fooled the squash bugs ....??

16 years ago

for years I had the daily smelly job of squashing all those horrible squash bugs til I read somewhere that the major egg laying of the squah bugs was before June. So for the past three years I plant the squash seed the first week in June & NO squash bugs!! Inever have had squash vine borers thankfully! Neighbors have much earier squash to share but now their plants look worse for wear & the crop has dwindled whereas my plants are producing like wild & the plants so healthy & vigorous. Any one else try this?

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Comments (4)

oregonwoodsmoke
16 years ago
I don't have squash bugs (touch wood) but I do have late freezes. I start my squash indoors and it doesn't go out until mid June.

Conventional wisdom is that squash doesn't transplant well and it's better to seed directly. My experience is that it does just fine started indoors and grown rather large under lights.

Before it is finally outdoors permanently, it is a project to support the big vines while moving them in and out to harden them, and then bringing them back indoors when the weatherman predicts freeze.

So, if putting the squash out late is what fools the squash bugs, it is very possible to start the plants indoors and get a running start on the season, while still putting them out in the garden past egg laying season.
vieja_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
oregonwoodsmoke: that may be the same reason then you don't have squash bugs either! We don't need to start the squash plants indoors as we have a fairly long growing season (zone 7)& planting in June gives a way long enough growing season for the zucchini. Our tomatoes, 'Rainbow' bell peppers & chile (120 plants x seed) though we grow x seed mid January or so under grow lights in a home-made incubator in the garage & set them out in May, We use those grow 'sponges' that we love sold by Park's Nursery.
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scarletdaisies
16 years ago
The problem with late planted squash is the heat. I started some royal acorn and they just about died, but we've had it in 100s in my area with humidity, not the dry air out west. Just about killed everything left of what little is in my garden. It's been rainy now and I see new leaves, the cukes look better, so are the cantaloupes. I don't expect any small plant to do well in such hot weather, maybe in June, but it would be too hot for seedlings trying to establish roots.

Just a thought and late planting maybe your only hope with the bug, but I think next year, a nice buglight will be near them, plus other arrangements. I'm still going to try my pumpkins along with my cushaw and butternut, as well as my yellow squash. I'm thinking one or more of those home remedies will work, I just have to find the right combinations.
vieja_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
scarletdaisies: we also have had an unusually hot (90's & 100's) & *humid summer here in NM all summer long (zone 7 as you are) but the squash seeds planted in June are now huge healthy producing plants. (*Humidity from lots of rain around us but NOT in our area!). Our plants are on soaker hoses on a timer so get regulated watering & we fertilize once a week until the squash begins to form.