How to Get Rid of Squash Vine Borer

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[@sharonromano8349]

What is BT

[@NextLevelGardening]

Bt is an organic insecticide that kills caterpillars and larvae. Great for tomato hornworm, cabbage worms, vine borer etc...

[@Dian_Farmer]

Lori Bacillus thuringiensis. It stops chewing pests, so it stops caterpillar type bugs. You can use it as a diluted spray on the leaves of plants that are being attacked by worm type bugs. And you can inject it full strength into the stems of squash. The way it works is when the SVB egg hatches it immediately burrows in and starts eating its way back out of your plant. Once it gets to the size that it needs to be or whatever it drops down into the soil to overwinter and come back as the moth next year or later this year. In the meantime it has sucked out all the nutrients and everything else the plant needs to continue to grow properly. What BT does is stops the bug from chewing, so as soon as it hits the BT it stops eating which kills it. It's a naturally occurring bacterium, common in some soils, that causes disease in certain insects. It's considered organic.

[@MichaelRei99]

British Trapoleum.

[@colleenkrall630]

(BT/Thuracide/Dipel/Bacillus Thurengensis. These are all names for the same product. Spinosad is also very good to use. Just FYI.) We grow our squash in the greenhouse so we hand pollinate.

[@brickinit1]

.babadage mountains new cable cars

[@darlenepino1056]

I studied up on this last year after losing every squash to vine borers. In addition to the BT, foil stem wraps, I treated the soil with BT in the fall and turned the soil every week to kill any eggs that are in the soil. I read that exposing them to dry cold air helped kill them. So I did all of it and no vine borers this year.

[@paulk5311]

treating the soil works. a couple years ago i started losing bell pepper plants. they would simply die one by one down the row. it was frustrating to me and then i dug up one that was dying but still had a bit of life to it. i found several grubs down at the roots so i sprayed the ground around the other pepper plants with bp. i gave them a good soak so the bp would work down to the grubs. after that i did not lose any more pepper plants.

[@MyChilepepper]

paul k wow

[@Nancy-zk9dj]

That's great, thanks for sharing! 👍

[@suzycreamcheeze000]

Ain't no dry cold air here in souther. KY

[@bnalejandro7]

So I pour the liquid in the raised bed and turn the soil…?

[@joesloop6572]

I used to always have borer problems but since I tried this I have not had a single problem. Spread something shiny under the plant when you plant it. I use old cd’s. I’ve heard that the moth becomes disoriented and can’t judge where to lay the eggs. The ground must be covered right up to the stem and outward for a few inches. You will be amazed! So simple and easy-and cheap!

[@almostoily7541]

I found a lesser amount of squash bugs too. I used the silver insulation in the building dept at the home improvement store. I wish I would have thought of CDs! Did you notice the squash growing better? I noticed that with squash and tomatoes in the mulch row verse ones in rows without the silver mulch.

[@johnalajoki2827]

This is something I do that takes out a lot of vine borers. I take a shallow wide container (I use the plastic drain bottoms of planters 12" diameter wide). I paint the inside with bright yellow spray paint. Once it dries I put several around the garden near vines and fill with water and a few drops of dish soap. It attracts and drowns the vine borer. It also attracts yellow jackets (a plus). It does not seem to attract bees or other insects and is harmless to pets, plants, and people

[@FinznFowl82]

Good idea, sounds like it would work

[@tambrasmith9707]

I will try that

[@Dian_Farmer]

Just because the SVB is my nemesis, I'd just like to add one thing. They lay those eggs willy nilly everywhere. They lay them individually, not like squash bugs all neat in rows. I have found them on top of leaves, under leaves, up and down stems. I rarely find them down toward the bottom of the plant. BT works great. Spraying once a week (in case you can catch one as it burrows in) and injecting weekly. Otherwise she will lay eggs everywhere, everyday and I have spent hours in the Texas heat trying to find them all multiple times a day and she still wins... But, BT has saved my plants the last few years for sure.

[@lorim1234]

GSFF I’m in TX too and this was my worst year ever for squash :(

[@Dian_Farmer]

@@lorim1234 ugh! I am so sorry, keep at it. People all around me were seeing them a couple of months before I did. My Rampicante are doing especially well and took off way before my crooked neck, my spaghetti squash did, too. Enterprise squash are fending them off well, too. I also planted potimarron and acorn and they are doing well, too. Once you inject bt and kill them, there are fewer to deal with the following year, I am finding. Good luck!

[@lorim1234]

@@Dian_Farmer thx :) after watching his other video on hand pollinating squash, I realized that was the other part of my problem. Just never had this many issues in the past but every season I learn something. :) wow sounds like a squash feast at your place 😁

[@digsindirt4490]

Also in TX and have lost many plants to SVB. 😡😡 I’m going to try injecting my remaining plants with BT. 🙏🏽

[@tollytucker2348]

Thank you for the tip! Here in Florida I’ve been so frustrated with these things! Spraying BT didn’t help so I will try injecting - I didn’t get one zucchini this season 😡. I also saw a video about planting after July when the vine borer moth has supposedly stopped flitting around - I’m going to try that also.

[@christycollier5362]

First time pumpkin grower here, and my pumpkin vines have been infected with hatched larvae. A good way to look for them if they’ve already hatched is their frass. I used a knife to cut out some of the larvae. But it’s good for others to know to keep an eye out for the frass. It will show you exactly where to find the larvae. Two of my vines didn’t recover from the dissection, but the others are bouncing back! The vines will try to heal themselves. Thanks for the video!

[@rantuneplanet]

Well...I went to battle with the Squash Vine Borer. (Check out my comment earlier in the feed ... this is what happened after that) I started my squash from seed and watched them (Squash) grow from the window where I work from home. The Squash sat on the table on the back patio. When the squash got to about 8 to 10 inches tall I noticed this beautiful flying thing attached to the side. That was when I KZbind one of my favorite Garden peeps, 'Next Level Gardening'. Your insight was SUPER helpful and after 'getting rid' of the moth I flicked off all of the little black eggs. Done and done ... so I thought. Eventually squash formed and I was excited to harvest one of my favorite vegetables. However I started to notice the stalk getting darker and rotting bits on the plant. I knew right at that moment what was happening. I took a razor blade and opened up the main stalk and there it was, looking right at me. The Squash Vine Boring Worm (or whatever it's called). It made me sick. How could this creature invade my beautiful garden? I did what any gardener would do in that position ... I grabbed some tweezers and lifted it from the squash stalk and carried it right over to my bird feeder. There were 3 worms pulled from the squash and the birds had an extra treat that morning. The patient (Squash plant) is doing fine with a beautiful medium size Squash developing. I will keep an eye on it. My other squash plant is thus far untouched by this critter. I owe it all to you and your great video on this allusive creature.

[@MarieLagu]

How fun it's going to be to explain to friends and family that the syringe is for my garden 🤣🤣🤣

[@grubbies1]

i AGREE ! Just asked my husband for one of his diabetic needles and an old pocket knife of his.....he said, "How are you going to make it look like an accident"? Kiddingly, of course!

[@cbak1819]

😆

[@monomille1]

Northern Virginia here. I’ve found that growing squash with a solid stem defeats the SVB. I use Zucchetta Tromboncino. Only downside is the vines are very long. Upside is that they are good at Zucchini size all the way up several feet long. Plus all the seeds are in a bulb at the end.

[@suedem7193]

After surgery, I fill the hole with petroleum jelly and leave it above ground in case I see more activity. The plants seem to do well with the petroleum jelly plug (you could probably find an organic alternative). I might try coating the bases of squash plant stems with jelly as a preventative; it has worked as a physical barrier to protect other plants from pests.

[@paulk5311]

plants are pretty hardy. i have left surgical wounds on them before and they survived after i removed the grub.

[@kaybobbitt7787]

I was thinking about trying that. Thanks for the comment

[@danacarbone9405]

wow what a good idea, I wonder if that would stop the bore from laying egss if the stem is covered with petroleum jelly?

[@conniecatmamma7141]

Wow, great idea. I've been using silicone plumber's tape to wrap the wound after surgery, but this is a great backup for when I run out of tape.

[@darlenemeade3690]

Love your channel!!! You talk slowly and clearly ,plus no BS.Keep up the great work.😁

[@whichkatami]

Love the channel, the guy is cute. No long drawn out explanations! As a farmer I do not have time for 38 minutes of small talk.

[@RoniMathis]

Texas here...vine borer cause a lot of heart ache. This year I went at squash much differently. Around my plant I sprinkled nasturtium and white icicle radish seed just before we had a week-long bout of rain. I also planted marigolds, some green onions, and basil. Once those came up well with the young squash, I mulch high up with straw. I also purchased a vine borer lure and trap and have it overhead of my squash. I have caught a few months in the trap, but what is interesting is that I can sit out there and watch the moth fly back and forth across the tops of my plants and then become interested in the trap. I've never watched one go in, but after several minutes they fly off. It knows there's squash somewhere but can't pinpoint it. Also, vine borers will lay their eggs anywhere on the plant, not just as the base of the stem, they will lay on the leave stems as well. Because of this, I typically inject a bit of BT into those stems - since they are very hollow it will run down to where it meets the main vine/stem. Also, if you only inject way below, you could miss one that goes in higher up. I inject at the base and again towards the top going down. Between masking the scent of my squash with other plants, using a lure/trap and injecting weekly with BT, I haven't had a bit of trouble with them thus year. With that said, I am having some issues with production right now and I'm unsure if it's the injections or just our crazy weather we've had this year here.

[@faithevrlasting]

its the injections. its dry here and it has worked for me 2 years in a row after 6 years no crop.

[@virginiaomalley]

Where do you get a syringe from?

[@adrischultz4939]

I use Pest Wizard squash vine border trap. It comes with a lure that attracts male squash vine borders. I have been using it for 3 years and haven't lost any plant. I also hill up the soil around the base of the plant Every time I prune/harvest it I spray a mixture of water, Castile soap and peppermint oil to mask the smell... :)

[@bnalejandro7]

What’s pear wizard?

[@michellebayes4851]

What is the mixture ? how much castile soap to water and peppermint oil?

[@jimchristensen965]

I don't lose any to the borer usually. I garden 95% organic but when it comes to the borer this is what I do. In zone 5 Iowa we protect from mid June to mid July then the threat is over. Use a small fluffy brush(hobby paint brush) that you can dip into sevin powder, a very, very small amount and then barely tap the brush while over the stem just above the ground. It'a quick and easy and the amount used is so small that I can live with it and feel very safe. Very little of the product neutralizes the threat. Re-apply after rain and we only do this for 3 - 4 weeks. I have had fantastic results doing this. Been gardening for over 25 years.

[@bnalejandro7]

What’s that? Where do we buy it? I’m in texas & lost everything this year due to the vine borers

[@jimchristensen965]

I have had good luck with this method although timing is key and and if it rains often the borers can win. This isn't 100% but it has helped alot. I use seven powder available at garden centers and Home Depot, Menards and Lowes. Any brush that will hold a little powdered sevin can be used to dab or brush on lower stem. Hobby Lobby and Michaels have a good variety of brushes. You want one just to pick up the powder and then tapping it will release the dust. if it does not rain the powder should stay on quite awhile. You observe and determine. A light dusting is all you need. Hope this helps.

[@slr4172]

that stuff is poison! A carcinogen.

[@jimchristensen965]

@@slr4172 Yes, I do not use Seven any more. That post is a year old. I do use Captain Jacks Dead Bug powder which is organic and the amount I use is minuscule. Not much of anything today is cancer free. I do use roundup but not in the garden and they say that is cancerous. A little agent orange in Nam, a bullet hole through my pants, drive a car, a beer every night, a little asbestos at work, too much sun over the years. At age 75 no drugs of any type, Ride bike and walk every morning and garden all day long, cut and split 3 cords of firewood yearly and lucky to be in excellent health. Life is risky but I also live life but I totally agree that Sevin is bad. Good hearing from you.

[@novalisa2689]

​@jimchristensen965 how do you deal with the damage along the vine? I have found them all over the plant?

[@theknittingsiren]

Thank you, thank you! I’ve never had to deal with squash vine borers before. We moved to Louisiana last year and it’s definitely a problem here. I checked my plants after watching your video and a bunch of them are infected. I got some hypodermic needles today and I’m crossing my fingers that I’m not too late.

[@obiageliofili52]

I really appreciate your channel. This is my first year trying to garden. I am growing squashes, cucumbers, tomatoes, and okra This is therapy for me, thanks for the tips.

[@elliottmcfadden6261]

I’ve had heavy vine borer damage, and they rarely just lay eggs at the base of the plant. They will lay eggs on any stem and work their way into the main vine. If you see a single otherwise green leaf wilt, it’s probably got one inside its stem. You will see where they enter because there will be a hole in the stem and a light brown goop (that’s their waste). This will help you find them. You do have about a week from when the egg is laid until the larvae hatch so if you check you plant daily, you can find them and remove the eggs before they bore into the plant. Even with my diligent daily plant checks, some got by me and I lost all my zucchini plants and a pumpkin this year.

[@travonafobb3343]

I went out daily and still lost to those stinkers as well. I trying BT and the nets this year.

[@travonafobb3343]

I’m

[@elliottmcfadden6261]

I figured out a strategy that work for me in a fall planting. Look at curcabita mochata squashes and pumpkins. They do not have hollow vines and so while the borer larvae can do some small localized damage, they don’t kill the plant and you still get good yields. Seminole pumpkin and Troboncino are good options. The Troboncino can be eaten like a zucchini when young or left on the vine to be a winter squash. The only down side of c. mochatas are that they all vine like pumpkins so the take up a lot of space or have to be trellised. The other option which I’m trying this spring is to plant parthenocarpic varieties of zucchini and cover them with insect cloth. parthenocarpic plants produce fully developed fruit without needing to be pollinated by male flowers. Since you don’t need pollinators to get fruit, you can keep all insects out. I discovered parthenocarpic cucumbers when I was struggling with pollination on regular plants and way very happy with the yield.

[@Nancy-zk9dj]

@@elliottmcfadden6261 Very interesting information, thank you!

[@lionofgod5843]

Wow thank you. Can you name a few names if plants. Thanks

[@sherrypettyjohn3570]

This video made me laugh out loud. Great info delivered with a sense of humor. Nice job!

[@jamesclaire115]

Brian, another great video. Happy Father's Day. Thanks for the very valuable information. Be blessed and God Bless America.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thanks James! You too!

[@cityofoaks]

Yes, we have the squash vine borer. In past years I've planted early (to get as much off as possible before damage), looked for the frass and then cut the stalk and leaf stems open to get the larva out, and wrapped the stem in foil (which didn't work for me) but this year I tried covering my squash with tulle (fabric). It looked like it's working but it's also a pain to get in to pollinate the blossoms. I've now pretty much taken the tulle off and am checking frequently and have BT at the ready.

[@loriswain8140]

The smile of satisfaction. Priceless.

[@MarianaMC]

OMG! I just watched this last night (newbie gardener here) as I have 3 yellow zuccini plants, today I went out to check on some female flowers that looked like they were about to open and decided to polinate them (no bees around) and while I was at it, I see this Red-wasp-looking bug flying around and landing on leaf steams for a few seconds and flying away again... it was one of these!! I tried to hit it with a cloth, I think I did but not sure if I killed it.. anyhow, I checked the steams of my plant and I saw the eggs! I'm so glad I watched this video or else I would not have know what they were! Thanks so much for making this video. I removed all of the eggs I found but it was getting too hot so I'll have to go back out later to do a more thorough revision... FYI I found eggs not on the main steam but on leave steams way further than a few inches from the main steam, so yeah, people should check the whole plant. Thanks again!

[@johnlogan1179]

You handled this situation very well ! 👍🏻🖖🏻

[@brookecardwell2288]

Omg yes! Most people say they’re on the main stem towards the soil, not at my house!! Those nasty things were any and everywhere from bottom to top of the plant!! This is my first year growing as well and I am learning so much, the pest part of gardening is something I don’t think I’ll ever get used to. My squash and zucchini have been growing a month or so now and yesterday was the first I noticed them. I picked them off with my fingers and tape. There is something extremely satisfying about popping the picked off eggs tho, not gonna lie. We’ll see how things go this year before I decide if it’s worth it again next year.

[@fitnsassyblonde7919]

GENIUS tip! Thank you, Brian!

[@wendydyoung]

Injecting BT directly into the stem ahead of the borer works. Did it for the first time this year. The plant is now doing well.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Great!

[@leidycasadiego3535]

Where can I buy BT? How can I get a syringe?

[@jasmynesartstudio]

@@leidycasadiego3535 garden center for bt and walmart or cvs for syringe

[@verawallace9055]

Thanks i didn't know where to get the Syringe, my pumpkins were attacked, I have to get both of them next time

[@justpyrite591]

Great info! You have absolutely the best videos and a future in comedy as well.

[@rosea830]

TN zone 6. We get 3 rounds of SVB. I've started growing plants that are resistant to -or unattractive to- the SVB. Seminole pumpkins and other c. moschata for pumpkins, Lemon squash for yellow squash, and young cucuzzi to replace zucchini. Lemon squash will eventually succumb to pest pressure, but I get a good harvest before it dies.

[@corineskipper1919]

I'm in same zone I have this same problem.

[@cheripierre9029]

Thanks Brian, again perfect timing for me as my plants are starting to really take off. 🤗🌻😎

[@NextLevelGardening]

Great! You're welcome

[@joanies6778]

Happy Father's Day! Last year I wrapped the base vines in tin foil until I heard about mounding the dirt over the target vines. I had zero losses. Someone else mentioned using panty hose to wrap it, which I like better than tin foil. This year I am planning to use a product I found online, called IV Organic, that is advertised to protect fruit trees and plants and thought I might try it on my squash and pumkins, too. You can paint it on the bark or make a spray. I am planning to paint my apple trees where I have to trim it, and to protect it from coddle moth. So, it protects against sun scald, but also pests. Worth a try since I'll already have it!

[@RedNicole22]

Any updates on how it worked out?

[@ophiuchusoversoul1785]

you are the first person doing videos about borers to actually talk about the insect that does this damage and show an image. I literally just saw one of those 'moths' flying around today poking at my lavender plants. I thought it looked weird, kinda like a wasp but doing mothy/butterfly things so I ignored it and walked away... ugh. Now Im going to have to search my pumpkins and squash. Thankfully I dont have a lot of them this year.

[@janicejurgensen2122]

Love your channel! Will be taking your advice!! I’ll let u and the community know!

[@konfidential1911]

Right on time with this video. Vine borers decimated my zucchini last summer and fear they may be doing it again. Thanks!

[@AmericaFirstNow]

A little bit ago, I saw a bug land around the base of my squash. heard of them but never saw one. Came in and yours was the first vid I clicked on. Yep... it was one. Went back out, got neem oil and foil.Found some eggs. The sucker came back. Too bad for her. Plants are still young here in 5B. Thanks.

[@bradleach4947]

Had my squash last year and it ended badly, next my cucumbers died from the same thing. I will be getting BT this year. I've been looking everyday for these little guys and so far so good. I am in a new location this year. So hopefully I'm ok. Thanks Brian.

[@tammy2813]

This info is great! I am having difficulty with getting my squash plants to even grow this year. I am down to 1 plant that looks healthy but as we know that can be deceiving. Can't wait until your book is available for purchase! Thanks for doing the research and sharing what you have learned with us!

[@judycee9263]

My squashes are struggling too. Vine borers, less than perfect soil, less than perfect weather (so much rain!) and late planting. First time squash gardener is learning. 😁

[@laurad7439]

This year was my first year branching out and growing squash. I didn't do so well, never even thought of the borer but there was the damage. In my GreenStalk I thought this stinks, I got like 3 fruit and that was all, and then I decided to take it out and saw the wet sawdust. So, now I know more about it. Thank you. I have a buttenut squash (2 plants) that I bought already started, and have 1 stinkin fruit on it, the rest are all turning yellow and falling off. I am determined not to let this be a deterrent. I am in Wisconsin. Thanks for your insight!

[@whatsyurprob158]

I've found that VB damage is the yellowing of the leaf edges first. It actually looks like a symptom of overwatering, and it will keep crawling through the leaves until it reaches the middle. This takes over a week if you 'had' a healthy plant to begin with. The point is, it's not just "wilting", which is the 2nd stage of VB damage. 🇺🇸

[@colleenr5871]

Last year was rough b/c of the squash vine borers. Thanks for tips. I'll use them right away. 😊

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

LOL, there's a LOT of killing going on at Next Level lately..! ;-)

[@SpiceyKy]

Right? Lmbo

[@MichaelRei99]

Hey Jeff! I didn’t know that you were a subscriber of Next Level Gardening! That is soo cool!!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@MichaelRei99 Ha ha hey buddy!! I try to watch everyone!! Still learning, always will be!

[@NextLevelGardening]

Yes it is. Lol

[@MichaelRei99]

@@NextLevelGardening my two favorite gardening Gurus!!!

[@pd6569]

Thank you Brian, all the tips make total sense. The injection port is fantastic, thank you very much. Just to be clear, do you use this strategy as a preventative or once these nasty things have taken a hold of the squash/zucchini plants? Thank you again, and good luck with your book

[@allisonzimmerman4943]

I had a problem with them just last week. I was able to remove it from the plant, Spray the damaged area with BT, then wrap that with the stretchy tie up tape. So far, the plant is starting to bounce back!

[@joannagel4681]

That is exactly what I did last year, I decided if BT kills caterpillars & borers then I needed in on the inside of my vines as well as spraying the leaves & stem, my plants did well❣️❣️ I also wrapped the base of my squash plants with Tin foil as an added preventative.

[@danacarbone9405]

thanks for info , so you prayed BT on the leaves also?? in other words just totally sprayed and drenched the plant once a week?

[@gailsanderson5011]

I tried but last summer but didn’t know how often to inject it. It worked initially, but I think I lost the battle when I didn’t come back with it in a week. Thankyou for giving me a much clearer plan! I will change the location to the other end of the garden, and try again this year.

[@michaell1665]

Here in SE Louisiana vine borers are notorious. I'm on my 2nd planting of zucchini after harvesting maybe 15 squash before experiencing VBM (vine borer meltdown) and ripping those plants out of the ground! I've done surgery on these plants in the past with little success, but I definitely will look into injecting BT into the stems. Last year I was not happy to find that some of my spaghetti squash actually had the vine borer larvae that had tunneled directly into some healthy-looking fruit! This year I have maybe 6 or 8 nice-sized butternut squash close to harvest and I'm hoping that the vine borers have not been a factor. Great channel, by the way!

[@keranhumble1282]

Love your high tech idea! Will try this!

[@marygonzales2373]

Yes, I learned plenty. Believing I will never have to worry about that creature. Thank you.

[@NextLevelGardening]

You're welcome

[@kendrahandmatt]

This is so helpful. I am always get vine borers and squash bugs…. It’s very frustrating thank you for sharing!!!

[@tommymckiddy7872]

I lost all my plants last year to them. I tried growing them vertically and it totally backfired. This year I planted them in hills like I've always done. I haven't had a problem this year yet.

[@locknload7682]

This is my first year gardening, I have loved your videos! I found tin foil hard to get tight around the base of the plant, I ended up trying self-adhesive bandages.. thanks for the tips! the BT is sneaky!

[@joanies6778]

Someone else mentioned using panty hose... that would be easier to get a snug wrap and it gives as the plant grows. I used tin foil last year but then discovered mounding the soil around the base of the stem. I grow my squash horizontally, but only after I let it root in several places, then mound over those stems, too.

[@kayecaban5324]

Oh my goodness!!! Love the high tech solution!!!

[@NextLevelGardening]

Right!?

[@Nancilynn]

Fabulous video Too late for my Spring squash but nice to have information for next year!! Love the “ BT cure!”

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you

[@melissasullivan1658]

Ahhh, this answers my Q from yesterday as I totally mixed them up! Thanks B. :)

[@NextLevelGardening]

You're welcome...me too for a minute

[@kaylawrasman48]

I did the syringe of bt this year and it worked as long as I was diligent! Also very awkward to hide a syringe behind your back when the neighbor stops to talk about your garden and you don't want to explain 💉 😅🤦🏼‍♀️

[@cbak1819]

Thanks for all the tips !! 💚 Last year I just cut off the dying portion.. I had several off shoots and they did fine I had production into fall!! It was my second year growing them.. the first year I just pulled them out without knowing they would be ok. This year I will put them in a new location and cover the stem with foil and mound up dirt around stem. .

[@st2778]

I just did this today ,how are yours doing? BT is on order and I will spray once a week

[@SpiceyKy]

"It's gonna die!" You are my sunshine. Lol 😆

[@raymondaten2179]

For many who don't know, the adult moth is a pollinator. I have lost 3 plants so far this year, but did get a Zucchini off each plant before it died.

[@essentialoilswithlucie93]

I have had Squash bugs in the past, but last year was the first time for this Squash vine borer. It totally devastated all of my squash plants and then to the melons and cucumbers. I was not aware of this vine borer - I thought it was all caused by the squash bug. I am just learning about the fact I had 2 different squash bugs. Thank you for the info. We did rotate crops and have done companion planting this year to hopefully help with the problem. I will also keep a closer eye out now for the vine borer and follow the preventative actions you have suggested.

[@mom-says-not-today]

I just lost 3 plants to this, overnight the leaves died and I had one squash almost ready. I went to pick the one squash and when I turned it over larva came out of a small hole. Everything went into the garbage. I am devastated. I saw this bug on one of my gloves!! I didn't know what it was at the time!! I will definitely use the foil mentioned. This is the second channel that mentions doing this.

[@rantuneplanet]

Found one of these guys on my squash (early). Took a pic as it was quite beautiful. Killed it. Removed the eggs. Haven't seen one since. Thankfully. Thanks for the great video!!!

[@colleenr5871]

Living in the SE where vine borers are plentiful, I needed to watch your video again. Last year, I tried planting squash in a container of new soil hoping to prevent vine borers. Also, I used foil at the base of the stem and sprayed BT around the stem base as I did in years past, but still lost the squash to vine borers. This year, I am again using containers but have been diligently checking the plants for the eggs daily. I have plenty of BT in case I need to inject the stem. So I'm set for the season. I appreciate your video! :)

[@greggmansfield2788]

Suggestion - After sterilizing the syringe with the bleach solution, you might want to rinse it out with water (collected rain water preferably) to keep from killing off/weakening the Bt bacteria. There is residual bleach in the syringe needle.

[@virginiaomalley]

Where can you buy a syringe?

[@lydiahubbell6278]

@@virginiaomalley TSC

[@monaadams6529]

👏 Great way to get them I think, Thank you for your research.

[@BrendaJBarNett]

Ohhhh....I love the high tech idea and the foil....thanks for the great info

[@NextLevelGardening]

You're welcome

[@margaretbetzing186]

This is my 2nd year of growing squash. Last year I had more than we could eat. This year the vine borer attacked I saw the moth but let it live because I didn't know what it was. No squash now and we found the nasty worms in the dead stems. We replanted and I'm going to try the foil.

[@RJack1915]

I have used the foil at the base and the base of all the stems and that worked great.

[@dan69052]

good direct to the point , will follow

[@bobbywalden1981]

You can also put Vaseline on the stem

[@elvirapastor9742]

So informative thank you!

[@AABrastle131]

Man I've been digging these suckers outta my plants for the past week, lost half my zucchini plants! Thanks for the tips, got my shopping list

[@AM-hh2kg]

First year gardener. A few weeks ago noticed some strange tunneling in the dirt around the base of the plants. Buried the holes and sprayed with neem oil and an organic spray, seemed to work well. Then a week or so ago, Noticed damage on my squash and zucchini plants. At first, i wasn't worried about it, because it seemed like normal rot where I wasn't able to prune the plant against the stem completely. I did a huge prune recently and noticed a troubling lack of color in one of my zucchini stems. A couple days ago I went out and looked again, feels like rather than the rot getting better, there's more. And saw a moth but like others have said, didn't think much about it. Today I went out and looked after a gut feeling. There's a big blister on my plant, and stems look very pale yellow. Sad day in the garden 😢

[@Mandy-fl8fn]

I saw one flying last year and thought what is that so I googled it. They always get my zucchini . I always wondered why the stalks got wilty and died. I learned a lot. Thanks for the tips on these nasty buggers.

[@CSCINF]

Excellent!! I just subscribed

[@MichaelRei99]

The vine borer got me last year for the first time! I just thought the plant got old and checked out.

[@lgrillo]

Super helpful! I grew 4 varieties of squash this year, 2 plants of each kind. All 8 plants died because of squash vine borers. Now I will know how to prevent or combat them should I have a repeat of that next summer.

[@alancarter4270]

I use Coban medical tape instead of foil, it stretches and sticks to itself. I also plant cucumbers between plants. I used the BT and syringe method as well I hill up the soil around the nodes to encourage the flower cluster to put down more roots. This year we were infested with them, I counted anywhere from 5 to 8 sitting there on the leaves. We got five harvests this year before pulling the Zucchini and Patty Pans for other crops. Picked almost13lbs of tomatoes and and 3.5 lbs of Black berries

[@nancywebb6549]

Why do you plant cucumbers between the plants?

[@candyjohnson3302]

Since the SVB doesn’t usually attack cucumbers, why does planting them in between squash make a difference?

[@gardeningwithprincess]

I have cucumbers planted with mine, and they most definitely laid eggs on my cucumbers. They don't discriminate when things are plants nxt to squash.

[@me77541]

What is bt?

[@alancarter4270]

@@me77541 Bacillus Thuricide.

[@ruthannecoro6198]

Great info! 😊 thank you!

[@doncook3584]

SVB I’m no longer having night cold sweats. I don’t see well enough to spot the eggs but I check all my squash daily and I can spot the frass and I’m not intimidated anymore. I open the vine (carefully) remove the little devils and walk away. I grow in buckets and found you don’t need to pile on soil. Mother Nature will heal the wound. Bad news is that there are no vacations which is fine by me. Hate hot weather can trust neighbors to water but not hunt SVB’s

[@doozie8173]

My experience is never seeing the moth and going out one day to see all my big, beautiful plants laying limp on the ground. I’m trying foil this year but I couldn’t do every plant. Some of them started sprouting out flowers and fruit right at the base. Some years I can plant early enough that I’m sick of squash by the time I get hit, and they don’t necessarily hit every plant. This year I saw a moth today (first time!) and I haven’t picked any squash yet. Battle ON! I’ll be trying the BT injection + neem to hopefully smother eggs. There is no way I can truly hunt for eggs on most plants. They are a mess of stems, fruit and flowers everywhere, and those plants make me itch like crazy. I have to wear long sleeves to pick squash. BUT, there is hope for a second planting. Vine borers only do one generation in my area (not sure about everywhere) so I’ll be starting new plants mid-July and I can harvest through the fall with no more borers. If my current plants survive the current moths, I won’t need to replant. Some people in my area ONLY plant a late crop for fall. They have no borers and less squash bugs.

[@kimberlycarroll8811]

Very helpful video! Took lots of notes. I will be attacking the squash vine borers in my pumpkins, squash, and zucchini TODAY!

[@mariap.894]

Wow! I get to be the first. I'd like to say thank you very much Brian for all you share and all your hard work. The beauty and bounty of my garden reminds me of you and your generosity. Hope your ankle is better.( Keep doing the alphabet 😉) Blessings to you and all our fellow gardeners 🙏❤️🌻🌷 Btw. I gave up growing squashes and cucumbers, it's impossible for me 😢😓

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you Maria! Always great hearing from you! Ankle is 100%

[@mariap.894]

@@NextLevelGardening Happy Father's Day Brian and to all the father's too! 🌻🌷👋😁🐦🐓 ❤️💜❤️

[@rhondadean5455]

Thank you. I subscribed and I will do as prescribed. Love my squashes. Can we do this to cabbage and onions too, etc.?

[@izholmes]

Ha! As a T1 diabetic that BT injection method is one I can get with and I have all the supplies! Thanks for the advice!

[@mainenanabear9746]

THey destroy my garden every year. Going to try this technique this year! Thanks for doing this!

[@jSheapullen]

Love it! Thank you!!!

[@MichaelRei99]

Happy Father’s Day Brian!!

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thanks Mike you too!

[@MichaelRei99]

@@NextLevelGardening thanks!!

[@laurarowland7926]

My husband also put foil around bottom of tomatoes to keep cut worms away

[@judymckerrow6720]

Excellent tip!💚🙃

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thanks

[@debbiep7419]

You are such a giver, Brian, researching a bug you don't need to worry about (yet). Being as I also live in SoCal, I didn't realize that they are a problem here (yet). But as I may move to the south east, I'm taking notes. I had heard about the foil trick. I love the Bt idea. Is it straight Bt or diluted? Do you inject it into the flesh of the stem or the hollow part? Thanks for another great video, really looking forward to the spider mite video as they are the bane of my tomato existence. BTW, Happy Father's Day!

[@robinc7235]

I haven't had a garden in years so this year I've been experimenting with Smart Pots. No problems with those, everything is growing great in them, but I've had vine borers kill my squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, and pumpkin plants. Hateful things! Next year I'll know what to lookout for and how to deal with them. Thanks!

[@lovinlifeinNC]

LOVE the Bt idea and will definitely do that! I wanted to also suggest Squash Vine Borer pheromone traps. Unfortunately you can't easily find them in stores but they are sold online. I put one out and caught about 10 in the first few days.

[@georgianamcglinchey573]

I wonder about pheromones as I worry they attract more bugs to your area!

[@lovinlifeinNC]

@@georgianamcglinchey573 I think the pheromones are specific to that insect because there is no other insect stuck in the trap after 3 weeks.

[@shervin6711]

Genius idea! Oh wow!

[@leeannmillet8215]

Cool learned something new thanks.

[@charlenequinilty7252]

Yes we have the dreaded vine borer. I’ve tried all sorts of tricks to keep the borer out to no avail. I’ve even tried the syringe and that was the most effective.

[@mesmer1218]

I’ve been using tin foil with mixed results. I really like the BT solution.

[@tinaclick5952]

I love it! Thank you for sharing even though you don't have an issue with these monsters.

[@NextLevelGardening]

You're very welcome!

[@pamt8430]

Just found these hateful things today!! First time growing Black Futsu squash. Last year was squash bugs on Summer squash. Thanks for sharing!!!

[@bobbun9630]

Squash vine borers are definitely around where I live. One thing not mentioned is that up north they only have one generation per year. Further south, they have two or perhaps even three generations, but the generations overlap enough to make it so they're effectively always around. My approach is a little different than what's mentioned... I plant C. moschata and C. argyrosperma varieties when I plant winter squash, with one exception mentioned later. These are more resistant to the borer. For summer squash (usually C. pepo--highly vulnerable), I'm willing to just pull the plants and plant new ones when they start to wilt regularly. Summer squash gets up to producing size quickly, and pulling the infested plants will keep the larvae from maturing. The exception on winter squash is that I have planted Blue Hubbard (C. maxima) as a trap crop. It's highly attractive to the borer, and you can either sacrifice it and plant new or use a systemic pesticide (if you don't care about organic culture on a trap crop) to deal with the problem.

[@smitaghosh6133]

@Bobbun: after reading your comment I have been reading up on growing Hubbard squash as a 'trap crop'. Sounds like a very good idea in addition to BT injection. Did growing Hubbard squash improve things for you? And what is a systemic insecticide that one can use on the Hubbard squash trap? I imagine you want to keep the trap growing because you want the bugs to go on infecting it but you also want the bugs in the plant to die before multiplying. Thank you for your thoughtful input above.

[@bobbun9630]

@@smitaghosh6133 My experience this year was that only the hubbard squash got infested with vine borers. It also naturally rooted extensively at the nodes (which helps the plant survive borer infestation), and wasn't actually dead when I cleaned up all the squash in the garden. Consequently, I didn't use any pesticides on it and ultimately destroyed the borers with the vines. It's worth mentioning, though, that the all the other squash I ended up with in the garden this year was varieties not considered highly vulnerable to the borer (cushaw and butternut), so this wasn't really a perfect test. Imidacloprid is the most commonly available systemic insecticide for homeowner use. I don't know if it's labeled for squash, so I suggest reading the label. It's known to be highly toxic to bees, and since it is a systemic it will likely be present in nectar and pollen produced by any plant treated with it.

[@smitaghosh6133]

@@bobbun9630 Thank you so much for your reply. That your Hubbard got so heavily infected says those bugs would have infected the more vulnerable summer squashes. Though yours was not the perfect test it does encourage me to go this route and plant a couple of Hubbards 3 to 4 weeks before I plant any summer squashes. May be I will put out a few summer squashes in pots as dummies and see what happens. Got to win this battle. I did read up on imidacloprid. Yes it is used on squash and yes it is highly toxic to bees. I will use it because I want all the larvae to die but I will cut off every flower as I see them forming. Have you heard of spraying of peppermint and/or rosemary oil on squash plants to confuse and deter these insects? Apparently the vermin are attracted to the chemical compound cucurbitacin and Hubbard squashes produce this substance profusely and even more so when they flower. Those strong smelling oils supposedly mask cucurbitacin. Who knows if these oils actually work!? I really, really appreciate you sharing your experience here and replying to me. All the best. Oh, I will put up a few pheromone traps. Anything to reduce or decimate the population of the borers here!

[@jasongordon13]

yes u r selfless and GENEROUS!!! thanks

[@kaitie4831]

Never had luck saving the plants after I had the squash borer. After a couple of years of failed crops I gave up on squash for a couple of years let the borer move on and tried it again. Have used neem oil on my plants ever since. I heard they start laying their eggs the beginning of July so I hit my squash plants with neem oil weekly and every time after it rains the entire month of July and have never had a problem since.

[@lionofgod5843]

Your amazing great info. I’m in zone 4. Northern Canada, boreal forest.

[@letmetellyawithladyt]

Funny I'm seeing this as soon as I'm seeing so many posts about this!!!