Squash Vine Bore attack from the top

Salt solution would definately kill the plant and I suspect so would alcohol. Not sure about insecticide soap. Don't like to use sevin, but I wonder if the liquid form could be injected.

Kay

This is definitely not for the organic gardener, but I do know that Head & Shoulders shampoo kills fleas on contact - That is what we always used to wash our dog when I was little. I wonder if using it diluted instead of dish soap would work for the grubs.

GG

Well............... I solved my problem for now.
My squash was just too far gone and my cukes were dying. Never did figure out why. So I cut my losses in this bed, added a bag each of Black Kow compost(40lb), Black Kow brand Mushroom Compost(40lb), and Black Hen(20lb). Hunting seeds now for replanting probally kohlrabi, rutabagas, carrots, fennel and whatever else the misses wants to add; space willing. After amending
I was amazed at how friable the non MM was. I would lift a garden fork full and before I could shake it twice it was empty.

It seems I have named the wrong pest. I have tried to search "pickle worm" in the search boxes in the forum. It only gives info for compost worms. After searching outside this forum I came across the low down on the pickle worm.
"Pickle worms are a tropical worm that migrates up from the Gulf States each year starting in Spring, following the warming temps. They are a translucent green with tiny brown checker marks on their bodies and a dark head (unlike squash vine borers who are solid colored. Pickle worms will attack any part of the vine - stems, fruit, flowers... particularly the growing ends of the vines. Squash vine borers only attack the larger vine stems and the base of the plant. Pickle worms have only reached my garden in Virginia in our hottest Summers. they don't overwinter here. I would recommend trying some Neem oil spray, or Bonide's "Eight" spray. They are organic pesticides. Of course, if you are in an area that is starting to have cooler nights... squash and pumpkin vines don't like really cool nights. The leaves start to die off this time of year as the vines begin to collapse in order to expose the mature fruit to more sunshine so that the skin can color up and harden." Sorry I did not copy the source; I think Garden Web Forum.
It seems further investigation shows summer squash is a trap plant for pickle worms. The source moth is not attracted to color sticky traps nor scented traps either.
They also kill off the plant causing it to yellow and wither as nutrient flow is interupted ultimately killing the plant within a few days.

Goosegirl wrote:This is definitely not for the organic gardener, but I do know that Head & Shoulders shampoo kills fleas on contact - That is what we always used to wash our dog when I was little. I wonder if using it diluted instead of dish soap would work for the grubs.

GG

GG...Neem oil would be the organic solution for fleas & mites. Works great on dogs and people, too. If you wanted the enzymes from the dish soap you could add it to your neem dilution.

All...thank you for the wonderful education on this bug! I always wondered what it was. I guess we don't have it here. I only see powdery mildew on squash, either because of the cool cloudy weather in May and June, or that someone sprayed water on the leaves, or both. It's too early to tell if hot sun will stop the 'sprayed leaves' from developing PM or not.

Ava

Ava

@Pepper Thanks for doing that bit of research and posting what you learned. I'm thinking pickle worms are so bad this year because of the mild winter and the hot temps on the East Coast this year. Worms moved faster and farther north.

Kay

Kay the problem is the search engines(and not just on this site) are not cooperating with me on this one. My wife was doing the looking on her identity and found the pickle worm info. Then sat me down to read, being in her desk top I did not create shortcuts for easy going back till all the data mining was done. Now in my ID I can't refind all the links. I did use her history file to refind the pics but all the search results are still hiding from me. Gots to do somemore digging.

Just an update on the BT application with a syringe. So far so good. The destruction seems to have stopped and my pumpkin is ripening up. Will update again later. This is about 10 days after application of the BT with an 18g syringe.

CharlesB wrote:Just an update on the BT application with a syringe. So far so good. The destruction seems to have stopped and my pumpkin is ripening up. Will update again later. This is about 10 days after application of the BT with an 18g syringe.

Good news. Did you bury the stem to encourage new rooting? I recently applied a little rooting hormone compound to my affected zukes and removing the SVB larvae, applying the BTm then buring affected parts of the plant. The larger zukes seem to care less about the bug damage, while the smaller ones are all but dead.

J_in_HamiltonON wrote:
Did you bury the stem to encourage new rooting?

No. It was only to save one pumpkin so I wanted to see if just the injections would improve the situation.

You guys have some awesome ideas for saving squash. I'll have to pick up a syringe and see if neem works.

I have another question though, maybe you guys can help out. What's the latest you can plant summer squash? I have some recently opened squares and I already see some SVB damage to one of my poor young little zucchini plants (I've only gotten two small zucs off it ). It's still 11 weeks before our first frost date. Do you think if I planted now I'll get anything out of the plants before it's too cold? I don't want to waste the space if I don't have to. Or, alternatively, has anyone tried growing zucchini in pots? I could certainly rustle up some pots to start a few seeds....

littlesapphire wrote:You guys have some awesome ideas for saving squash. I'll have to pick up a syringe and see if neem works.

I have another question though, maybe you guys can help out. What's the latest you can plant summer squash? I have some recently opened squares and I already see some SVB damage to one of my poor young little zucchini plants (I've only gotten two small zucs off it ). It's still 11 weeks before our first frost date. Do you think if I planted now I'll get anything out of the plants before it's too cold? I don't want to waste the space if I don't have to. Or, alternatively, has anyone tried growing zucchini in pots? I could certainly rustle up some pots to start a few seeds....

Well, I still find this a bit confusing but here ya go...
your growing degree days

littlesapphire wrote:You guys have some awesome ideas for saving squash. I'll have to pick up a syringe and see if neem works.

I have another question though, maybe you guys can help out. What's the latest you can plant summer squash? I have some recently opened squares and I already see some SVB damage to one of my poor young little zucchini plants (I've only gotten two small zucs off it ). It's still 11 weeks before our first frost date. Do you think if I planted now I'll get anything out of the plants before it's too cold? I don't want to waste the space if I don't have to. Or, alternatively, has anyone tried growing zucchini in pots? I could certainly rustle up some pots to start a few seeds....

Well, I still find this a bit confusing but here ya go...
your growing degree days


GDD Calculator
According to the calculator there are about 1600 GDD left in the season, assuming there is no frost until October 15, 2012.

According to this link you need a minimum of 900 GDD for zucchini..

The short answer to your question is... maybe

CharlesB wrote:What kind of squash? I have heard they can't get in to the vines of Butternut.

Some have tried injecting the vines in places with a syringe of BT. Haven't tried it yet though.

CharlesB they tore my Butternut squash plants up this year. By the time they hit though I had already put up 5 gallons for squash cakes.

westx wrote:CharlesB they tore my Butternut squash plants up this year. By the time they hit though I had already put up 5 gallons for squash cakes.

I thought SVB didn't attack Butternut squash. Please say it ain't so, butternut is my planB since I lost my spaghetti squash.

Thanks, Camp! GDD really confuses me, so I appreciate the effort you put into it for me I think I'm going to try some container zucchini (a BIG container, and I think I'll even stake them), that way if they don't do anything but sit there it won't be a waste of my precious SFG space.

littlesapphire try this page http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/What-To-Plant-Now.aspx it is easy just click on the link for your area; click on the month and it gives you your options.

I found this clip today...may be helpful? We don't seem to have the SVB around here..thankfully!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy_iajbN834

Thanks for the video SG good info there.

I also found this link on using buckets or pots attn: littlesapphire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU3yWWpzTRs

and a video showing how to find SVB egg clusters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ-cyBJdZw4

I had to remove all of my squash and zucchini but I plan on replanting them. We have had about 10 inches of rain a week for over a month so my gardening is hit and miss. Cucumbers are going insane and tomatoes are doing fine no ber but not as big as they should be before they start to blush. I have been harvesting every other day to keep them from splitting. I plan on putting out more squash and zuch"s this weekend if it don't rain.

littlesapphire wrote:Or, alternatively, has anyone tried growing zucchini in pots?  I could certainly rustle up some pots to start a few seeds....

I've grown zukes in five gallon buckets for a fall crop for the past two years. Last year the pickle worms decimated them, just as they were beginning to bear. I've never seen so many pickleworms. They were in the fruit, the blossoms, the stems. Killed the plants as certainly as borers do.

I'm trying again this year, but will keep them covered until bloom.

I think the bats used to mostly control the pickleworm moths, but I haven't seen a bat now in three years.

Pollinator wrote:

I think the bats used to mostly control the pickleworm moths, but I haven't seen a bat now in three years.

This is absolutely tragic and causes a certain level of despair.

Right now my original SFG style squash beds containing zucchini, summer & spaghetti, are covered with tulle, but the SVB still GOT IN! :evil:I squooshed him.  

So I just watched a YouTube vid and the gal said that SVB won't attack Butternut & Acorn squashes and also Patty Pan (which I have in my ANSFG).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEDUHoA7ilY

I know what'll be in MY garden next year.

I also saw somewhere about a guy who injects insecticidal soap.  I looked up how to make it and it looks like all I need is Ivory bar soap and water.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/homemade-insecticidal-soap.html

Don't have a syringe but I guess I could make a little hole and use a turkey baster, right.

CC

Syringes are cheap.  Ask at any pharmacy.  Got mine from Walgreens.  Pharmacist was fascinated when I told him what I wanted it for.

Kay

My squash and zucchinis got attacked by the Squash Vine Bore and I was too late to save them. They were producing real good to. I replanted and hopefully I can keep a better eye open for them now that I know what to look for. I'm learning.