Squash Vine Borers, Trap advice
sustainabee
5 years ago
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daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agodigdirt2
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Squash vine borers on trap plant - what to do?
Comments (7)Boy, I'm really confused. I *think* (or thought) this was a vine borer, but I've not actually seen the worm or pile of poo sawdust. I've seen a hole in a stalk. My main symptom has been morning wilt. The first day, I thought it needed water and I watered it well. It perked back up and that was that. But then next morning, it was wilted again, looking like it needed water. If this had been afternoon, I might have assumed it was from the heat of the sun. Now, I've been going out around noon every day and spritzing the whole plant - including a really healthy little fruit and beautiful blossoms - with Maxicrop (liquid seaweed, no iron). It perks back up in the afternoon. And today, I decided NOT to spritz just to see what happened...by afternoon, this guy looks just fine. It's just in the morning, poor thing is all drooped over, such a sad, sad sack. Could this be something else? I'm going to go post this in the curcurbit forum and see if anyone there might know as well, but could really use some knowledge. My experience with wilt and curcurbits has always been wilt=certain death. (Unless it's just wilted from not enough water) I don't get it....See MoreThis is what squash vine borer eggs look like
Comments (73)cmonkey :I've thought the same thing too, and remember trying to figure out what they mean by "wild cucurbits". tigrikt - Thanks for posting that article. I love reading those old articles and seeing what people did a long time ago. I had to google "Cymlings" as I had no idea what he was talking about... they are another name for "Pattypan"... interesting. I always wonder what the Native americans did, when they grew pumpkins. I bet they probably had some good tricks they used. Its interesting how the articles names these different pesticides they recommend. Looking them up, they are all banned now for home use for being too toxic. Its a wonder our ancestors didn't all die of cancer and poisoning with all these chemicals they used! I like the idea of an "ovicide". I wonder if we have anything now in modern times would not be very toxic but could do the same thing. Would be a lot easier to just spray the vines than hand pick the eggs....See MoreAny sign of squash vine borer wasp yet?
Comments (8)It's actually a moth, not a wasp. It's in the hawk moth family along with the tomato hornworm. So wasp traps probably wouldn't do any good against it. They hit my pumpkin vines last year and I was able to salvage parts of the vines by the slit-and-bury method. I'm growing zukes in a different location this year but I figure on being vigilant. They didn't seem to bother bottle gourds, but I don't know about cucumbers. Anyone have any experience? I'm including a link to some organic control tips. Best of luck everyone! Jim in MD, Zone 7a Here is a link that might be useful: Squash Vine Borer Control...See More@#$%^$#@....squash vine borer invading the zuke!!
Comments (4)They don't exactly follow a calendar and it can vary a bit from year to year so I think maybe they became active when temperatures reach a certain level. I watch what is happening in Texas because once the SVBs are there, we'll usually see them within 2 weeks. People in north central Texas just an hour south of me see the plant damage by mid-May through late-May of most years, or maybe a bit earlier if they had a really warm winter. So, for them to see plant damage then, the borers have been active in that area since early April. Here in southern OK, I think the borers are hatching and growing in May and June, and we start seeing plant damage in about mid-June, although often the damage is at its worst in July. Some years it drags on into August because we have two generations here every summer. Those of you further north of me may see them about the same time I do most years or a week or two later. If you replant sometime in July, there's a chance the second generation will be 'finished' before your plants are large enough for the SVBs to find them, but don't plant the plants in the same place you had squash this year. Next year, plant squash as far away from this year's planting area as you can. They do overwinter in the soil, so you can't put the plantings in the same spot two years running. If I was planting new plants now, I'd cover the planting area with floating row cover held down on all 4 edges with boards and keep the plants covered until it was time for pollination. That might keep them covered long enough that the second generation would no longer be a threat. I lost two plants to squash vine bugs but none to borers yet and that is highly unusual. Now that I've said that, I'll probably have dead plants tomorrow....See Morerhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
5 years agodigdirt2
5 years agoRichard Dollard
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoRichard Dollard
5 years agodaninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agodigdirt2
5 years agosustainabee
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agojacoblockcuff (z5b/6a CNTRL Missouri
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoDon V Zone 5-6 Cleveland OH
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agodigdirt2
5 years agodigdirt2
5 years agodigdirt2
5 years ago
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