SVB lifecycle timing is important for any control effort. U of Kentucky https://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef314.asp has good advice on how to time SVB... 950 cooling degree days from a base temperature of 50F with a biofix date of Jan 1st. I use https://www.degreedays.net/# to calculate the current CDD. Basically take the average temperature for a day (best results from hourly data but can use high/low average) and if above 50 degrees, subtract 50. This would be the number of cooling degrees for that day. Add up all CDD's from January 1st. Using this calculator, I am currently at 720 degree days! At the current rate (about 20 degrees per day) I am looking at another 2-3 weeks before I start looking for the SVB moths. My summer squash have been in the ground about 3 weeks and have about 6-8 leaves...getting ready to vine soon.
I'm going to try shaving cream on the vines and probably some sevin if there are a lot of moths in my yellow traps.
-
rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Well I tried pretty hard last year - grew them under row cover the whole time until mid-June-ish, wrapped tinfoil around the base of the stem from below ground for 6 inches or so. It slowed the SVB's down enough that I actually did get to harvest some zucchini's, but eventually they won and the plant bit the dust anyway.
So this year I'm just growing acorn squash, which theoretically they don't like. We will see if that is true. It's not the same as zucchini though. I really would like to grow zucchini, but it just doesn't seem to be possible here. My next door neighbor lost her zuke plants to the SVB's also.
So this year I'm just growing acorn squash, which theoretically they don't like. We will see if that is true. It's not the same as zucchini though. I really would like to grow zucchini, but it just doesn't seem to be possible here. My next door neighbor lost her zuke plants to the SVB's also.
When it comes to garden pests, we do what we can and then hope for the best.
Alex's post back on page 2 confirms what I had originally suspected: the holes at the base are the bugs exiting the plant...this would make the foil of null effect.
I guess total containment is really the surest bet, but that's not always practical.
RB, I'll bet the reason your plants got hit even though they were contained is that the adult moth emerges from the ground.....a couple probably emerged under the covering, thus being trapped IN with the plants
.
Oh well, better luck this year every one
.
Alex's post back on page 2 confirms what I had originally suspected: the holes at the base are the bugs exiting the plant...this would make the foil of null effect.
I guess total containment is really the surest bet, but that's not always practical.
RB, I'll bet the reason your plants got hit even though they were contained is that the adult moth emerges from the ground.....a couple probably emerged under the covering, thus being trapped IN with the plants
.Oh well, better luck this year every one
.
Last year I lost my Zucchini, Yellow squash and Cucumbers to squash vine borer. So this March when I planted, I moved things around. I planted my squash and zucchini where, my tomatoes were and planted my tomatoes in the back of my garden. So far I have lots of yellow flowers on my squash , my zucchini, and my cucumbers, and no signs of the SVB. I may get hit yet but right now I have fruit setting and I'm watching, so far so good.
I am growing 2 borer resistant varieties this year - tatume and seminole. Supposedly the vines are thick and long enough with multiple rootings that the borer can't kill them if it gets in the stem. Will see what happens.
I am growing the regular squash and zucchini as well and mulching over the stems and applying an organic pyrethrin occasionally to the stem area.
Tate
I am growing the regular squash and zucchini as well and mulching over the stems and applying an organic pyrethrin occasionally to the stem area.
Tate
Along with my normal crook neck, yellow squash (the plants will be lost to SVB's), I am also growing Cornell Delicata winter squash. The winter squash is similar in nature to the Seminole and Tatume, but grows as a semi bush. Those types supposedly do not have hollow stems like the summer squash and are not attractive to the SVB's. The Delicata also can be eaten at any stage of development. I intend to allow mine to develop fully and then enjoy them through the winter. They are sometimes called "Sweet Potato" squash because the flesh cooks and tastes much like a sweet potato. The Cornell variety is also open pollinated and mature seed can be saved and used for the next years garden.
Ted
Ted
Thanks for the info Ted! I was not aware of that variety - Cornell Delicata. That will be going on my list of things to try along with Tatume and Seminole. I know my kids are going to flip when they see the Seminole pumpkins assuming my plan works with as expected. I have read the Tatume is better to eat smaller so I probably won't let them get too big.
Tate
Tate
Last year I was able to save one of my two squash plants from Cucumber beetles but I think it was luck rather than skill. I picked them all off and sprayed both plants with a solution of minced garlic and cayenne pepper. The bugs were gone but one had already got infected with the wilt and bit the dust.