The Evil Squash Vine Borer has gotten me

Well, the evil squash vine borer has shown its face in my neck of the woods. One zuchinni is gone, very wilted and turning yellow. Dug into the base of the plant and a little ugly caterpiller came out. Doubt it is going to rebound. The second zuchinni has the looks of a bore hole but could not find the bugger. This one is not wilting yet, but doubt it will be saved.

At least I was able to harvest 2 zuchinni's before the plants were stricken. Hopefully, the stay away from the cukes and melons.

Pete

If you get the liquid Bt spray now and inject some into the stem of the squash plant, you just MIGHT be able to save it.

I was just searching how to deal with this issue. I was getting ready to do a search on the topics as well. I found a site with some ideas to fix this. I am going to get the liquid BT and inject it like Odd Duck suggests. I will spray as well.
Solutions for Squash Vine Borer
Link above ^^ for the site.
Ha-v-v

Somehow I missed this thread! I just posted a new topic on waging war against the SVB (Squash vine Borer). We did the injections this morning.

http://squarefoot.creatingforum.com/general-sfg-talk-f5/waging-war-against-the-squash-vine-borer-t3339.htm#25048

Patti

Thanks for the tips.

Unfortunately the plants were to far gone to save, the stems were almost completely chewed through. Pulled them last night and replanted. Hopefully, there is time in the season to get a harvest.

If not, another lesson for the experience pile.

Pete

Hi guys, looking for some help. I read this post earlier today and rushed home to check my zucchini. This is what the roots looked like. I'm a newbie so I've never seen SVB before but I googled some pics and it sort of looked the same. I cut open the root with a vertical slit but didn't find anything. The plant themselves looked healthy and are producing fruit. I covered the slit back up with dirt and sprayed the plants with some insecticide, which I realize may be useless at this point.

Can someone tell me if this is the "frass" from SVB? Thx.

That look like it is SVB frass. Saw the same thing on my zukes before I dug out the little bugger.

Pete

Thanks Pete. And thanks for starting the thread - that's what made me look in the first place. I'll check all 4 of my zucchini plants today and see if I can find some Bt locally. Hope the plants can hold up until then.
Rohan

It got me too, well, it got my heirloom pumpkin. Grrrrrrrr! Of course, the pumpkin(s) growing out of my compost piles are ENORMOUS and healthy, so you never know what's going to happen in a garden, yk? You just have to chalk it up to winning some and losing some.

So far...my zucchini has survived the cuts to remove the larva (at least the ones we saw evidence of!) and the needle pricks to inject the Bt. It's been about a week, so I am hopeful. I'm keeping a close eye for wilting on the winter Bonbon squash and so far we haven't seen any evidence of new larvae frass. We injected it with Bt also.

I also have spaghetti squash and yellow squash. I have not seen any sign of the SVB on these. My spaghetti squash has 18+ squashes on it and I'll be very upset if something happens to it now! spaghetti squash is supposed to one of the squashes the SVB does not like. We'll see if that holds true.

If we beat them this year, it will be a first. Doesn't seem to matter if you're garden is new or old, those dang moths find them!

Patti

I am beyond sad those stupid borer killed off both my zucchini. In the past week I have found more green worms (I think they were cabbage worms) and now this. I am hoping I can get a couple transplants still. Other than watching for new occurrences is it safe to plant in that square again?

Although I could just scream about having lost EVERY squash-type veggie I had (butternut squash, ornamental gourds, squash, zucchini), I am least glad to know that I'm not the only one with this blasted pest! I didn't know what it was until I read this post, though. All of these plants were so healthy and full of blossums and new fruit, the BAM! All dead. I'm bitter.

Now that those beds are empty, I was thinking of adding some new compost and planting fall crops. Is there anything special that I should do to the soil to perhaps prevent these pests or might there be some nutrient in the soil that has been affected by these plant rotting evil doers?

I am on my third planting the little buggers got the first two,,, I refuse to use chemicals but may have to give in

I just went and got some zucchini seeds to TRY again. I still have some diatomaceous earth that I will religiously powder over all my babies! I will buy stock in it if it keeps them safe. I am even considering placing a bubble around my beds (if it worked for Travolta in the 70's it will work for my SFG in the 2010's). I have also read that placing aluminum foil around the stem may help keep the moth from laying it's larvae inside. So to sum things up I am going to have a SFG that is dusty, that gets great reception, and is self contained.