I always hope this year will be different. But my hopes were dashed yesterday when I discovered the first of the squash vine borer eggs on my squash and zucchini plants. I found at least 5 on every plant and usually a lot more. You have to really get close and look. Here, you can see the eggs as the small, circular brown things amidst all the dirt the rain has been kicking upon the plants. That's usually how you can see them. The eggs look just too perfectly circular compared to all the irregular dirt pieces.
And you really have to look all over. At the base of the plant, on the back of the leaves, at stem joints. My squash bugs are even brazen enough to just pop them right on top of the leaves. Do they really think that is the best location or are they just taunting me?
I just gently remove the eggs and then swish my fingers in a small cup of soapy water. But it drives me mad knowing that there are more eggs out there that I surely didn't find. So I give my squash plants a good dusting of BT all over them so if the little caterpillars eat some of a treated leaf, they will not live much longer. Still organic. 
The alternative is horrible to watch your plants go through. I know, I watched it happen last year. Having to dig borers out of your plants is awful and often is too much for the plants to survive. Another approach you can take is to cover your young plants with row cover until blooms appear, to protect them at least for some length of time from the eggs. I didn't do that this year, but I will add it to my arsenal next season.
7 comments:
Nooooooooooooooo!!!! I struggle with these devils every year, too. Thanks for the pictures, they are quite helpful. I will inspect my plants and get some BT. Has that been effective for you? I haven't ever used it before.
Great forewarning Bonnie. My squash bit the dust last year...I'll check my plants when I get home!
Horrid! They've been around mine. Two of my vines were split. Since three were in the same container (I know, there should have been only one), I pulled the worst vine and cut it open -- no grubby borers to be found. Don't know why. There's baby zucchini on the other two plants, so I'm leaving them be and hope for the best...don't see any eggs, we'll see.
My plants are a couple of weeks behind yours, but I will check. I covered them with row cover and am hoping that might keep the buggers away. Fingers crossed.
Have you ever tried putting foil around the stems? If so, did it help at all?
The BT has been pretty effective for me as long as I am diligent about reapplying after rains, winds , etc. I have not tried the tin foil but I am will ing to try anything.
A tip I learned last year, if you do surgery on your plants and get the borer out, mound up dirt around the stem and injury and the plant might survive and go on to bear more squash.
I remember last year getting down on my knees every morning and picking off the eggs. Just crack them between two finger nails. I had moderate success but they won in the end. You could try covering them at night.
Sorry I am new at this. What is BT
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