Garden year 2-need suggestions for beating cucumber beetles!!!!!

[krowl]

I'm in Maryland and have never been able to grow a darn cucumber! (Well, perhaps a few 2 inchers before dying). I finally gave up a few years ago. I have plenty of chickens, but for some reason they have never gone after the bad bugs in my garden. Let me know if you find a good way of controlling them!

Oh that's such a bummer! I actually got a FEW great cucumbers before the beetles really got bad, so if I can just mitigate them as an issue, I would actually be successful with the cucumbers I think!!!

 

[Maeschak]

Oh that's such a bummer! I actually got a FEW great cucumbers before the beetles really got bad, so if I can just mitigate them as an issue, I would actually be successful with the cucumbers I think!!!

There is one trick I used to use years ago to get rid of bugs, but it might not be wise: take a small propane torch and kill them. I used one of those small hand-held propane tanks people use on home plumbing projects. I found that the tomatoes and squashes were sturdy enough to handle the brief burn while the bugs were not. It was super quick and easy. But pretty morbid too.

 

[ChicKat]

The eggs are in the soil, right? And they have a specific life-cycle. Some suggestions I have seen wrap the stem with something that the insects can't get into -- like tinfoil. If you could dodge their life-cycle you may be able to be successful. You could also possibly get a huge tub like 25-gallons, and make a planter using sterile (from a bag at the store) soil that wouldn't contain the eggs, and thus expose your cucumber stems to the larvae.

First year I was here I had the greatest cucumbers, subsequent years less and less...but a big tub gave me a couple successful plants last year.

If you check with your local state's Ag Extension office they may be able to tell you the timing and the latest and greatest approaches.
Good luck, hope that you're successful.

 

[lazy gardener]

Cucumber beetles over winter in the soil. I've never found that even the most severe of winters has any dampening effect of the annual ravage on my plants. If you plant your cucurbits in a different area, and if you are able to put a row cover that stays completely secure to the soil so the beetles can't crawl under the cover, you can leave the cover in place till the plants are due to blossom. then, you'll have to remove the row cover. But, by then, the plants will be big enough that they should be able to with-stand most of the damage. You might consider planting a trap plant: a variety that they like, but that you are willing to sacrifice. Plant that far distant to your intended crops. When you plant your intended crops a week or two after the trap crop, get them covered before they even sprout, and you may be able to re-direct the beasties.

I've not found that chickens are any help when it comes to cucumber beetles. However, I do consider it helpful to remove all cucurbits, including the roots, at the end of the season, and put them in the chicken run for the birds to clean up.

 

[ewerbos]

Even though we are in the middle of winter, I am already starting to think about my set up for my garden (Year #2, and already planning for a different setup this year). Learned a lot last year, hoping to use what I learned to have a more successful garden this year. My Bell Peppers did awesome-definitely will be doing those again, however, my cucumbers were a DISASTER, those cucumber beetles really took over...I need suggestions on what to do so I can get ahead of these pests before they take out my plants again...What has worked for everyone in the past???

I'm in Maryland also and doing the same (well, second year in our current house)! What do you do to get peppers to grown? I've done all kinds of things, and mostly successfully, but I never get peppers to take off.

I have issues with squash vine borers--Anytime I try to grow zucchini or any squash they get demolished. Not cucumbers, though--I've only tried them once (in pots), and was moderately successful, but was planning on doing them this year. I already have a whole set of plants I need to cover for various reasons... I guess maybe that's one more.