Squash vine borers are jerks. But...
Jerks.
Thanks to my step-bro-in-law Ashton, I now know what is killing my squash from within. Just now, I used a sharp knife to slit open the affected squash stems, and I found 1-3 squash borer larvae per main stem.
Pulverized those jerks.
Now, I have all these squash plants that are all slit open like surgical patients.
I read today that bT (bacillus Thuringiensis) is an organic pesticide that can be *sortof* effective on these guys, but per this fellow, Tom Clothier, resistance is mostly futile and one should just give it up and prep diligently for a less moth larvae-ridden garden next year.
Hm.
Thinking I will heap good, fresh soil and mushroom compost/erth food to cover the slit-open squash stems and hope they will heal? I don't want to give up.
Any advice on this would be much appreciated! Meanwhile, I'm gonna make some millet toast with almond butter on it. OMG almond butter. Why have I not loved you til now? Now I may love you a little too much.
xoxo
TB
Hi - Just saw this post. I am very discouraged this year, as all of my zucchini and summer squash fell prey to this pest. I have thought of removing the bugs out of the stem, but I don't even know how effective this is. I planted my squash late this year (mid to late May), zone 7 in Maryland, which is pushing zone 8 these days. I think planting in late April will yield better results as some fruit will produce before the bug sets in. So what update do you have on this, two years later? Are there winter treatments you can use to get the bugs out of the soil? What about exposing to the cold/frost? Thank you for any update.
ReplyDeleteRoss in MD.
I can't imagine that you will like this answer, but what I did is stop planting squash and zucchini. I know, terrible, but I couldn't find an organic way to stop these jerks!
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