How to STOP the Squash Vine Borer! |This Actually Works|

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Have your mature summer squash ever just wilted and died in a matter of days? Chances are this was due to a Squash Vine Borer that destroyed your plant from the inside out. In this video you will learn my favorite way to stop the dreaded Squash Vine Borer. Don't let these pests cut your harvest season short!
Hi!
My name is Justin and I have my managed my family's business (S&K Greenhouse) for the last 10 years! It is a local garden center in Shelby, NC that my family started around 25 years ago.
We have a strong desire to discuss and teach gardening to the online community and welcome anyone who wants to learn. Though we have been involved in the plant world for decades we have found that there is always something to learn when it comes to gardening.
Whether you are a master gardener or just starting out this channel is for you. Thank you so much for taking the time to watch our videos!

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[@1960leeann]

But where do you buy a hypodermic needle?

[@nathan40307]

Thanks for the info. I just lost a huge beautiful squash to these things. I cut open the stem and saw these big white grub looking things. Too late for the plant but I picked the grubs out and put them on my bird feeder. The birds loved them! Now they know how it feels to be eaten!

[@Beardqt]

it's dark but i felt a lot better reading that, thank you

[@yellowdog762jb]

I HATE squash vine borers!!! I finally gave up growing squash they got so bad here on the Texas Gulf Coast. I tried stabbing them inside the vine with a thin needle. Injecting BT sounds like a great idea! I've watched a couple of your videos now, I like your straight to the point manner. Every minute of viewing time is well spent.

[@lizsummers6818]

Somebody on some gardening video (sorry - can't remember who it was) said that a good way to avoid squash vine borers is to plant squash as a fall crop. The borers are all gone by then. Since I live in the deep south, I could probably grow them during the fall season.

[@jacobclark1457]

I am in Upstate SC. Been growing squash and zucchini for a decade now and just had the first casualty to the SVB. New property this year, never had them at old house. Thanks for the video. I will start injecting the rest of the plants in hopes I don’t lost them too.

[@mintgreen292]

I saw a vine borer moth on my pumpkin about 2-3 weeks ago. I didn't know what it was and whatever I typed into google told me it was a pollinator so I left it alone! Now all my pumpkins and most of my squash have splits with that yellow gunk coming out. I feel so stupid. Thanks for this straightforward video. Will definitely be injecting as soon as possible.

[@mrskimmieg]

Thank you so much! I’m convinced squash borers and bugs are the spawn of Satan. Will this work for winter squash as well?

[@skgreenhouse]

I would have to agree! They're the worst. Yes, this should on winter squash, but have not personally tried it before on those.

[@mountaincreekhomestead]

I completely agree with you and add mosquitos to that

[@americanajooma4457]

I, too, have recently experienced the devastation of the borer. It lays so many eggs that it is overwhelming to remove. I have already lost my pumpkin, zucchini, and summer squash to this pest. My delicata is hanging in there.

[@CrazyGpaw]

Without a doubt

[@mrswiggles4790]

OMGOSH, thank you! I just found a vine bore this morning. It is turning the main stem to mush. I will definitely treat with this today!!!

[@jeanniejean2478]

Because of your very clear answer without a bunch of fluff, I’m a grateful new subscriber and turned on all notifications 🔔!! Thanks a million, my squash says thank you too!!!

[@adventurecreations3214]

Kentucky here. Squash Vine Borer central. Thanks for the info

[@shelleyharmon4555]

Thank you for this!! It’s extremely helpful and shows me I was doing it right all along!!

[@user-cv1xe9yf3f]

I grew up near Shelby, went to SHS and Gardner-Webb and although I don't get back there much now I still consider it my home. Good job on the video and I know how hard it is to get rid of the borers and what they can do to your plants.

[@startasmallgarden]

Definitely need to try this method. I lost lots of my squash plants from vine borers. Thank you for sharing.

[@robinc7235]

Thank you so much for sharing this tip, Justin. I've lost so many plants to them over the years and I just saw a vine borer moth on my young squash plants. It's time to battle the hateful things, once again!

[@thomasdutton6894]

Ive found that using really good mesh netting is the best method. Use it during May and June and even into July if you don't mind continuing to hand pollinate. It may be that u have to do some hand pollinating during June but you don't have to worry about treating it with anything. That said, squash bugs (the stink bugs) will still find a way in so you'll need to still check the plant and constantly remove leaves throughout the season that aren't needed anymore.

[@raymondkyruana118]

I'm gonna be trying the mesh net method this year cause I've also seen that work before

[@kellyriddell5014]

How do you determine which leaves the plant doesn't need anymore, though?

[@raymondkyruana118]

@@kellyriddell5014 once they start to yellow, wilt, dry, or get disease. Naturally happens to leaves below the fruit production line, as the plant ages.

[@ImazABoss]

You saved my squash this season!! Thank you.

[@skgreenhouse]

That's awesome to hear! Glad it worked 💪

[@bluwtr]

Excellent video! Straight and to the point! Now, if I can get my squash to grow like yours!!!

[@ahlamns]

I'm in Texas and wished that I saw this earlier in the season. The darn SVB took out two of my squash plants. Thanks for sharing. Good video.

[@vaevictis6990]

Not just in US south. We get them bad up here in Central Ontario. They love the humid summers here, and cold doesn't kill them. Thank you very much for the info!

[@karenhibberd9426]

I'm definitely giving this a try. Thank you

[@kels3972]

WOW!! I will have to do that for my squash!!! Thanks for the great tip!!!

[@terrinolan6757]

I wondered what happened to my squash last year and I think that's what happened to them they were so beautiful and then all the sudden they started to die off I was so upset. Thank you so much for all your information your videos have helped me to make a beautiful garden this year

[@adoxartist1258]

Thank you! I decided last year I was DONE with squash of any kind. I may try again now.

[@brittanyt3525]

You convinced me to start my own garden! I’m growing so many vegetables this year!

[@c.m.k.4840]

Thank You so much for this tip and video. I live in S.E. Minnesota and this year my squash did not make it, after asking others I discovered this moth/worm in my vines. I will order the product that you recommended and next year I'm hoping to have some beautiful squash.

[@hog7203]

I'm from the eastern part of the state. I've been to Shelby a few times to visit a friend attending GW, but it was over forty years ago. It was a nice area. He ended up making his home in Forest City. I grew produce on my farm until I had to retire a few years ago. I would wrap aluminum foil around the stem of my squash plants to try to avoid squash borer damage. It worked okay until the vine grew too thick and split the wrap. I just had to keep an eye on it and rewrap it before it did. I'd make sure the foil wrap was a few inches down in the soil when I planted the plants, and six or more inches wrapped above the soil. And I wouldn't wrap it tight, to give the stem room to grow. You should try it out on a couple of plants just to see if it works for you. You may be able to make some improvements to the technique. The Bt injection is a great idea btw.👍👍

[@krickette5569]

Thank you for this! I found eggs today on my squash and took great pleasure in popping them. Just in case I missed some I will be buying the Monterey BT and a syringe!

[@dekotahrunninghorse9372]

Thank you soo very much for sharing this bc I’m sooo frustrated w these insects bc they have been killing my plants yr after year and I have tried everything . So I’m gt try this!! I love to garden so thank you sooo much for sharing this!

[@anneg8319]

Brilliant! Heading out to do this now! Thanks!

[@Gsd112]

That’s incredible thanks so much I will do this

[@eileengriffin1465]

Hi, thanks for the info. just wanted to ask if the bt you are injecting is full strength out of the bottle or diluted with water.

[@Maria-bx6tv]

Great video! Thank you!!

[@colleenr5871]

More help for attacking the vine borers that have decimated the beautiful squash plants in my garden for the last several years. Thank you so much! I am a new subscriber to your channel and will be watching more of your helpful videos. Thank you!! :)

[@lisawalters5482]

Awesome! Thank you!!

[@betsylindsay8480]

New (as of yesterday) subbie here, in NE Florida. Shelby, NC? No wonder you remind me of a young Jr. Great content, engagingly presented. Thanks for posting.

[@jasonv8507]

They got me 2 years ago, on my cucumbers and squash haven’t grown either since. I did hear about the BT solution, will try again this year.

[@user-cq3qm4ps3z]

Interesting information. I believe that butternut squash (and others in that family) are not a food source of the vine borer, at least Waltham is not attacked by them.

[@dddennis1214]

My butternut is being attacked right now by the vine bore. I will try this

[@oldporkchops]

Hi Justin, Thank you for your video. Does this work for cucumber beetles and their larvae? They do similar damage. I just lost a whole crop of cucumbers to the beetles.

[@susanrand512]

Thank you so much, I was about to just dig up the squash and call it a day😅😊

[@SandraDee590]

Thank you!!!

[@xitvenegas5318]

Justin thx so much for the tips, but what did you put on the squash, they are so big and beautiful

[@ricks2907]

Thanks buddy cheers Ricky 😊

[@kathrynkenyon785]

AWESOME VID! I AM A PLANT PERSON with TWO green thumbs!

[@BrokeFarmer]

Good info

[@TNTrasha72]

Hi Justin!! First time I’ve heard of this but Ive already got these critters in my new plants!!! Is Bonide brand ok and how do I dose so that I don’t turn my plants into literal bT?? Lol. Also how do I use this stuff on cucumbers, corn, etc??? You’re so very helpful to me being only a 3 year beginner.!!!

[@Get_Growin]

Thank you! Every squash that starts to grow gets hollowed out in less than a few days! Not gonna happen anymore!

[@jeribrockington800]

Thank you

[@slipperywhendry-oo5co]

We use this in our community garden. We just wipe the needle off with an alcohol swap.

[@pattishelton3169]

Thanks

[@stephanebogen5411]

Thanks for the video. Are you injecting full strength BT or is it diluted?

[@bizzlebop1987]

An inch and a half up from the stem where they usually penetrate you should inject BT. It won't hurt your polinators, and it will kill the larvae. It works. Sounds crazy but if you dont want them, thatsba solution that works.

[@marshmallowmountains4636]

I did what you said in this video as soon as the plants were not absolutely tiny, but my squash are currently dead...the main stems of all 15 plants became mush and dried out. I tore open some of the more dead areas and found over a dozen living in a small area. No dead ones. Now I'm just building up dirt around every single area that can make roots to try and save the rest of it. I'm not sure what to do next year because this didn't work. I might just not plant at all because all that effort is not worth an entire four ripe squash.

[@clyde1279]

Love your videos. Where can I buy high potassium fertilizer? Thanks

[@johnfagg1837]

I have a question. Do you fill your raised beds with compost only or do you have a base layer with something else like just topsoil?

[@Amanda-cn3pk]

Can you tell me when to start doing this, I just transplanted my seedlings into my garden. I have then covered atm.

[@joypitts4682]

I saw a svb on my pumpkins today. I see where I should inject the pumpkin about an inch and a half from the soil line. Should I also inject in the nodes along the vine?

[@keepmovin3]

Did you dilute the BT? It looked pretty concentrated.

[@marygibson4468]

How thick should the stalk be to accommodate the BT solution

[@Dbsabzbzb]

...yeah, I'm battling these things, they're well along in the stems, so I'm hoping even to stab some of them with the needle...some of the plants are pretty well lost, so I cut off the tops and curled them up in a dish of water, hoping to take advantage of their ability to re-root, which I've had some success with. A side benefit is seeing the drowned larvae floating around in the water, haha, too bad! Now, if we could arrange our planting so that we could periodically flood the plant as part of it's watering, and submerge it just long enough to drown the larvae, and then drain the water off (to be re-used of course) that would seem to be pretty effective...good luck!

[@OutOff-ro8lw]

Do you inject the BT in the consented form or is it diluted?

[@suethatswho]

Great video, one question though- why do you sterilize between applications? Is there also a disease you're trying not to spread?

[@elperro3683]

I’m curious about the wood used in those raised beds. Is it pressure treated?

[@kcooper8989]

Do you have to dilute the BT first or just inject it as is?

[@sharilatta2528]

Thanks for this good information! We bought the concentrated Monterey B.t. but don't know if we should dilute it before injecting it in the squash vine. Please clarify for us.

[@christelsalazar8169]

It did not look diluted in the video. I use it constantly, and the color in his bowl looked completely undiluted.

[@JenkinsB]

Would you do anything to treat the soil during the winter and before spring planting? Or is injecting BT once the plant's base is large enough the only remedy? Can you plant other veggies, such as onions, tomatoes, carrots, etc., in the same bed/location without negative effects from the borers?

[@kurtnehrbass7502]

What type of needle were you using to inject the BT?

[@shaftomite007]

Thanks so much for this. I'm in SENC too, and i had ONE SEASON of successful squash harvest before they found me, late in the season. Last year NOT ONE SINGLE squash lived.

[@shaftomite007]

And yes, I live in the western part of southeastern North Carolina, so I live in WSENC, Western South Eastern North Carolina 😐

[@pennyrockysmomma4445]

I use to broadcast seed white icicle radishes around my squash plants and pumpkins and let them grow until frost. Something about the radishes that the svb does not like

[@misshardy1023]

This is a great tip that I utilized this year but what about spaghetti squash that I’ve got growing vertical. I’ve lost the plant to vine borers for a 3rd year in a row. They seem to be laying eggs all over the plant and then entering the plant at higher levels and I just can’t keep up.

[@alicewhitley6441]

Hi,, when you take a squash off the plant are you twisting it off or pinching it off?

[@HandcraftedGourds]

How about using on gourd plants? I am a grower in SC. Last year I lost my arbor to this pest. I have two bottles of BT I purchased end of last season, to use this year. Any thoughts, I would be very much grateful

[@crazysquirrel9425]

We just used 10ml of the stuff and injected in two different places. One at the top rottenmost part and one about 1 1/2" above that. Also, should you do this as a preventative treatment? My Monterey BT is about 2 years old or so. Will it still work? It usually is kept in the basement where the temperatures are generally stable and somewhat cool.

[@LeighPogue]

I grow white acre peas in my raised beds. Last year I got hit with a bug that laid eggs that turned into hundreds of worms. Had I not seen it on the plant as soon as they hatched, I’d have had no peas and no plants left. I sat and squished every one of those hundred or so worms. So glad I did. What can I prevent those with? Thanks

[@debbiep7419]

Love your videos, Justin! Do you use the bT full strength or dilute it (and what ratio)? Should I also use this on my cucumber plants?

[@skgreenhouse]

I have been using a concentrate but if it were diluted down some it should still be okay! 👍

[@sn232]

@@skgreenhouse yes you should dilute it a mega amount, not straight like that.

[@danacarbone9405]

Thank you for your video I have a question I have spinosad by Monterey will that work the same as BT? One other question is how much to dilute it? I see it says .25 Oz per pint should that be ok?

[@tiffjohnson2706]

Is this straight BT, or diluted to spray mixture instructions?

[@SirSkippy87]

Here in central Georgia they get the main stem and the bottom of every leaf stalk! They wiped out my pumpkins last year, however they leave my watermelon vines alone…

[@deanmarten]

I've tried this and have a heck of a time getting the liquid in. Any tricks to that?

[@Kevin-fb4fp]

this method of injecting the stem with BT saved my crop this year. still saw SOME damage, but didnt lose any plants. I reinject every 7 days and it has worked wonders

[@sherrysenn2177]

Do you use bt full strength?

[@Kevin-fb4fp]

@@sherrysenn2177 I have to add a tad bit of water to let the needle pull it easier but I mean we are making a capful at a time, so exact mix is hard to say. I have 4 zucchini plants and that takes maybe a few cc's each to treat each week

[@FromTheHillsofBama]

I used Bonide BT, 1ml but I didn't dilute first. Did I make a mistake not diluting?

[@llifrench]

What gauge needle do you use? I'm assuming larger than what you would use with people. Maybe 20, or 18? It's green, so either 14 or 18....?

[@lindysmallwood2039]

I used BT injections last year and still lost my plants. However I did get rid of the squash bug using garden diatomaceous earth. Hoping for better luck this year.

[@TexasSkyzFarm]

Same here. I finally gave up last year. This year I have a mesh walk in shelter for my squash. I'll just have to hand pollinate.

[@jimjam36695]

​@Texas Skyz Mini Farm and Homestead Interesting, which one did you get?

[@luvcatscatscatsCATS]

DT has never penetrated the shields of my squash bugs. how on earth did it work for you????

[@rockyakaevaritter72]

If you already have damage on your stems will this still work? I’m getting some fruit but plants are only about 30 days old.

[@johnsonjohnson4725]

I’m confused - I used the link and the info there said to spray it on! Which application is correct?

[@lindakelley8393]

Use an awl to make the initial puncture and it won’t clog up your needle.

[@travistaylor6110]

I'm in Western Florida on the panhandle and idk if we have squash borers here. But I know we have a lot of big, fat caterpillars!

[@dremilypenney]

Is this done as a preventative or as a treatment?

[@ngwatson901]

Would you recommend starting this even if we haven’t seen anything as of yet?

[@nathan40307]

I just have a small garden and have lost a lot of squash to these things. Is there a way to kill them in the ground before they come out?

[@PrettyAliceNight]

When do you start doing the injections? How old does the plant need to be? Also where do you get the needle? Thanks!

[@CarolNason]

Every single (seminole) pumpkin vine died last year, no pumpkins! I did get a butternut that almost matured and then I saw a tiny hole in the squash! UGH! I'm going to try again with your method - but how old/large should the vine be before beginning this treatment?

[@mariannadiehl9086]

Do I need to do this to n melons too? Someone said they will bore into them as well I’m about to loose everything 😢

[@severenkoski856]

Is this something you do as preventative or do you only do this if eggs are present?

[@Beardqt]

I lost 8 plants to em.. now I know at least - wait, is it possible to save them even if the borer has made a good nest but the plants still standing okay? I ordered some BT asap!

[@AugustineRhodes]

I will definitely try this. I do have one question. With the B.T., do I inject the concentrated liquid or do I prepare it as I usually do (1 tbsp in 1 gallon of water) and use 1 ml of that mixture? Please advise.

[@dddennis1214]

Hi, did you ever find out if it should be used full strength or diluted?

[@lillypatience]

I want to know too!

[@steph6337]

It won't harm to go ahead and start doing this now (april 3rd) my plants are not huge yet, the vine is only about 8" right now.

[@Djcrippin]

Does anyone know if he is diluting the BT? I have the same product, not sure if I should dilute it or not.

[@ladykat3413]

Well here because I thought I was on top of them, and just had to get rid of 4 of my zucchini plants. When I try to do the injection I cant push it at all, the needle just gets filled/clogged with the vine when I push it. When I take the needle out I can see its clogged. What gage works best? I got 23g from amazon. Thanks

[@colemansines9722]

What should be done after harvest to the raised bed the squash was in?

[@AQTGirly4U]

Can this be done preventativly before you see any squash vine bores? Has anyone here used the product this way?

[@buckethyacinth9598]

Hi. I attempted this early in the season before there was any evidence of borers, trying to be proactive, and (Black Beauty zucchini) the main stem was so hard the needle wouldn't penetrate, it was a large bore needle, and I got sprayed in the face. No way was it going in. So I tried injecting into some of the hollow leaf stems in the same area, hoping the Bt would run down the hollow stem and wind up where a larva might contact it. It killed the stem and leaf, a couple days later the place I injected was brown and shriveled and the leaf beyond it died. So, I couldn't be proactive, and now I have borers like crazy and they've killed about 90% of the Z. I'm trying to save what's left of it. I watched this video closely, and when you inject the base stem it looks like you have pruned off several leaves at the very base, does this create a softer area where you can inject? Do you try to inject where the cut-off leaf was attached to the base stem? And how do you smother eggs - neem oil? How often? I'm in central Iowa, most likely only one lifecycle of these things. I think. --thanks for your expertise