cantaloupes

[samuel l crowe]

I have several cantaloupe vines which are loaded, have been picking ripe ones for a couple weeks now however about half of them have a worm hole in the side, some can be cut out and are ok, others are trash. Does anyone have a good solution to prevent this?

-- Sam Along the Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach SC

[samuel l crowe]

thanks for reply but I have already used both the methods you mentioned without any better luck. I put them on ceramic tile plus I have a few growing on a hog wire fence to which I tie them up with panty hose for support (no pun intended) and they still get worms. Any other advice?

[James Mayer]

I am in Florida and if you have pickle worms, spraying twice weekly with BT(Thuricide), paying particular attention to the new growth buds and watching out for them elsewhere, you might have a chance. I've planted my second planitng of cucumbers and my first of butternut squash this year and that is what I'm doing this go around. The first time, I didn't know what they were. I'm prepared for them now. Sevin will work also but my cucumber plants (straight 8) didn't hold up well after I did and sevin is devastating to honey bees.

[dkra]

Wow, sorry to hear that. Could you get hold of one of the worms and identify it? Perhaps your local nurseryman or extension agent can help.

I did a brief Google search on [cantaloupe + pests + worms] and found some information on Yellow Striped Armyworms at the UC Davis Web site. Does this describe your pest?

-- dkra

[FarmerDill]

Sam: You have encountered the dreaded pickle worm. Here in middle Ga, I can usually get a cantaloupe crop out of the field before these things arrive from Florida. They can be controlled between hatch and boring into the melons by selective use of pesticides but it requires timely applications, Once they enter the melon, it's about over. Check with your local extension agent or Clemson University for reccomendations specific to SC