Bastage Squash Bugs!

[WALLE]

I should have said F!@#ing Squash Bugs... litterally



But knew I might offend somebody like Rich..

Looking for input on these. I don't know if any of the rest of you have them in your parts of the woods, but they are HELL here. Can wipe out a young squash plant in the matter of a day. I've tried just about everything on them, and after they killed half my stand last year, I ran across this stuff.



Seems to be working. As you'll see in a moment.. I've been away and not tending my garden for a while, but my squash are doing great. Checked everyone of them tonight and only one leaf with eggs (in the picture no less!), and no wilt at all. Thought that was worth sharing and hope you guys that have them are killing as many of these little bastages as possible!

On to the garden. This is a long shot to keep you from seeing all the weeds!


Maters and squash


And my black beauties...just getting ready to start coming off.









And an itsy bitsy butternut squash - another one of my favorites.



So... peppers are doing great. I have a piss poor stand of corn this year. Worst I've ever planted. Still have some of it coming up, others are over knee high....wish I had someone to blame that on!

Thanks for checking out my post. I'm enjoying checking out all the other garden's so thought I would give ya an update on mine.

Tracey

[Bassman]

I don't know about the rest of the garden, but you raise some damn fine lettuce. I have a whole pot full of your beet greens on the stove as we speak so will have them tomorrow. Thanks again, Tracey!

[erain]

are them the culprits that lay the egs in the main stalk and then a big fat larvae starts eating the stalk up?

[Texas-Hunter]

Don't feel to bad... I loose my squash to red spider mites every year.. They live and feed on the underside of all the plants leaves.. And the only thing I have used in the past that rids them is Kelthane... And they now longer sell it..

[WALLE]

I don't know about the rest of the garden, but you raise some damn fine lettuce. I have a whole pot full of your beet greens on the stove as we speak so will have them tomorrow. Thanks again, Tracey!

Your welcome, Pard! Glad to do it. Had a huge batch of wilted lettuce for dinner last night

Lemme know when you need some more!

are them the culprits that lay the egs in the main stalk and then a big fat larvae starts eating the stalk up?

Erain,
No, these guys lay eggs under the leaves - if you look close at the first picture, you can see them down to the right - kind of a golden blob looking thing. These mutha's just suck the juice outta the plant. One day - healthy squash, next day wilted plant, next day it will be on the ground dead.

http://www.vegedge.umn.edu/VEGPEST/CUCS/squabug.htm

A squash bug is the only critter on earth that just gives me the heebie jeebies... give me a gut shot deer or shitty diaper anyday... just got goose bumps on my arms after looking at the above link and typing this.

I HATE'EM!

[SMOKE FREAK]

Hey Tracey...Try this next year...I planted lemon balm just to keep squash bugs away...Its a member of the mint family so it will try to take over but can be controlled easily...I plant the squash and cukes anywhere near the lemon balm and just like that...NO SQUASH BUGS...very very few cuke beetles either...They just wont go near the stuff...

I love the berries you got there... Had some of my own some years back...Crazy sheepdog we had would stick his head in and eat all the berries he could get his mouth on...cant remember why I tore the vines out...but theyre gone...

[WALLE]

No shit!.. I'm mean, no kidding!

I'm writing this down, putting it in my seed box for next year.

to ya, SF. The Mrs's says she knows what the stuff is, and had to explain to me that "cukes" are cucumbers... I just like pickles

Thanks again, man!!!

I love this place and this is EXACTLY why I put this thread out there. Might want to by stock in the lemon balm seed company, cuz I'm going to tell everyone about this.

[SMOKE FREAK]

Something you might try this year if you have the time to visit plants each morning...
Place boards around the plants laying flat on the ground...Each morn lift the boards and the nasty buggers will be resting underneath...Simple to pick up and throw into a can of soapy water...That is why I quit using mulch around squash plants...it gives them a place to hide...I hate em...

[Mark R]

A little tidbit for ya, Diatomaceous earth is the stuff used in D.E. pool filters, you can probably buy it for half the price at pool supply. Don't worry it's not toxic, hazardous or poisonous. (don't breath too much of the dust though)

[ALX]

Garden looks great....