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Arizona Gardening

My pumpkins are infested. Should I pull them out, or leave them

18 years ago

for bait? They are filled with squash bugs and aphids. I'm growing watermelon and canteloupe, too. Those don't seem to have the rate of infestation the pumpkin does. I finally broke down and sprayed the pumpkin with Sevin, but it seems the bugs like it. I think there are more of them on there today than before I sprayed. They don't even hide from me anymore. So, I'm wondering if I should leave the pumpkin there for the bugs, to keep them away from my other plants? Or, should I rip it out and hope the bugs go with it?

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Comments (5)

bucks
18 years ago
Nuke Em!
jkochan
18 years ago
If the spray is not working, I would pull them out and get rid of them. While they're decimating your pumpkins they're also breeding. When they're done with the pumkins, they will move on to your other crops. Start spraying the watermelons and cantalopes before they can get a foot hold. After you have removed the vines I would also spray the area again to catch any nomads trying to leave the area. I had to write off my whole patch after three months of care and attention. I just couldn't get a handle on the aphids and white flies. Too big an area and too many leaves to be sure I sprayed every single leaf top and bottom. I think you should cut your losses and give your attention to the crops you can save. Good luck.
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Pagancat
18 years ago
And make sure you put them directly in the trash, once you do.

Good luck with the rest of your veggies!
Miss_Chybil
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks, all, for the advice. I sprayed the pumpkins again and stomped a whole bunch of squash bugs to death. (Does anyone know what the little tiny gnat-like bugs are that swarm squashed squash bugs the minute they are squashed?) I cut off all the bad vines and leaves and I'm inspecting the heck out of the onese that are left. So far, so good. If the bugs come back, I'll give up. I've had to baby these darn pumpkins so much already, I hate to give up without one last fight. The heat about killed them and kept them from setting fruit until just the last few weeks. I don't know, if my pumpkins will be ready for Halloween. This is my first year gardening and I think it will be my last year growing pumpkins!

I'll let you know, if they make it...
bethhawthorne
18 years ago
Don't waste your money on insecticide because it won't do any good. In fact, I've found its counter productive because it kills off all of the helpful bugs and lizards etc. and aphids and white flies just seem to be immune.

I find that Bell Peppers are fairly easy to grow here. I have some that have done great all year (ok, they tapered off production in Summer), and recently the spider mites went after them. I have been hosing them off for about a week and they are coming back.

Leave the pumpkins or pull the pumpkins. I can't see how its going to make much of a difference. It's not like your pumpkin patch is the only place aphids and white flies can grow. I'd leave them, maybe they'll make it.

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