I have had squash bugs bother all vine plants that I have planted. I had a ton on my pumpkin vine last year but managed to kill them with Tempo. Also any leaves with eggs I picked off, sprayed, and tossed in the trash. My mom also had this problem but picked all leaves with eggs and put them in a bucket of soapy water. It is possible to keep them at bay, it just takes a bit more gardening time.

I use a concentrated garlic spray which has worked well to control them. It doesn't kill all of them but keeps them manageable. I have never had issues with any other vines including my winter squash. Just my summer squash. And last summer never saw nary a one in the garden. The first time in years. I this year is the same but don't expect it to be. Jay

Jay, please tell us more about the garlic spray. Do you make it yourself?

Canokie,

Some years we see squash bugs and some years we don't, and we grow a lot of squash in our garden. The last bad year for them here at our house was 2009. I didn't see a single one in 2011, and I don't remember having many in 2010.

I just check the undersides of leaves daily for their eggs and scrape the eggs off the leaf and directly into a bucket of soapy water. If I see squash bugs, I usually vacuum them up with a hand-held vaccum cleaner, which I then empty directly into the bucket of soapy water.

I normally only see squash bugs on summer squash plants, not on winter squash plants, and that includes pumpkins, which are a winter squash.

On winter squash, the problem often is squash vine borers, but I didn't see them last year either.

I grew squash here for 6 or 7 years before the squash vine borers arrived, but since then, they're pretty regular visitors.

C. moschata types of squash are more resistant to squash vine borers, so that's about the only type of winter squash I grow any more, and of the C. moschata types, 'Seminole' is our favorite variety. It is a rampant grower and generally it climbs our garden fence and, thus, escapes into the wild....where is usually climbs up into the trees.

You can grow summer squash under a floating row cover, removing it only to hand-pollinate your squash, or you can grow the plants under the row cover and remove it permanently once they start blooming. Often, if you can get summer squash to the blooming stage, you'll get a good harvest as long as you check the plant daily for squash bugs and remove them when you find them.

Since your space is so limited, you might prefer to grow something that is more of a 'guaranteed' producer then summer squash. However, if you like squash, don't let the prospect of squash bugs prevent you from growing it. Just be vigilant about protecting the squash.

Seedmama, I think Jay uses a commercial product, unless he has started making his own. I use one similar to the one he has used before or possibly it is the same one--I remember he and I discussing it online some time ago. The one I use is called Garlic Barrier. I find it at Tractor Supply. They usually have it in the stores by mid-spring. I've linked a photo of it below so you know what sort of bottle to look for. I've made my own in the past, but like the convenience of having a ready-to-use product sitting on the shelf.

The last time I bought it at TSC, I believe it ws $9.99 a bottle, and I don't use it often so a bottle lasts me all season.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Garlic Barrier

Seedmama the one I used is the same as Dawn linked too. I have never been able to make one as concentrated and effective as Garlic Barrier. I do use it at higher rates than they state when needed. I have never seen it at the TSC store in Guymon so order mine online. Usually by the gallon. I'm getting more leery of what I spray it seems every year. Another reason I'm trying starting my own onion plants. I would prefer they not be sprayed with a post emergent(unless it was 100% natural) if possible. Jay

Canokie,

I don't know what anyone else has seen on melons and cukes, but I rarely see squash bugs near either one. The main pest I see on melons and cukes is cucumber beetles, both the striped ones and spotted ones.

Dawn

Seedmama,

While I haven't checked Tractor Supply (but I will), I found Horn Seed carries Garlic Barrier. I used it on my squash plants and it was fairly effective keeping the dreaded squash bugs at bay. I may have overdone it when applying the product as one go-around in my little backyard wiped out an entire bottle. So at that rate, it would be a little costly in my book to use but again... maybe I over did it (Jay, how frequently did you apply?). It might be worth trying to come up with a homegrown version. Lord knows I have the extra garlic laying around to experiment.

Canokie,

I was shocked last summer to find that squash bugs do indeed have a varied palate. I not only had to stand guard over my winter squash but found they took a liking to my watermelon and cantaloupe vines as well. Although it was late in the season, I couldn't believe my eyes when I found several hanging out in my mini-melon patch.

I so hate squash bugs.........

Oops! Just looked at the link posted above. The bottle I killed off in one session was one of those "attach to your garden host" type so it probably wouldn't have gone as far as a concentrate.