Mark,

I hope being able to rant helped you to feel better.

Maybe you have my squash bugs because I don't have any this year. I hate them and find them very hard to control.

If I had any this year, I'd try the organic spray, Spinosad, because it has worked on all my other tough pests.

And, using Sevin probably isn't the worst thing in the world. Being organic, or mostly organic, can be very difficult!

Dawn

Hi Mark,
I really do hate squash bugs! I made a spray that seems to help keep them under control: 12 cloves of garlic, 1 onion, 2 Tablespoons of cayenne, 2 Tablespoons of dish soap and 2 quarts water. I dump all of this in the blender (adding most of the water after blending). I then strain it through cheese cloth and pour in my sprayer. I look and spray for those suckers every morning. Also, recently I very old, wise gardener said to put coffee grounds around the plants. I haven't tried this yet, but well. Hope this helps!
Bella

Dawn/Bella

Thanks for your replies. I am going to experiment with different plants with the different suggestions and see what works best. The coffee grounds sounds interesting. In the past I have tried to be faithful and pick them each day but there are times when the work schedule etc gets in the way and I don't get to it for a few days and then I am overrun with them.

Mark

At the beginning of the season, I meticulously examined my "trap" zuchinni for squash bug eggs, and squash bugs, and destroyed every single one I found. Miraculously, it worked. Soon after, I planted more squash plants, and noticed I didn't have any of the accursed SB's on them. I thought I had won the SB battle of the century. Then, I got lazy and careless, and stopped checking the other plants, and sure enough, now I see some of the ugly SB's starting up. I sprayed the base of the plants with Spinosad this evening. I'll see what, if any effect it has. In years past, I would literally blanket squash bugs with Sevin, and it seemed like my vines got overun anyway.

I never buy squash from the supermarkets these days because Lord knows what they use on the plants.

My main plan that has worked pretty well, is just to keep planting more squash plants throughout the summer. Of course that only works when you have the space, but I would make room in a flower bed if I had to. Zuchinni plants are very beautiful, at least I think so.

Let's face it tho, wherever there is a squash plant planted, there will be an ugly squash bug lurking just around the corner waiting for a chance to come lay eggs and start taking over your plant. If by chance, some miracle occurs that doesn't happen, consider yourself very blessed indeed.

Barbara

This has been the best year I can remember when it comes to squash bugs. Seen some, especially early in the season. But they haven't gotten out of control at all. I kill them on sight, but can't say that I've been super diligent. We're also having the best squash crop we've seen in years.

I piled up barn leavings and manure, about 2' high, in a section of the garden, all winter long. Then, this spring I planted squash, cantaloupe and watermelon through this "mulch." I'm not sure that I like this arrangement. For some reason I did lose a fair number of squash plants (c. moschata) which just withered suddenly and died. I wouldn't expect such a high mortality rate, due to borers, in a c. moschata. One hill of cantaloupe never grew past a couple inches in height before expiring. Still, we're getting a good crop and I look forward to working this section this winter. It should be greatly inriched.

BTW we picked a 26 lb Moon & Stars (white seeded) watermelon yesterday. I'm praying that it's truly ripe. I'm the world's worst at judging watermelon maturity!

George

George,

Same here with regards to squash bugs. I saw a couple early in the season and thought "Uh oh" and haven't seen one since. No Squash Vine Borers either. Of course, now that I've said that, the garden probably will be full of both by sunset.

If you are the "world's worst" at judging watermelon ripeness, then I am the "world's second worst" at that task. I have gotten better over the years, but sometimes I still pick too early. The last few years I have employed a new technique that seems to help. When I truly believe that a melon is ripe, I mark the date on the calendar. Then I wait another 7 to 10 days and harvest it. By then, it usually is actually ripe! I hope your M&S is ready. It was always my dad's favorite watermelon. When I was a kid he used to tell me "it was the best but they don't sell it any more". Imagine my delight (and his) a couple of decades later when I began growing heirlooms and discovered seed of Moon and Stars was still available after all.

Dawn