Dang squash borer

[leon richard]

I’ve read up on how to control squash borer Beatles but is there anything you can do to keep the eggs off the stalk ? Would applying Neem Oil on the plant keep the adult from laying the eggs ? I can’t check everyday to see if eggs were lay laid or not . Help

 

[oneeye]

You can prevent squash bugs from laying eggs using floating row covers. You have to remove the cover during flowering and after pollination, then return the covers. Another method I have heard of but haven't tried is wrapping the stems with aluminum foil.

 

[Harveyshot]

You can prevent squash bugs from laying eggs using floating row covers. You have to remove the cover during flowering and after pollination, then return the covers. Another method I have heard of but haven't tried is wrapping the stems with aluminum foil.

Trust me, the foil wrapping doesn’t work. They’ll just move further down the vine.

 

[Doug123]

What I've learned to do in Central Texas is wait them out. I used to plant out in early spring, and by May and June, the squash plants were destroyed. But the life cycle of borers in degree days, for me, is over in June. So I now plant out in May, cover for a month (they're small, so easy to cover), and then throw off the covers entirely in July. My squash plants produce through November. I've heard there may be several generations of borers in a year, but that's never happened for me. Now, up north this won't work, because their life cycle up there isn't over until mid-summer, by which time you only have a couple months of growing season left. Squash plants are large enough that covering for the whole growing season is hard, and once they start producing, you'll have to manually fertilize if still covered.

 

[Harveyshot]

What I've learned to do in Central Texas is wait them out. I used to plant out in early spring, and by May and June, the squash plants were destroyed. But the life cycle of borers in degree days, for me, is over in June. So I now plant out in May, cover for a month (they're small, so easy to cover), and then throw off the covers entirely in July. My squash plants produce through November. I've heard there may be several generations of borers in a year, but that's never happened for me. Now, up north this won't work, because their life cycle up there isn't over until mid-summer, by which time you only have a couple months of growing season left. Squash plants are large enough that covering for the whole growing season is hard, and once they start producing, you'll have to manually fertilize if still covered.

I’m in OK and I’ve heard to wait until July to plant.
I don’t have the patience for that so I’ll plant in spring and resign myself to dusting or spraying weekly. I just try for two pumpkin plants each year.

 

[Meadowlark]

What I've learned to do in Central Texas is wait them out.

Finding what works for you in your climate is huge part of successful gardening. Well done @Doug123 .