DE can discourage them but I haven't found it eliminates them. It works better if you use something like a Dustin-Mizer to distribute it. I think Surround WP would be a better solution if you can find it in a small quantity. The year I bought the Surround, I bought a 25-lb. bag which likely will outlast me because I don't use it all that often.

There's a thread further down on this page where we have a major discussion of favorite squash bug control techniques under discussion.

The only way to really avoid the SVBs is to grow the squash plants underneath floating row cover. I usually uncover the plants when they start blooming, which means the SVBs will get them anyhow, but not before I am able to harvest some good squash first. I could leave them covered and lift the row cover just long enough to hand-pollinate, but that takes up precious gardening time that I don't have to spare in the summer months.

I also tend to sow new seeds in a new spot as far from the existing plants about once a month and keep them covered until they start blooming so that I always have a new generation of plants coming along to replace the ones the SVBs get.

I have a good crop of squash bugs also.

My first female blooms appeared this morning on my Spaghetti squash, looks as though I will have to hand pollinate because I don't see any bees.

Larry

Oh yeah. I can hear their wedding bells from my house. They must be having a union about every hour.

Lol! Maybe more often than that considering the couples I killed. Killed a bore this morning too. Good grief!!

Larry....spaghetti squash question. I just found seed and planted them this week. From what I understand, they're about a 100-day crop. That would take me into September, so I think I'll be ok. Do you recall when you planted yours? I'm just trying to figure out when they'll bloom. I hope the squash borers don't realize that I've planted this this year :)

Sharon

Sharon, I would like to be more help, but I have never grown these before. I got these seed the last half of March, planted them on a heat mat in the house the first half of April, planted them in the garden while still small after the first of May.

Here is a picture of them now, at about 2 month from seed.

Hmm...ok - mine just "burst forth" today, so we'll see!
I'm excited at the prospect of having a fair amount of these, provided there are female blossoms, the squash bugs/beetles don't get them, etc., etc....in other words, it's a gamble!

Thanks for the info,
Sharon