Well, I have a lot of volunteer catnip in the garden...hundreds of seedlings come up. I leave some around. I have near zero squash bugs, 8 Japanese Beetles last year, only 4 Colorado potato Beetles so far.

I cannot say that any of it is because of catnip and nastursiums....and I cannot say they don't help either. I have killed off all the squash bugs in the fall and that has worked for me. The squash bugs amass on any remaining leaves or fruits in the fall and are ripe for the foot smashing....get every last one.

Thanks -- I'm giving it a shot!

I let a couple of volunteer squash sprout and grow, then swoop in an collect the critters as I pull up the plants -- just before planting my real crop. Takes care of the early generation.

We also have catnip all over, and I keep maybe three plants each year. They are stationed around the big garden, not near squash necessarily, and they are tremendous bee/beneficials plants. I think whenever you invite birds, bees, and wasps in to the garden you will get better overall pest control.

We'll be looking forward to your "Stray cats in my garden" post, LOL.

LOL noinwi! I did check to see if our cat is attracted to catnip before I put it out. He is not interested in it & he tends to run off strays so here's keeping fingers crossed that the strays & squash bugs don't party down in the garden @ night! If I start finding discarded red solo cups scattered about, I'll know what's going on....

I agree planatus about the birds, bees, wasps, etc. I've been an ornamental gardner for years and years. My backyard is teeming with "wildlife". I've just never had to battle squash bugs & svb before so I'm trying the catnip to see what it will do!