"George Shirley" wrote in message
...
Manelli Family wrote:

"George Shirley" wrote in message
...

Manelli Family wrote:

What are you guys doing for Squash Vine Borers? Sevin dust and the
organics don't work anymore for us.


I've had good luck with beneficial nematodes seeded into the ground,
they get a lot of the SVB's while they are still in the ground.
Otherwise look for the frasse, caterpillar poop, then squash the worms.
Hard to get ahead of them unless you're checking twice a day.

George


The ones we have I was told don't come from the soil. A flying insect
lays an egg on the stem and it hatches and bores in. Crushing the stem
kills the plant. How do you squash it in the vine and not crush the stem
as well?

You catch them at the intermediate stage, the flying insect lays the eggs
(you can spot them if you look closely), the larvae hatch and bore into
the vine, squash them, cover the stem with dirt and the plant lives on.
The intermediate stage is when the larvae go into the dirt and live there
awhile prior to developing into the flight stage. That's when the
nematodes get them. Takes a couple of years to get most of them and then
you start getting squash.

Alternative: grow cucuzzi (Google the word), it's an edible gourd with a
hard vine, borers don't bother them. Hercules War Club gourd is another
edible one. Pick them at about six to eight inches long, cook just like
squash. That's what we grew while the nematodes worked their magic.

George


Thanks. As soon as they start growing I'll check for the eggs on the stems.
Will Google cucuzzi.