How do you prevent SVB bugs?

[TacticalSpeed]

They have ruined my squash crops the last 2 seasons. What can I do to give myself a fighting chance before I even plant things outside?
The sprays etc did not work once they showed up. It was too late

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

They have ruined my squash crops the last 2 seasons. What can I do to give myself a fighting chance before I even plant things outside?
The sprays etc did not work once they showed up. It was too late

Not all squash are created equal. C. moschata roots in the ground along the vine and generally does quite well. If you're trying to grow maxima, its a lot harder but I've been trying vine borer resistant varieties which have done better, nanticoke is one. Common wealth seeds has one I'm going to try this year.

Are you confident it's vine borers because last couple years have been below average due to the wet spring and dry fall. A weaker plant wouldn't fair as well either, so plant them on a decent size mound and water when it gets dry even before they wilt.

Commercially they use sprays, pyrethrin even organically. I don't so I can't recommend but it's gotta work. Maybe spray earlier preemptively

 

[TacticalSpeed]

Not all squash are created equal. C. moschata roots in the ground along the vine and generally does quite well. If you're trying to grow maxima, its a lot harder but I've been trying vine borer resistant varieties which have done better, nanticoke is one. Common wealth seeds has one I'm going to try this year.

Are you confident it's vine borers because last couple years have been below average due to the wet spring and dry fall. A weaker plant wouldn't fair as well either, so plant them on a decent size mound and water when it gets dry even before they wilt.

Commercially they use sprays, pyrethrin even organically. I don't so I can't recommend but it's gotta work. Maybe spray earlier preemptively

Very confident when I see them with my own eyes. Pyrethrin didn't save my plants last season

 

[Meadowlark]

Prevention is key, in my experience. I practice two critical prevention techniques, and they have worked for me to prevent, if not 100% but to an acceptable level.

First, rotate the location of planting at least every year and more if feasible. Follow up in that location with an off-season cover crop such as cereal rye. Minimizes the number of surviving eggs.

Second, practice extraordinary hygiene by removing from the garden including any compost piles all squash plants/vines at the end of growing season each year, without fail. I prefer to burn them, but for sure get them completely out of the garden space.

This works for me. I have heard of others who use trap plants such as blue hubbard squash and sacrifice them to the borers and in turn destroy both. I have never felt the need to go that step, but I would if necessary.

 

[Chuck]

I use Dipel Dust on the first 18 inches of stem weekly and after every rain. Dipel is Bt in a powdered form. It doesn't kill the SVB but it kills the newly hatched caterpillar which is what does the damage. Or you can plant Tatume squash which is immune to the borer. I believe it is the only variety of squash that has solid stems. Other squash has hollow stems which enables the borer to move about causing the damage. Also, Tatume squash is both a summer and winter squash.