Found the culprit in Squash Problem

Help, I have been thinking someone was eating the squash blooms, as in rabbit or some other 4 legged creature. But today I found several insect type guys about 1/2 in long look like a small beatle or a big cock roach. Anyone familiar with this guy and what can I do to get rid of them without poisoning my zucchini? HELP Please. Nanadee

Sounds like squash bugs, but I am not familiar with critters in AZ. If they are squash bugs they can do a lot of damage and multiply like crazy. I try to pick them off and squish their eggs. I have also tried to suck them up with a dustbuster with some success. You can probably find a spray for them - I would chose one that is more environmentally friendly - maybe a pyrithrum or neem product.

Also plant some radishes around your plants to act as a "trap crop" for the pests. They germinated rapidly and once damaged or diseased, just pull them and discard.

Thanks, Now I'm thoroughly confused because my neighbor says its cutworm and then also tells me that squash will drop the male flowers and then produces a second bloom of males and females. I did spray with garlic. I've got some zucchini coming on, I'll just have to watch it. Thanks again. Nanadee

Nanadee, if female flowers are not pollinated they will certainly fall off. There are times when they might even form a small veggie but if not completely pollinated that fruit will also fall off (rot). However, it sounds like your flowers have completely disappeared which leads me to believe some critter (not an insect) is the culprit.

Squash bugs, as mentioned above by CompostR, will normally not go for the flowers but rather suck the sap from the stems and leaves. And, even worse, will lay hundreds of eggs on the tops and bottoms of the leaves. They are my main nemesis in the garden and somewhat hard to control. A spray of Safer's soap with alcohol mixed in will help to keep them in check as will Pyola (available from GardensAlive). If you choose to deviate from organic methods then Sevin dust will also work.

If you try the radish (suggested above) I'd sow it away from the squash plants as "trap crops" show best results when planted as a perimeter plant, drawing insects/bugs away from the plant you are trying to protect. Unfortunately in this case squash bugs are not the least bit interested in radish and definitely prefer squash, cukes, pumpkins, melons, etc.

Hope you get some squash! It's that time of year for some good eatin'!

Shoe

I'm not sure about your neighbor saying it's cutworms--I think they typically cut around the base of the plant, I don't think they crawl up on it and cut the buds off. Could be wrong though, they're not a pest I've had to deal with yet.

I agree with Ecrane, cutworms do cut the plant off at the base. The flowers may not be properly pollinated. Try gently shaking the plants or you can take a small paint brush and take pollen from the male flowers and gently apply it to the female flowers.

Another agreement on the cutworms, they will tend to sever the plant at the base, not the flowers. As for "shaking the plant" that tends to only work for flowers that are self-pollinizing (tomatoes, for example). Doccat's suggestion of pollinating the flowers with a paint brush will work though. Personally I've found it is better to just grab a male flower and use it as the "paint brush" and carry it to as many females as possible and dab the pollen on them.

Nanadee, methinks we are all determined to get you some squash! :>)

Shoe

Well golly Shoe, I didn't want to get too personal about the squash plants, this here's a family site, ya know! LOL< LOL~

Hah! A bigtime morning laugh here, doccat! Too funny! :>)

I'll be thinking of that next time I walk pass my squash rows!

Ya'll behave! And have a great day!

Shoe

Hey Horseshoe, I just got back to look at this link after about a month. Guess what I've been doing? GARDENING And I am happy to report I did get some squash and it is delicious. This was our first year here and I just put up a GH and have lots of projects so didn't plant too much of anything. But, next year will be different. Did have my first ear of corn yesterday and it was Fabulous. I'm pretty excited. Have a good summer. Thanks for all your suggestions. Nanadee

Nanadee, it does sound as though you had squash beetles; they're somewhat shield-shaped, right? Cutworms, as others have said, are a problem almost exclusively with seedlings; I put thin twigs on either side of my seedlings when I set them out in the garden, and that deters the critters.

I have some squash too, but I have to fight to get them. Squash beetles and squash vine borers are the problem. I've used row covers but they're a hassle. I used to grow an Italian variety called variously Zucchetta Rampicante Tromboncino (in Pinetree) or just Trombonicino in other catalogues, but squash beetles got those, too, finally. Now I use Greyzini, Coosa, and Ronde de Nice and grow them in rows with silver plastic on the ground, which supposedly confuses the pests, and also pair them with nasturtiums and garlic. For whatever reason I'm getting squash this year, but the Ronde de Nice is giving up right now and the Coosa has recently been attacked as well. Rotenone and pyrethrins are not as benign as we once thought so I avoid them whenever possible, although we did have to dust our eggplant in the spring to give them a chance against potato bugs and flea beetles.

Leslie

I've planted various cucurbits with nasturtiums and without, and the ones with the nasties most definitely do better as far as pests go.

In the Ornamental Gourds forum you can find discussions about operating on the stems to get the borers, and also several about gourd sex. (Shoe -- you KNOW it's not porn!)

Well heck, brigidlily, you're no fun, what's sharing a little squash beetle and worm sex info between friends? LOL

;p

I have never been able to rescue squash plants from borer damage, even if I slit the stem and remove the beastie. They don't seem to recover even if I carefully hill the plant up with dirt. So for me prevention is the best avenue to take, if I can figure it out!

Leslie

I absolutely agree, g_g! Prevention is always better. I splint and tape where I cut the borer out, and they've done fine, but probably would have been better if they'd never gotten bored, of course.