Vine Borers In My Zucchini

I've only got four zucchini plants and it looks like all of them have vine borers. What's the best way to get rid of them? Will they attack my other vines? I've got yellow squash, cantaloupe, watermelon and cucumbers. They aren't planted together but within twenty to forty feet of each other. Are there any preventive measures I can take: companion plantings, etc? Thanks for any help. Margaret

Vine borers are pretty well limited to summer squash and winter squash of the same species (C. Pepo or C Maxima). There are folks who slit the vine and remove the larvae and others who inject Bt into the vine. They can be prevented by by careful monitering for the presence of the adult (A moth that looks like a wasp) and destroying the egg masses as they are layed. You can do that manually or with an insecticide..

Thanks Farmerdill. Margaret

good luck with that - I quit growing zukes and summer squash - never could get a thing on account of them

Is it at all helpful to keep a floating row cover over the seedlings through growth until flowering? I'd hate to lose these plants.

I have not tried floating row covers. I have my doubts because they usually hit big time just after the squash start producing. I don't have a lot of problem with them as I watch for the moths (saw one this morning) and use insecticide as soon as I spot a cluster of eggs. Pickle worms are a bigger problem for me, I usually manage to get a crop in ahead of thier arrival from Florida. This my Horn of Plenty on May 15.

Now THATS a pretty pic, F-dill! Handsome plant!

And yes, Zeppy, row covers will certainly help.

What are row covers? I thought they'd be used for cooler climates. We're so hot and humid already here I'd hate to bake my plants.

I guess I need to look more closely for the eggs. Where will they be? Also, what should I be looking for to identify pickle worms? Margaret

Vine borer eggs are laid on the leaf, usually but always on top. Pinhead size orange brown hard littles balls glued individually to to the leaf. I will get a picture soon as I saw the first moth yesterday. Ther are a lot of web sites with descriptions but I did find one with a picture of the eggs.
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2153.html
http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/veg/ef314.htm. Between laying and hatching is the only time vine borers are very vulnable to insecticides.
Pickle worm manifests itself by boring into cucumbers and squash. Looks like some one took a small drill to them. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/cucurbit/insect/insect1/insect1.4.html
http://www.emtrading.com/em/htmlpapers/emcucumbers.html
There was a discussion last year, but I could not find the picture to repost it. so you can find it here http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/441817/

I don't know a thing about vine borers - thank goodness! but I do know some about row covers.

Row covers are lightweight, let in rain, air and light (there are diff. thicknesses sold) but keep bugs out-hopefully. I put mine over my eggplant the day they were planted out. Squash are much larger plants in diameter and are not usually mentioned as needing covers.

Here is an article about them: http://www.farm-garden.com/primers/5/

-Kim

Kim - The lightweight row covers sound good to me. I'm wondering if it's past the point where they will help me with this crop. We used frost cloth this winter to protect some of our more delicate plants, but I'm sure that stuff would cook our plants this time of year.

Farmerdill - Thanks for all of the info. On the old thread someone mentions putting their squash in nylons for protection. Do you know more about that? Margaret

You can do lots of things if you only have one or two plants. I have over two hundred, each one bearing say a dozen fruits over the season. I have neither the time or inclination to sack each one, but it should work since the pickle worm bores in from the outside.

On the vine borer, The adult works the same hours as bees. The floating row covers with keep them away from the plants, but I don't know how you could let bees in without letting them in also. Needless to say, I am not even going to think about hand pollination.

Boy, you have a huge garden Farmerdill! Do you sell your produce? My garden is on a much, much smaller scale but I still try to keep my maintenance down since I have so many other non-gardening responsibilities. Margaret

Here is another of the discussions from last year, dealing with the squash vine borer:

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/371126/

and some suggestions in a classic thread, for vine borers and flea beetles...

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/41558/

This message was edited May 30, 2005 1:54 PM

I have a question, great thread here, this is always a problem, but it seems when I keep dust on my squash plants, like viper, 7 dust, or the new one I have dipel dust, I don't seem to have the squash vine borers, does this dust keep the moths away that lay their eggs? I dust the plants early in life to keep the squash bugs away, I have in the past had the borers and lost a few plants, I've always planted extras, seems when they get started in the vine, the vine goes fast and it's almost too late to do anything abou t saving the plant.

True it is hard to save an infested plant. Sevin will of course kill the adult and destroy the eggs. Dipel (Bt) will not so it is not very effective agianst borers. I would be extremely leery of Sevin dust however. It is deadly to bees which you need as a pollinator. Sevin is activated by water and biodegrades rapidly, but the dust may not get wet and lasts until it does. Bee can pick it up along with pollen and track it back to their hive or nest. Honeybees are especially vulnerable. I f one uses liquid Sevin or similar insecticide late in the afternoon after bees quit working, It will not bother them when they return next morning. Timing is crucial when applying insecticides. And anything that will kill insects will kill bees, That includes botanicals.

Hey Farmerdill;
"It will not bother them when they return next morning."
Thank ye kind Sir. Didn't know that!
-
Many tha time I needed that or botanicals and refused to use it 'cause of tha bee's.
You have made my day!

Thanks for all of the great info. My head is spinning from trying to remember everything. Margaret

Yeah, tell me about it. I keep little 3x5 notecards by the PC, so I can jot this stuff down. I would hate to need to look it up, and my computer not be available!

FD, you were referring only to the liquid SEvin or others, still doesn't apply to the powder, right? Please clarify for confused little ol' me... :-)

Right! dusts don't start biodegrading until they get wet. So even tho the insecticide has a 12 hour life span when activated it can hang aound for a long time dry. It is best to never use a dust around bees, except for something like Dipel which does not harm bees. Dusts also tend to blow around to unintended targets.

thank you MUCH :-) (and so do the bees)

YOU ARE THE BEE'S KNEES, FARMER DILL!

I tried row covers too because I am not at home during the day to watch for the moth. However THEN I didn't get any squash because of pollination (lack of). I guess moth could not get in but neither could the bees.
So I uncovered them after they bloomed and got nailed by the moth.

Sigh