Managing Squash Pests-And One Thing That You Should Never Do!

We've been visited by the trifecta of squash pests this last week--squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and vine borers. This is the regimen that I use to prevent and combat all three of them--and one mistake of mine that I wanted to flag, so that others can avoid it.

[@beccaroy2870]

This is just what I needed to learn. The cucumber beetles are going nuts on my plants and I can only catch so many of them because they fly away and hide. I read somewhere that some larger growing establishments use vacuum cleaners to suck up the cucumber beetles!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Glad it was helpful! I have much better luck catching them in the morning. The vacuum sounds way more efficient but less fun than squishing them 😂

[@maddie6492]

So helpful!! Thank you - I really struggle with vine borers!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

They’re the worst. Hope this helps. :)

[@lauram.511]

Thank you so much for your helpful video!!!!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

You’re very welcome!

[@VegGardenUK]

Thank you very much for this info

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m glad it’s helpful!

[@tomgibson9712]

Butternut and tromboncino are resistant to vine borders. The butternut is common but the tromboncino less so. It can be used as a summer or winter squash if left on the vine longer. As a summer squash it is a little like zucchini and yellow squash at the same time. These guys are VERY prolific. Two plants will completely cover an 8' section of cattle panel and keep going.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

This was super well-timed. I literally got into a discussion about tromboncino with another gardener just this weekend and was debating whether to try it. Sold!

[@patriciaterry5539]

Thank you

[@WellGroundedGardens]

You’re welcome! Glad it’s helpful.

[@Raul28153]

I use spinosad too. IT seems to work well

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I've never tried that one

[@faliennata5350]

you wouldn't have any advise on how to keep out squirrels out of the garden would you as all tempt had fail? Those pest will eat everything.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Good lord, I wish! They decimated my tomatoes a few years ago.

[@carbrock.2854]

Your plants look like there in the middle of a government mandated lockdown. Have you considered growing them in polycultures? It might help protect them, ie. pest confusion and predator habitat. I am still experimenting with this myself but like what I see so far.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Yup, I normally do plant in polyculture mixes; this is a weird year because I got a very late start (just did a video on that), on top of a bunch of my transplants being wiped out by fungus gnats. For whatever reason, they didn’t go after the squash, so the “straggling survivors” that I was able to plant skew super heavy to the cucurbit family. In a normal year these would be interplanted with tomatoes, beans, and beets + holy basil to help with pollination and pest confusion, and probably some sweet alyssum as a trap crop. This year, it’s just making do with what I’ve got. I’ll say that even with polyculture, you should manage expectations because they aren’t a cure-all; cabbage moths as an example find my kale no matter what else is planted around them. If you’ve got a huge garden and can afford some losses then they may be enough, but if you really need to maximize the harvest I’d recommend these measures even with a polyculture planting. 👍

[@carbrock.2854]

@@WellGroundedGardens I appreciate the response. I’m not familiar with sweet alyssum so I’ll give that a look. You’re way ahead of me on summer crops; I’m still experimenting with deer strategies, and let’s just say there’s been some failures this year. 🦌

[@WellGroundedGardens]

They’re the worst 😂. I did a “double moat” deer fence all around the garden this year.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

This idea: www.theimpatientgardener.com/battling-destroyers-of-my-universe/double-deer-fence-3/

[@carbrock.2854]

@@WellGroundedGardens nice. I find that strategy works well, and I’ve decided to do something similar, basically having a 4 ft tall fence with obstructions (trellises, trees, another fence) close behind. This year I enclosed a 4x20 bed with pieces of 4’ tall welded wire attached to t-posts using small carabiner clips and wire. It’s a tight enough area that they don’t jump in, and it’s easy enough to unclip one side of a piece of welded wire and swing it out for casual access, or detach completely for more intensive access. It’s kept them out even with all that tempting lettuce and okra!