Marty, I have been using the mineral oil technique on my corn for many years and it really works!! I rarely find a worm. I use an oil can with a spout (dropper) and put a couple of drops on each silk. I usually do this when most of the corn is silking. Sometimes I only get one application done, sometimes I have time to come back a second time because by then the secondary ears are starting to silk. It does not take much time at all with the oil can and since you don't have to do it every day, it ends up being a small chore.

As for the squash bugs, I would also like to hear remedies. I tried one last year that seemed to work fairly well, which was making a paste of Sevin and water and putting around the stem where it comes out of the ground. I was concerned about the Sevin in the soil. Any ideas?

Ann

Ann, thanks so much for your reply. Based on your success, I'm gonna get me an oil can and try the mineral oil trick. You're right, it won't take that long when you consider how long it takes to clean up infested ears.

I'm going to go to the Vegetable Forum and ask about squash bugs. Maybe somebody there has a trick that works.

Marty

Tips on this page

Here is a link that might be useful: Organic

Thanks for the link, glorybee. I hadn't seen that site before.

Marty

Your welcome :)

Heidi