Effective insecticide for svb?

[frdnicholas]

While I whole-heartedly believe in organic gardening, I've lost my last squash plant to these pests. Has anyone found an effective insecticide to beat these pests? I am growing Armenian cucumbers and zucchini this year. Also, does this insecticide address squash stink bugs that seem to go hand in hand with the borers? Thanks.

 

[Chuck]

While I whole-heartedly believe in organic gardening, I've lost my last squash plant to these pests. Has anyone found an effective insecticide to beat these pests? I am growing Armenian cucumbers and zucchini this year. Also, does this insecticide address squash stink bugs that seem to go hand in hand with the borers? Thanks.

There are two distinct and different organic methods for dealing with svb. The first is trying to stop the newly hatched egg, which is the svb, from chewing into the squash vine. One uses a product named DIPEL DUST for this. Dipel dust is the powdered form of Bt (Bacillus thuringensis). The second is what you do AFTER the svb caterpillar has invaded the squash vine. To treat this you mix up a little liquid Bt and hypodermically inject this liquid into the squash stem above AND below where the caterpillar first chewed his way into the vine. I went to my dogs vet and obtained the largest syringe and needle available. Bt affects ONLY caterpillars. Stink bugs usually lay their eggs on the underside of squash leaves so close inspection of your squash plants is imperative. Stink bugs lay up to 50 eggs at a time so when you find the eggs just smash them with your finger or coat them with Neem Oil.. Most time though, one doesn't locate the eggs in time and the eggs have already hatched. These young are usually either grey with black legs or reddish orange with black legs and they stay fairly close together and are easy to locate. When found, a spinosad based insecticide is best. Captain Jacks Dead Bug and Monterrey Garden Insect Spray are two popular brands although there are many more. There are different types of stink bugs i.e shield bugs, leaf footed stink bugs, mormorated stink bugs, green stink bugs and others. They all share two things in common, they stink when smashed and they are difficult to kill in their adult state although spinosad will kill them if sprayed directly on them. I know of no organic product with a long lasting residual effect that will kill them.

 

[Nasir]

While I whole-heartedly believe in organic gardening, I've lost my last squash plant to these pests. Has anyone found an effective insecticide to beat these pests? I am growing Armenian cucumbers and zucchini this year. Also, does this insecticide address squash stink bugs that seem to go hand in hand with the borers? Thanks.

It can be frustrating to lose plants to pests, but there are some steps you can take to protect your squash and cucumber plants from squash vine borers and stink bugs. Here are some tips:

• Preventative measures - One of the best ways to prevent squash vine borers is to cover your plants with row covers until they begin to bloom. This will prevent adult moths from laying their eggs on the plants. You can also plant resistant varieties of squash and cucumbers, such as butternut squash or Spacemaster cucumber.
• Insecticides - There are some insecticides that can be effective against squash vine borers and stink bugs. Spinosad, neem oil, and pyrethrin are all natural insecticides that can be used to control these pests. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label and apply the insecticide in the evening when bees are not present.
• Traps - Yellow sticky traps can be used to trap adult squash vine borers and stink bugs. Hang the traps near your plants to catch the pests before they can lay their eggs or damage your plants.
• Handpicking - If you see squash vine borers or stink bugs on your plants, you can remove them by hand. Be sure to check your plants regularly and remove any pests you find.

Remember that organic gardening is all about working with nature, so it's important to take a holistic approach to pest control. By practicing good cultural practices, such as crop rotation and good sanitation, you can help prevent pest problems from occurring in the first place.

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