Squash Vine Borers

[Angela5237]

Earlier I went to look at my zucchini plant and I noticed what looked like scratch marks all over the stems. To make it better, there was an odd odor coming from the bottom of the plant. It was gooey and some stalks from the plant looked like they were ready to fall off. I pulled one of the stems off and tore it open. Wouldn't you know it, I find a tiny white worm looking thing crawling inside. So, here we go again with squash vine borers. Is there anything I can do now that I clearly have them inside of my plant? I would hate for it to travel to the rest of the plants as well.

[gumbo2176]

They are tough to get rid of once they are in the plant. Some folks resort to slicing open the stems where there is evidence of borers, removing them and piling soil over the injured stem and keeping it wet to see if it recovers.

Personally, I've never had much luck saving squash once the borers get in them. In my bouts with them, it seems once I see the evidence of an infestation, they are well established in the plants.

Hopefully, you can save a few plants. Good luck.

[sheeshshe]

I've been digging them out for the past month. I keep digging them out with this little tool I found, and I don't bury the vine or anything. the plants do just fine afterwards. the only times I lost the plants is when I waited too long and there was barely anything left of the plant, and the plant basically fell apart when I dug in.