Showing off before bugs eat it all :)

My first year in Alabama. I know it's been unseasonably warm in Feb and March, so as a result, my arch enemy, the squash vine borer, decided to make an appearance a month ahead of schedule. Yikes! I've been removing the little red specks off the leaves, buds, flowers, stems, you name it. On top of that, it was raining heavily in the past two weeks, leaving me no window for spraying BT. I finally sprinkled some on today. Hoping it helps. If not, I'll be really sad, because my squashes look spectacular and started fruiting.
Any success stories out there with organic war on SVB?
Anyway, just ranting. Posting some photos of the bean craziness and squash.
This year, we have two beds 4'x 8'. I planted tomatoes on the perimeter of the northern bed, so that when beans go away, tomatoes will have the free reign of the bed.
I also had some luck with cucumbers, herbs, and late sowed lettuces just started sprouting and looking pretty good, believe it or not.
Not so much on peppers and eggplant yet.

I also wanted to say that I went to Captain Compost for my compost, and despite of serious initial fishy smell, it feeds the plants spectacularly well, I have never seen the leaves of this size on beans! It's an Amazon jungle out there, I won't be surprised if a monkey jumps out of the bean tent.

Bean bed last Thursday (2/3 way to the top of the teepee):


Beans today, over the top and curling all around:


Zephyr Squash (bicolor):


Odessa Squash, so vigorous, it outgrew three bug invasions last year, and fruited all the way through November:


Bean jungle:


Bush beans:

Spectacular, Weedless, just Spectacular! Congratulations on a job WELL DONE.

very splendid,
Hope the bugs don't get to it.
And I am planting my zucchini seeds today

It's beautiful!!
I'm in northern KY so I am praying I have a tiny bit more time before those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, svb's get going, but am bracing for an early invasion as well because we didn't have a single hard freeze all winter and temps have been 'spring like' for close to 4 months now.

Off topic: rjeverett, I can see by your comment that you, too, are a fan of Alexander! We've loved that story ever since seeing it for the first time way back in the '70s in Family Circle magazine.

Oh absolutely, it's been an all time favorite in our family for a loong time as well! It's also a wonderful way to let out the steam (and teach the kids to) without it being a colorful string of some other choice words ) because believe me, the first round I had with those buggars last season really had a way of bringing out the ugly in me!

Everything looks great! The Odessa squash is really pretty, I'll have to try some next year. Where did you get the seeds? I grow the yellow straight neck and crook neck, but about half of them seem to rot right after they set fruit. But we had some for supper the other night & they were yummy.

I believe I got the seeds from the Baker Creek company. They carry a bunch of heirloom seeds from all over the world. Odessa is my native city, so I knew the flavor before I purchased the seeds. The squash is pale green in color and is mildly sweet and quite firm in texture.

Thanks. I always place a big order with Baker Creek, they are definitely my favorite seed company.

Judging from the responses (lack of) on fighting the svb --- is there anything organic to fight with??
If the borers enter at the bottom of the stem then don't we simply cover the stem??? What am I missing ???

Why not cover the whole plant with light-weight row cover? Keeps all the nasties off the plants. Uncover for pollinating the flowers, than cover over again.

I'm off to go cover my giant pumpkin right now!

llama momma wrote:Judging from the responses (lack of) on fighting the svb --- is there anything organic to fight with??
If the borers enter at the bottom of the stem then don't we simply cover the stem??? What am I missing ???

BT - Bacillus thuriengensis - injected.

Here are some ideas:

http://yardener.com/YardenersPlantProblemSolver/DealingWithPestInsects/PestInsectsInTheVegetableGarden/SquashVineBorer/SolutionsforSquashVineBorer