Jest Another Day in Pear-A-Dice - Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm in Alberta

[Bunnylady]

Gardening here is such a challenge - it seems like it doesn't matter what you plant, there are dozens of things that are just waiting to take them down.

For example, did you know that deer like to eat peppers?

Box turtles love tomatoes - who knew? Apparently, so do a lot of other things, from opossums to birds. Forget heritage varieties; every disease known to nightshades is here, so we need a veritable alphabet soup of letters after the name to get the plant to survive long enough to bear.

My mother noticed that we had put bird netting on our blueberry bushes. She asked me, "don't you want to share with the birds?" "I don't mind sharing with the birds," I replied. "The problem is, the birds don't share with me. If we didn't have the nets, we wouldn't get any blueberries at all!"

Squash begin bearing right about the time the squash vine borers become active. If I'm lucky, I can get a few summer squash harvested before the borers kill the vines. They also take out the cucumbers, but that may be a mercy killing, because the humidity feeds mildews and fungi that make the plants look pathetic anyway.

I could go on and on, but it would be as depressing as our gardening efforts. Every year, I seem to spend incredible amounts of time weeding (and getting bitten by fire ants and mosquitoes) and have little to put on the table for my efforts.

I'm considering container gardening simply because it will keep the plants closer to the human habitation, and may increase the amount of produce that gets consumed by humans as a result.

 

[drumstick diva]

Bunny can you grow them in a greenhouse?

 

[Bunnylady]

We have a greenhouse, but growing stuff in there is challenging, too. During the summer it's a no-go - it's just too hot. During the winter, things like peppers and tomatoes will bloom, but getting them to set fruit requires keeping it relatively warm at night, and that means $$$ for fuel (and/or getting up a few times during the night to feed the fire in the wood stove). . . . which is why it was so frustrating for Critter when some beasty was eating the tomatoes as they ripened out there. Something is chewing off the spinach, too. Critter has tried cucumbers and squash in the greenhouse, but once again, humidity = fungus; apparently, if he wants to grow cukes, it's gonna have to be a variety specifically developed for greenhouse production.

 

[lularat]

Bunny, you are right. It is very hard to get good veggies to grow in a garden here in east NC. Last year, my tomato plants were pitiful. Going to try a different variety this year. I always have beautiful squash plants and like you, I get squash until the borers come along. I did get a lot of cukes last year. Frustrating at times, but I love to garden. Here is an article about how to control those borers. Gonna give it a try this year.

Squash vine borer management in home gardens

Jeffrey Hahn and Suzanne Burkness

Photo: Jeff Hahn​

Figure 1. Squash vine borer adults

Photo: Jeff Hahn​

Figure 2. Squash vine borer larva

Photo: Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota​

Figure 3. Wilting leaves due to squash vine borer damage

Photo: Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota​

Figure 4. Squash vine borer frass​

The squash vine borer, Melitta curcurbitae, is a common clearwing moth in home gardens in Minnesota. It is a serious pest of vine crops, commonly attacking summer squash, winter squash, and pumpkins. Cucumbers and melons are less frequently affected. In home gardens, entire crops may be lost in a year of high borer populations.
Identification

The adult borer resembles a wasp. It is about 1/2 inch long with an orange abdomen with black dots (fig. 1). The first pair of wings is metallic green while the back pair of wings is clear, although that may be hard to see as the wings are folded behind them when they at rest. Eggs are flat, brown, and about 1/25 inch long. The larvae are white or cream-colored with brown heads, growing to almost an inch in length (fig. 2).
Life cycle

Beginning in late June or early July, squash vine borer adults emerge from cocoons in the ground. Squash vine borer adults are good fliers for moths and resemble wasps in flight. These moths are unusual because they fly during the day while nearly all other moths fly at night.
Soon after emerging, squash vine borers lay eggs singly at the base of susceptible plants. Approximately one week after they are laid, the eggs hatch and the resulting larvae bore into stems to feed. The larvae feed through the center of the stems, blocking the flow of water to the rest of the plant. The larvae feed for four to six weeks, then exit the stems and burrow about one to two inches into the soil to pupate. They remain there until the following summer. There is one generation per year.
Damage

Often the first symptom of a borer attack is wilting of affected plants. Wilting may occur only in strong sun at first (fig. 3), but if the problem is left unchecked, the plants eventually collapse and die. Closer observation of a wilting plant often reveals holes near the base of the plant filled with moist greenish or orange sawdust-like material called frass (fig. 4). Over time, the base may become mushy or rot away altogether. Several borer larvae may attack a single plant.
Management

Squash vine borers are challenging to prevent or manage. Use integrated pest management (IPM) methods for the best results. Most management options are limited to control the hatching larvae before they enter the plant. Once the larvae invade the stem, it is difficult to treat squash vine borers. Home gardeners can take a proactive stance against squash vine borers by monitoring your squash for the presence of adult borers starting the last week of June. Monitoring tells you if and when squash vine borers are present. This information helps you determine what further management measures may be necessary. There are two methods for detecting squash vine borer adults. The first is actual observation of adult activity in the garden. These moths are conspicuous insects when flying and easy to detect; watch for them when you're in your garden. In addition, the adults make a very noticeable buzzing sound when flying that is easy to detect while in the garden.
You can also use yellow trap pans to detect squash vine borer adults. This can be any container (e.g. pan, pail, bowl) colored yellow and filled with water. Because squash vine borer adults are attracted to yellow, they will fly to the container and be trapped when they fall into the water. Place traps by late June, checking your traps at least once a day. When you notice squash vine borer adults in your traps you know they are active and it is time to take further action.
Cultural

• Plant vine crops that are usually not attacked by squash vine borers, such as butternut squash, cucumbers, melons, and watermelons.
• A second planting of summer squash made in early July will mature after adult borers have finished laying eggs.
• Promptly pull and destroy any plants killed by squash vine borers.

Physical

You can physically exclude adult borers by placing floating row covers over your vine crops when they start to vine (or for non-vining varieties, starting late June or early July) or when you first detect squash vine borer adults. Keep the barriers in place for about two weeks after the first adult borer has been seen. Be sure the row covers are securely anchored to prevent adults from moving underneath it.
Don't use row covers if cucurbits were planted in the same area the previous year. This is because squash vine borers overwinter in the soil near their host plants. When the adults emerge the following summer, they may end being trapped under the row cover instead of being kept out. Practice rotation to minimize this issue by planting cucurbits in different areas of your garden (if possible) or alternate seasons when you grow cucurbits.
Caution: Generally do not use floating row covers anytime crops are flowering. This prevents bees from pollinating your vegetables which will have a negative impact on plants. An exception to this would be if you pollinate your crops by hand while the floating row cover is erected.
Insecticidal

If insecticides are needed, spray or dust the stems at their base. Start treatments when vines begin to run (or the last week of June or early July for non-vining varieties) or when the first adult borers are detected. Repeat in 7-10 days. Two applications help manage most squash vine borer adults. For more thorough coverage, continue treatments at 7-10 day intervals until the end of July. Below is a list of common names of active ingredients that are effective against squash vine borers.
Common name Residual* Notes
carbaryl medium contact
permethrin medium-long contact
bifenthrin medium-long contact
esfenvalerate long contact
* Long residual can persist as long as four weeks. Medium residual can persist as long as 10-14 days.
CAUTION: Read all insecticide labels very carefully before buying and again before using to ensure proper application. It is especially important that the label specify recommended use on potatoes, or generally on vegetables. Also be sure to observe the number of days between pesticide application and when you can harvest potatoes. The label is the final authority on how you may legally use any pesticide.
If, despite your efforts, your crop is successfully attacked by borers, you can try to kill the borer inside the vine. Although the chance of saving the plant is not good, you do not have much to lose. As soon as wilting is noticed, use a sharp knife to cut a slit in the affected stem. Slice carefully up the vine until you locate the borer (or borers). Once you have killed any borers with the tip of the knife, mound moist soil over the cut area and keep this spot well watered. New roots may grow along the cut stem, allowing the plant to survive.
2007​

• Contact the Insect Program Team: [email protected]​

 

[Wisher1000]

I went to a poultry show this weekend and, Tara, guess what I saw....

 

[drumstick diva]

Wisher were they selling her or was she just a spectator? What a doll

 

[Wisher1000]

Her Hooman was getting in some obedience training and crowd exposure for the pup. She plans to show her when she is a bit older.

 

[drumstick diva]

No - Wisher you were meant to be her hooman - I just know it

 

[Bunnylady]

No - Wisher you were meant to be her hooman - I just know it

IDK about that, Diva. Wisher has a couple of young Livestock Guardian Dogs that are still learning their jobs and a Jack Russell that thinks she runs the show - I'd think throwing something as bullheaded and rambunctious as an ACD into the mix might put Wisher in the looney bin!

But what a sweetheart

 

[CanuckBock]

Oh my...you guys got me behind...way, eh...hee hee...ah well.

Wisher, such an awesome baby ACD...

And no Diva...she does not need one of these...

Feb 20, 2016 - Ninja Emmy! Good block Lacy!​

Added to two LSG and that lovely Jack Russell (Now there's a kewl small dawg with attitude, eh!)...yeh, what a gong show that would be...

Gotta go, think I am burning dinner for a change...

Tara