Has anyone performed the squash borer surgery?

[Trish1974]

Its happening already. I noticed it last night. Half of one of my zucchini plants is dying from those dang squash borers! I read somewhere you can cut the stalk, dig out the worm and then build dirt up to where the cut was made and the plant will continue to grow. If anyone has done this, can you give me a how-to? Especially how you know where to cut (how do you know where the borer resides??).

 

[chicken1234]

I haven't had experience with them but it sounds frustrating, I found this advice online for them:
https://www.almanac.com/pest/squash-vine-borer

 

[Birdsong 82]

I’ve read you can go out with flashlight and shine in the stalk and stab with a toothpick. Haven’t tried it mine were to far gone. I HATE squash borers!!!!!!! Evil!
But shining the flashlight at the stem when it’s dark will give you location. But they will bury themselves in your soil and stay over the winter awaiting next years harvest.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I haven't had experience with them but it sounds frustrating, I found this advice online for them:
https://www.almanac.com/pest/squash-vine-borer

I envy you for that. I’ve already lost all my zucchini this year to various squash bugs. Boars being one of them. Every year it’s full on war. A lot of times you don’t realize they are even there until a good amount of damage is done

 

[ageranger361]

Ive done it and it works. The problem is the ones you miss. The best bet you’re going to make is to use some pvc pipe or aluminum foil around the main stem of the plant and bi-weekly spraying a bacillus thurungiensis (BT), which is an OMRI listed organic biological control. It’s a bacteria that once eaten by the larvae, gets into their gut and kills them. BT must be in place the entire time you have borers laying eggs and hatching. You should also use a row cover to protect the plant from the moth landing on it to begin with. You can do all of this, plus plant a sacrificial plant without protections and let them have that one, but still spray it with BT so it at least kills the larvae before the come out and burrow into the soil.

You can also plant beneficial pollen plants nearby and leave them in place to give the pollinators a habitat to live in.

 

[ageranger361]

What we’ve resorted to is planting Waltham butternut squash and other resistant varieties.

 

[annanicole18]

I tried two years ago and the plant still died or maybe died quicker from the surgery. Those bugs are nasty and it is so frustrating to try and prevent them. My parents have never had a squash borer in the 25 years their garden has been at their house but me oh no I get the nasty bugs! I just plant them and enjoy my couple weeks harvest before the plants die. I may try the flashlight method though.

 

[Eggs82]

Never tried the surgery. I read somewhere about using a syringe to inject something into the stem and kill them. They get my zucchini every year. I’ve come to the realization I can’t win.

 

[dotporter]

I just had to do a squash bug surgery on one of my plants. To find the squash bug, inspect the stem to find the hole. It should have a hole with some dust around it. Start the cut there and go up, between the veins of the plant if possible. I don't bury mine though. I just use some medical tape and close it back up. Usually it works.

 

[Trish1974]

Ive done it and it works. The problem is the ones you miss. The best bet you’re going to make is to use some pvc pipe or aluminum foil around the main stem of the plant and bi-weekly spraying a bacillus thurungiensis (BT), which is an OMRI listed organic biological control. It’s a bacteria that once eaten by the larvae, gets into their gut and kills them. BT must be in place the entire time you have borers laying eggs and hatching. You should also use a row cover to protect the plant from the moth landing on it to begin with. You can do all of this, plus plant a sacrificial plant without protections and let them have that one, but still spray it with BT so it at least kills the larvae before the come out and burrow into the soil.

You can also plant beneficial pollen plants nearby and leave them in place to give the pollinators a habitat to live in.

Wouldn't covering the plant prevent the bees from pollinating it? How about the BT, wouldn't that repel the bees too?