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Oklahoma Gardening

Proper way to remove leaves that have squash bug eggs on them

14 years ago

Hi all you knowledgeable gardeners,

I have encountered the dreaded squash bug on my plants. I have been trying to implement the information I have gleaned from posts.

My question is *how* do you remove the leaves that have eggs on them? Do you remove it from the base of the plant? Just the portion of the leaf with the eggs on it? Do you pinch it off or maybe use a knife to cut it? Do I do anything to the end of the stem after the leaf is removed?

I'm sorry if these seem like obvious things. This is just my second year gardening. I thought I learned alot last year! At least now I know what destroyed my squash last year. Thank-you for taking the time to impart your wisdom.

God Bless,

Connie

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Comments (4)

Okiedawn OK Zone 7
14 years ago
Hi Connie,

You can dispose of the eggs any way you choose. There's really no wrong way as long as you get rid of them.

You can squish them right there on the leaf, although I wouldn't do this if I weren't wearing disposable latex gloves.

You can carry a bowl of soapy water out to the garden with you and scrape the eggs off the leaf and into the bowl using your fingernail, a dull butter knife, the edge of a trowel, etc. Even after they've been dumped into the soapy water, I'd pour them down the drain or flush them down just to ensure they don't hatch somewhere and make their way to the garden.

You can remove the whole leaf if you want, put it into a tightly sealed bag and put it into the trash.

You can tear off just the portion of the leaf that has the eggs on it, put it into a bag, seal it and throw it away.

The main thing is to get rid of them and to get rid of them in such a way that they can't hatch somewhere....like in a trash can or whatever....and make their way to your garden.

Dawn
gamebird
14 years ago
I tear off the portion of the leaf the eggs are on and then squish them. The eggs I found were at the intersection of the ribs of the leaf, so I have a little dime-sized section missing out of a few leaves. I've also had eggs on the stalk of the squash leaf and I scraped those off. I haven't found it very easy to squish the eggs while they're still attached to the leaf (or stalk). They don't all pop and some of them fall off, so to be sure I get all of them I remove the leaf section and walk to somewhere I can sit down and squish them comfortably.

Fingernails are a big help in tearing out the leaf part and in squishing eggs.
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Why did you cut off the leaves? You can just smash the eggs and move on to the next leaf. I just rub them with my fingers. I am sure duct tape will work, but doing this on 300-400 squash plants isn't a viable option. Jay
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Take some dishwashing liquid soap. I put a couple of good squirts in a glass with some water and mix. Then get an eye dropper and put a drop or two on each egg cluster. Will also effectivle kill the adults if drop on them and trhey can usually be found at the base of the plant. Insects breath through the skin and the soap coats the eggs or adults when applied directly on then and suffocates them. The eggs don't hatch and you can watch the adults die a painful death in a couple of minutes of pleasurful entertainment. It does however cause a burn spot on the leaves but is no more harmful to the plant than squishing and much easier.The cardboard or other board material placed near the base of the plant is very effective in providing cover for the bugs and makes it easy to find them. It is also not a good idea to mulch squash because this gives them places to hide. Rodger
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I got these this year. The little ones are the babies. Those eggs will hatch and you will have more get something and scrape the eggs off. They just about killed the Zuc's and watermellon. This is how I got rid of them. In the late afternoon or early evening I sprayed the plants with water really good. It makes the mama bugs crawl to the very top leaves they do not like the water.These bugs hide very well under the leaves. Then I made a mixture of cheap dish soap and water it killed the babies and mamas on the spot(just like apids) Don't spray the soap mixture in the hot sun. 1/4 cp dish soap to 1gl of water do not stir just spray. The Zuc's are now starting to come back.
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Definitely not a hatched squash bug. Looks more a gnat. 2 wings. I took my pocket knife out and was going to scrape the eggs off and noticed him. I moved my knife over to him to see if he would move. He , well I guess she, was really latched onto those eggs. She kind of popped off, I thought I might have damaged her. But she came back in a few minutes and that is when I took this photo. Now I just hope it iswhat I hope it is.
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soonergrandmom
14 years ago
I do it the same as gamebird. It leaves a hole there, but it never seems to matter.
Macmex
14 years ago
Sometimes when I'm already out doing hand pollinations, and hence am carrying masking tape, I use a little piece of that to pull the eggs off of the leaf. I then fold it in half and squish them.

Another thing I've done, and should start again A.S.A.P. is to have a little jar of mineral oil out in the garden along with some Q tips. I then daub mineral oil on the eggs, which suffocates them without harming the squash leaves.

George
Tahlequah, OK

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