs every year until the past three years ...
I read somewhere where the buggest squash bug egg laying was before June so that is when I started to only plant the squash seeds. So far very few bugs & this year none at all. Everyone else has had squash for many weeks before me but now they are (the plants!) getting old & slowing down whereas mine are producing like mad & plants a couple feet high & so vigorous & healthy. Just luck? Don't know but for sure I will stick with planting the seeds late now! BTW: they are the yellow crookneck & zucchini,
vieja_gw
13 years ago
SJKLY: we also have loads of small lizzards all over the yard & garden (drive dogs crazy trying to catch them ... no luck!)so maybe they are keeping the squash bug problem down?!
adrock430
13 years ago
I second the beneficials! I let dill and cilantro grow like a weed in my garden and I have much less of a problem.

Also, having high-humus content allows the plants to out-grow the bug...they were actually rejecting the grub this year, it was pretty cool
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
I've also read the bugs don't attack healthy plants, but how healthy does a plant have to be? How do they outgrow the bug?

I'll plant herbs and see. Heat alone will cause stress on the plants making it susceptible. Parasitic wasps were the choice of some squash farmers, they tested 3, diamaceus earth?, parasitic wasps, and nothing at all. The winner was parasitic wasps. I do see them in the yard, but not high numbers. I loved to see the parasitic flies, hoverflies. One followed me through the garden one day, they are amazing things. I only saw a few of those.

I guess the plan of attack is to attract the right things, and check the vines frequently, plus put out varieties that are supposedly resistant, non hollow vined squashes.

That is hard to take to change types of squash because not all are ones you would like to eat. I'm the only squash lover in my family, unless I batter and fry them. So I'm not planting great numbers accept in the pumpkin category like butternut and cushaw for next year.

Squash is one of very few foods that will grow easy in my poisoned yard, so I always think in an emergency garden you might rely on, I would starve because of the bugs. Even in container gardening, which is likely to be what I'll be doing next year, I'll still have to worry about the svb. I'm done for either way. I know to add parsley to the list, a most useless herb to me unless making hush puppies, who would have thought. Thought it was flowers that attracted them more, but it's not.
gumby_ct
13 years ago
This is prob my best year (in many) that I've had yellow squash plants survive this late in the season. I think what made the difference this yr was the early spring and my late planting of the squash seedlings. They were root bound and very slow to take off but I guess they weren't mature enuff when the SVB moth was out looking for nesting places.

I have always heard to plant early or late - after July 4th in CT - to avoid the SVB.

I've only had problems with squash bugs 1 yr. that was the time I planted yellow squash on the east side of the house. I also had fewer fruit likely due to the reduced hours of direct sunlight. Ironically, I didn't have the SVB that yr either.

I usu. plant in back of (north side) the house and have never had a problem with squash bugs there. SVB yes, but not squash bugs on yellow squash, cucs, or pumpkins.

ps. I haven't used commercial ferts in the last 7-8 yrs. stopped using pesticides many years before that. Just Compost and leaves.

I leave the bugs for the spiders to deal with.
snowling888
13 years ago
This morning I went to clean the pots that the pumpkins were grew before the SVB killed them. I saw some broken cocoons and two borers. I killed one and one flew away. I thought we only got one generation of SVB. Is that because the unusual hot weather this year? So planting late will not avoid the damn thing.
gumby_ct
13 years ago
The year on these photos should be 2010
The day & month are correct.
Marketmore cukes on the left - Yellow Squash on the right.
My 3gal water bucket in between has 4 holes drilled in sides for deep soaking. I've also started using large unused pots with compost or chicken manure to slow the water down.
4 of my 55gal rain barrels are visible in back. I hook a homemade drip hose to these barrels for watering. I say homemade cuz I drilled holes in the hose for the low pressure water to drip out.
{{gwi:70896}}

A closeup of the yellow squash - just wanted to record what they look like this Aug 2010 after slipping by the SVB.
{{gwi:70897}}
oh that is bolted lettuce in the foreground. Those seeds will be next years plants :)
I had the best crop of lettuce this yr. from doing it this way.

Tomatoes with more cukes
{{gwi:70898}}
heather38
13 years ago
Heather38 officially states that she was wrong, my plant died a death, well one did, the second seems ok after my last message, and an off shot of the first, is vining up my tomato plant and looking well, but strangling some branches, and I did damage it from the Base, before the evil squash bugs, I have found 2 on it, but my Cukes and marrow are unharmed, but I saw the post on the fact parsley is supposed to help? and both of those are next to parsley? not planed just happens to be and not far from the spaghetti squash which is being decimated, that said, they could be different plants, I am not very hot on squash varieties.
heather38
13 years ago
I meant family groups not plants, sorry, i know they all have clever names :)
vikingkirken
13 years ago
Heather,

My personal experience has been with parsley that overwintered and went to seed in its second year... the parasitic wasps were definitely attracted to the flowers vs. the foliage. Was your parsley blooming...?
ghoghunter
13 years ago
I got tired of growing pumpkins and squash that were always killed by the dreaded SVB. I found an article in Mother Earth News that explained all about the moth that lays the egg that grows into the SVB..anyway if you grow Cucurbita moshata..a type of squash that has dense solid stems they are totally immune to SVB damage. I grew a Rumbo pumpkin that was wonderful. It is actually a cross between a winter squash and pumpkin. If you read the seed catalogs that give the real botanical names you can find other types as well. The Rumbo's were delicious and beautiful too. The only thing is that you can't carve them like a jack o lantern because they are dense. I got my original seeds from Jungs but Parks used to carry them too. There are also several varieties in the Baker Creek catalog as well. I attached a link to the Rumbo so you can see it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rumbo pumpkin
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
I wonder how soon to plant parsley to get it to bloom sooner? If to start off in a windowsill, does it need direct sunlight? Or greenhouse? I have an area for a coldframe, not finished still with enough room for maybe a 1 and 1/2 foot headroom. I have more faith in the parsley than what most I've read.

I'm still going to plant the bread poppies around one plant, one with the pyrethrin daisies around it, and all with flat mulch, plus one planted with potash and tobacco. This will be the only way to see if any of these methods work.

There are 3 or more types of parsley, root parsley, ruffled leaf, and straight, which do you think might flower the most?
vikingkirken
13 years ago
Parsley is a biennial so it blooms the second year. Maybe try overwintering your plant from this year in a pot inside, or in your coldframe? Or give it some protection, mine made it through last winter just covered with fall leaves.

I would think other plants with similar flowers (like dill and cilantro as mentioned above) might accomplish the same thing, too?
gumby_ct
13 years ago
Parsely has spread like a weeds in my yard in CT. So I think it will overwinter quite easily.
heather38
13 years ago
Hi parsley is first year as far as I know brought as a plant as all my herbs are, only things I buy in and not start from seed, but def no flowers on them, the squash is spaghetti and half is still alive and the other planted right next to it in the same mound seems okay, the squash with no damage are English marrow and and cukes, seriously about 3 feet at most away. but they are summer and the spaghetti is winter, don't know if that would make a difference, but as I say since my damage limitation, the other plant and an off shoot are still fine :)
wally_1936
13 years ago
Here in Texas I was never able to grow bush squash but had no problems with vine squash such as Butternut or Acorn. All my bush squash were infected by a virus and ended up being trashed as they were just too bitter to eat. Has anyone tried blue foil? Read an article once that said they see the blue and think it is the sky and won't land? Who knows Haven't tried so don't know for myself if it was just one of those things or not. I do know that many heritage homes have their porch ceilings painted a light blue to keep down the insects that like to build homes there for the same reason. So if all else doesn't work it might be worth the effort. But I haven't seen the blue foil lately I do know it use to be available some time back. I wish everyone well this this problem.
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
I think that's true, out of sight out of mind. Corn leaves are supposed to hide squash leaves and protect if just from being a camouflage, this is the three sisters garden, that never grows right for me, but I don't grow what I'm supposed to. No luck with corn yet, but another story and lots of things to correct with pollination too.

A blue reflective mulch could be a good way to fix everything. The silver foil is recommended, but it will cook your plants. I wonder where to buy blue foil? I'll search for some for next year.
vieja_gw
13 years ago
I read somewhere to try this & for 3 seasons now it has worked for me!! The major squash bug egg laying is before June I read so by waiting & planting in June it will by pass most of the bugs & so far no squash bugs at all (never had a squash vine borer though thankfully). Squash crop is later when neighbor's squash production is dwindling buy my plants are so vigorous & healthy whereas neighbor's older plants are now looking 'the worse for wear'!!
scarletdaisies
Original Author
13 years ago
The heat is getting too bad here to start anything, but it's starting to cool down. I am going to try to plant at the end of August for a few and put clear plastic tarps over them with foil as mulch to prolong the season. It doesn't really frost here until late, if at night and the snow doesn't come until January, if any at all.

It's weird because growing season albeit warmer early on in North West Tennessee, it is so rainy, it kills everything, so no early start up on the season. It gets cold at night in late season, so nothing produces, but it's 70 to 80 degrees during the day, so no prolonging late crops either. Somewhere else, zone 7 would be much more efficient.

Even stranger, I'm in zone 6, but the zip code for my area is zone 7. I guess there are pockets of warmer areas, if you are closer to the sea level, it's usually warmer. We are pretty close to several big lakes.

Anyone Grown Squash and not gotten SVB or Squash bugs?

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