Organic/natural methods for killing squash bugs

[GldnValleyHens]

Then ditch the row cover idea I guess

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So as I was flock watching and garden planning... got trees going in the ground right now...

I realize that I use worm castings for fertilization from my red wiggler bin. Light bulb!

I can't speak from experience but have read that the tea made from these worm castings (mine is already liquid at the bottom of the bin) will at least repel a lot of things when sprayed on the plant. Maybe a bitter flavor or something I really don't know the reasoning behind it. But may look it up and see if it's worth trying or not. Side bonus of fertilizing the plants naturally (that part I do have experience). I'm too lazy to be spraying leaves and haven't had the issue to worry about trying yet.

I have seen bugs that look like those when I visit the mountains. But I'll have to keep my out for them this year. I usually only have a couple of different zucchini type plants...

Speaking of which, my sister in love has Zucchini coming out her ears every year. Maybe plant something that is LESS sensitive to the pest you having issue with. By that I mean variety seems to help ward off the wide spread weather or even soil type issues. Doesn't have to be GMO... I mean cross breeding varieties to work together isn't my version of gmo. Or something heritage instead of something that is at every supermarket today because it transports well or is extra prolific not because it taste good. Most of that didn't come out exactly as I meant. But I think the point still came across. That trying different varieties, even of the same "pumpkin". Some strains will do better for YOU.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

DE has not worked against them, I give up on that

I'm of the personally hate DE group... so this just supports my perspective.

But I'm not the type to be ignorant and assume it was used correctly and still didn't work or that it was used incorrectly and that's why it didn't work.

Do you care to describe your application process including your weather at the time and maybe your watering method? Anything that you think may or may not be relevant? And was it food grade?

 

[GldnValleyHens]

During dry spells and after rain, I sprinkled liberal amounts around and on the plants, with no or little effect. It was pet-safe DE, didn't say food-grade though. It worked on other bugs ( I think) but not squash bugs. The bag was old, does that count for anything?

 

[lazy gardener]

I've no doubt that it didn't work on the squash bugs. They have a very waxy, hard shell. They also hang out on the UNDERSIDE of leaves. Hard to apply DE there, unless you are using it with one of those duster gun type of things. I bet it would be effective against the nymphs with direct contact.

 

[sylviethecochin]

During dry spells and after rain, I sprinkled liberal amounts around and on the plants, with no or little effect. It was pet-safe DE, didn't say food-grade though. It worked on other bugs ( I think) but not squash bugs. The bag was old, does that count for anything?

I think DE is only supposed to work on softer-shelled bugs, like the nymphs--and squash bugs travel so far and so fast that killing "some of" the juveniles doesn't work anyway.

Have you tried planting dill with them? My aunt does that, and claims it works--apparently, dill attracts the {EDT: tachnid, not tachyon} fly, which lays eggs in squash bugs. Before I looked it up, I just thought they were weird looking flies. What do you know.

My mother just prefers to spray everything down with a dish-soap mixture (she used to send me out to pick them, but I am out of her clutches. Bwa-ha-ha!) In really bad years, we use Sevin. (Yes, I know. Sevin. It works, okay? We grow home vegetables for the taste, not the no-pesticide way.)

As a Pennsylvanian, squash has a relatively short planting period where you can actually get a harvest. I think you may be able to plant earlier to avoid the squash bug season in California, though?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

They also hang out on the UNDERSIDE of leaves.

I suspected that might be part of the reason the DE didn't work well. Pet safe is probably food grade. I know the pool grade one has been heat treated and it's form has changed making it no longer micro sharp. At least that's what I remember gathering when I was researching.

attracts the {EDT: tachnid, not tachyon} fly, which lays eggs in squash bugs.

This is another thing I was thinking yesterday was to attract some enemies. For example though many people are afraid of wasps (my MIL calls them wassups and I can see why after we tried saying it a bunch of times it does sound like that), I consider them garden friend. They lay their eggs on the tomato horn worm (which is actually kinda cute for a bug).

Up here at the CA/OR border our grow season is actually kind of short also. When I lived in So Cal.. never saw them bugs either, so probably climate or geographical differences as to which insect proliferate.

The bag was old, does that count for anything?

Not at all! Diatoms are already FOSSILIZED creatures that are as old as the dirt.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

I think DE is only supposed to work on softer-shelled bugs, like the nymphs--and squash bugs travel so far and so fast that killing "some of" the juveniles doesn't work anyway.

Have you tried planting dill with them? My aunt does that, and claims it works--apparently, dill attracts the {EDT: tachnid, not tachyon} fly, which lays eggs in squash bugs. Before I looked it up, I just thought they were weird looking flies. What do you know.

My mother just prefers to spray everything down with a dish-soap mixture (she used to send me out to pick them, but I am out of her clutches. Bwa-ha-ha!) In really bad years, we use Sevin. (Yes, I know. Sevin. It works, okay? We grow home vegetables for the taste, not the no-pesticide way.)

As a Pennsylvanian, squash has a relatively short planting period where you can actually get a harvest. I think you may be able to plant earlier to avoid the squash bug season in California, though?

I suspected that might be part of the reason the DE didn't work well. Pet safe is probably food grade. I know the pool grade one has been heat treated and it's form has changed making it no longer micro sharp. At least that's what I remember gathering when I was researching.

This is another thing I was thinking yesterday was to attract some enemies. For example though many people are afraid of wasps (my MIL calls them wassups and I can see why after we tried saying it a bunch of times it does sound like that), I consider them garden friend. They lay their eggs on the tomato horn worm (which is actually kinda cute for a bug).

Up here at the CA/OR border our grow season is actually kind of short also. When I lived in So Cal.. never saw them bugs either, so probably climate or geographical differences as to which insect proliferate.

Not at all! Diatoms are already FOSSILIZED creatures that are as old as the dirt.

I heard about the tachnid fly, will totally try to encourage it. I also was researching about plants that squash bugs are deterred from, and it listed nasturtium, white icicle radish, or calendula as companion plants.
Maybe if DE kills the nymphs, I will continue using it, but boy was I mad when I dumped snow piles of it and the bugs still weren't dying!
Also, I'm not in California, but the Upper Midwest

 

[lazy gardener]

FYI, I have calendula, marigold, and dill growing rampant in my garden. Also, have garlic growing like weeds everywhere. Have used Nasturtium and radish extensively as companion plants, and none have had any negative effect on squash bugs or cucumber beetles.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

That stinks.