Squash Vine Borers

[Manelli Family]

What are you guys doing for Squash Vine Borers? Sevin dust and the organics don't work anymore for us.

[George Shirley]

I've had good luck with beneficial nematodes seeded into the ground, they get a lot of the SVB's while they are still in the ground. Otherwise look for the frasse, caterpillar poop, then squash the worms. Hard to get ahead of them unless you're checking twice a day.

George

[zxcvbob]

Do the borers bother those Tatume squash, George? The stems (except for the leaf stems) are solid instead of hollow like a bush squash. So the borers are supposed to just kill a couple of leaves and not the whole vine -- plus the vines root at every node which gives them some additional insurance against borers.

I've had more trouble with cucumber beetles than borers.

Bob

[Dwayne]

The best thing I have found was to rotate my crop. Put as much space as you can between this years and last years plantings.

Next, buy and grow squash that are more resisistant to squash bugs and borers. Yellow and zucchini are the first to go. Butternut and other winter are the last.

Last, plant a couple rows of sacrificial squash as early in the spring as you can, and a month or so later (depending upon where you live), the ones you want to keep for yourself.

Good luck. Dwayne

[Manelli Family]

The ones we have I was told don't come from the soil. A flying insect lays an egg on the stem and it hatches and bores in. Crushing the stem kills the plant. How do you squash it in the vine and not crush the stem as well?

[Manelli Family]

Both are a constant nightmare here every summer. The beetles are getting harder to kill as well.

[Manelli Family]

Zucchini and crooknecks are our favorites and excellent for those on low carb diets. Butternuts are not low carb and aren't ready until the fall. They're also so cheap here they're hardly worth the garden space when space is limited.

Now that's an idea. Thanks............

[George Shirley]

You catch them at the intermediate stage, the flying insect lays the eggs (you can spot them if you look closely), the larvae hatch and bore into the vine, squash them, cover the stem with dirt and the plant lives on. The intermediate stage is when the larvae go into the dirt and live there awhile prior to developing into the flight stage. That's when the nematodes get them. Takes a couple of years to get most of them and then you start getting squash.

Alternative: grow cucuzzi (Google the word), it's an edible gourd with a hard vine, borers don't bother them. Hercules War Club gourd is another edible one. Pick them at about six to eight inches long, cook just like squash. That's what we grew while the nematodes worked their magic.

George

[sherry]

onlowcarbdiets. Butternuts are notlowcarband aren't ready until the fall.

Dear I ran into your message quite accidentally while researching about some details on 'Low Carb Diets' and thought of sharing some of my findings. I've read at '

Make every carbohydrate count. When you eat carbohydrates, reach for complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads and pasta, legumes, nonstarchy fruits, and vegetables. Pick produce that triggers lower glucose response. Fruits and vegetables with the lowest glycemic index include apples, apricots, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, cherries, cucumber, grapefruit, green beans, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, plums, spinach, strawberries, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini. Moderate- GI produce includes cantaloupe, grapes, oranges, orange juice, peaches, peas, pineapple, yams, and watermelon. High-GI fruits and vegetables include bananas, beets, carrots, corn, potatoes, and raisins. I hope the above is of some help to you as well. Regards, Sherrybove

[Manelli Family]

Thanks. As soon as they start growing I'll check for the eggs on the stems. Will Google cucuzzi.

>

[Manelli Family]

That's pretty much what I've done. I've given up all refined carbs and most of the starchy veggies. Starchy veggies are much higher in calories as well. When I do eat them I limit the amount to less than 1/2 a cup.

The above are mainly what I'm eating. :0)

Moderate-

Yes, thanks. After awhile you don't even miss the carby foods. I've lost

45 lbs so far and feel a heck of a lot better. >

[Omelet]

Would regular treatment with BT help? I've never been able to grow squash at all due to those damned things. :-(

[Manelli Family]

As far as I know that only works on those worms that feed on cabbage family plants and horn worms on tomatoes. I can be wrong.

I've tried the slitting and squashing the borers but the plants always managed to die or were so sick they produced almost nothing afterward even when the vine was covered with soil. I'd end up ripping them out and burning them.

The products we have now are almost useless for insect control. The insects and bugs have developed a good immunity to just about anything you'll find on the store shelves. Those that worked, like Kelthane for mites, Dursban and Chlordane were taken off the market - or you need a lic. to purchase them. I'd like to know what the commercial growers are using.

[George Shirley]

I didn't see your post until now Bob. The Tatume are vine borer resistant and are a tasty squash. Left to grow large they more closely resemble their cousins, the pumpkins. Haven't tried to store them in the raw state as we live in USDA Zone 9b and it is generally too warm to store veggies. The Tatume will grow up an eighty foot oak tree if planted too close to one so be careful.

I grow them on nylon netting strung on steel fence posts along one edge of the big garden. I just keep looping the runners back on themselves and they bear until first frost, generally that is December or January for us. HTH

George

[Omelet]

It's been several years since I've tried. I wonder if the local population is still bad enough to even attempt them?

[Dee]

"Manelli Family" wrote in news:461ffa55 [e-mail]:

I was reading my old Organic Gardening magazines recently where a subscriber wrote a letter saying that he used Vicks Vaporub on the squash stems and that defeated the borers. I have not tried this method yet, but I plan to. My neighbor dusts with BT every few days, and that seems to work for him.

Dee

[Manelli Family]

Please let me know if the Vaporub works. We plan to have a small number of zucchini and crooknecks this year.

[Mel M Kelly]

After each rain I spray the stems next to the ground with BT. I also spray my cabbage plants and that gets the cabbage worm.

From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley

[john.glassmoyer]

I hate to rain on your parade, but my solution is: plant more squash. I've never had success controlling borers.

One thing that squeezes out a few more weeks from my squash is to observe the stems closely for the bores (and yellow worm poo). Slice the stem parallel to the xylem (parallel to the stem) and peel the stem open. Dig out the offending borer. Don't cut across the xylem or you'll sever the tubes that carry water up the stems to the leaves.

H> What are you guys doing for Squash Vine Borers? Sevin dust and the

[Manelli Family]

Thanks. I'll try that as soon as I see the little shitz.........