Arrghh! I give up. There are far too many of them now ... too many brown squash bugs. I hate these things and there are just so many! I would guess at least two hundred on this one zucchini plant alone.
The neem oil treatment was working well for the cucumber beetles but didn't have much effect on the squash bugs. I've had many squash bugs before, although perhaps not this many. I generally found they were unable to do enough damage until late in the season when the plants are weakening on their own. So I guess that is what has now happened with the cuke plants (I pulled them a few days ago) and now the summer squash.
They are taking down one plant every couple of days (they inject a toxic substance causing the plant to wilt; this closely resembles bacterial wilt but has its own name: "anasa wilt" after their scientific name "anasa tristis").
They can have the regular summer squash, I've had enough. But they have now taken over the Zapallito del Tronco of which I've only had one. There are two more on the plant but unlikely to survive as the plant is almost dead already:
And it is right next to one of the few winter squash I have left, the Dickinson pumpkin plant. I really hope that one lasts long enough to get one of the two pumpkins on the vine (but not counting on it).
Winter squash are some of my favourite veggies to grow so I will be disappointed if I have to take a break even for a year. I guess it's all about better pest management. I wasn't killing them as I saw them as they didn't seem to do much damage, so I let them get out of control. And I didn't know what the eggs look like but now I do.
In the meantime, I'll watch for the plant to die and remove it as quickly as possible (with bugs still attached) as far away as I can. Then they'll move to this crookneck squash plant ... and I'll do the same (it's already showing signs of wilt in the upper leaves).
They overwinter so I can surely expect a big bunch again next year. I will look more into companion plants to deter them (maybe dill or catnip, but the nasturtiums certainly didn't work this year!). I can use diatomaceous earth to deter them and floating row covers will help. And use plant resistant varieties (I've heard Tromboncino for summer squash and Moschato varieties of winter).
Either way, I don't think I can give up my winter squash so I'll have to figure something out ...
Yuck, oh yuck! That kind of infestation gives me the creeps. I'm so sorry to see you're losing all your squash. That's a big challenge to deal with every year. Tromboncino is a very tasty squash and a great substitute for zucchini. I've got it going again this year (Tromba D'Albenga, same thing) and don't even miss the zucchini that died on me last month.
ReplyDeleteYuck is absolutely the right word. VERY yucky. It usually happens later in the season so OK for summer squash that are almost done, but hard with the remaining winter squash. I think Tromboncino is recommended mostly because it is so vigorous that it takes a lot to stop it! Seems that way from your production, for sure.
DeleteThat is so sad. I hope I never get squash bugs. I might quite growing squash then.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of thinking of taking a break next year, but I'd sure miss winter squash. Well, I guess I can buy some at the farmer's market ...
DeleteOh, that is too bad. I second Michelle's yuck - especially that first photo. I grew Tromboncino last year and loved it as well. This year I planted it too late and it looks like I will be without a harvest as the plants are already getting infected with the downy mildew from the cucumbers next door.
ReplyDeleteOof, too bad about your lack of a harvest. If I plant anything at all, it will likely be Tromboncino ... or maybe I take a year away from squash.
DeleteSorry about your squash bugs issue, it's really yucky when they got out of control. I remember the first time I grew squash years ago it was so creepy to look at I poured boiling water on them, and I avoid growing squash for years. Now I only start one or two plants in mid-July, still get some fruits but much less SB to deal with, once or twice a week I search the leaves and duct tape SB/eggs, that seems to help getting the population under control.
ReplyDeleteAhh, duct tape! What a fantastic idea. I'll test it out on the few remaining plants I have as a trial. Thanks!! It truly is creepy, I don't think I slept well last night thinking about them all.
DeleteDiatomaceous earth or Spinosad. And that is a fantastic idea with the duct tape for the eggs, I usually tore off that part of the leaf with the eggs. That's terrible about your winter squash plants.
ReplyDeleteSquash bugs are definitely a menace. I pulled up all my summer squash plants and the weird multi-colored squash bugs moved to the Brussels sprouts, I got the bugs under control but the plants don't look very good.
Oh no, your sprouts! I was wondering if I removed all of the squash, would they go onto another plant or just go away? Well I guess that's it then.
DeleteOh no, I hadn't heard of squash bugs before. Before I read Mac's comment I was wondering if you did leave off a year it might break their cycle but sounds like they hang around a while. The duct tape is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the infestation. You do have to start early and kill as many as you can and remove the eggs (duct tape sounds like a great idea). You can place some small planks of wood under the plants and check them every day. They will hide under the boards during the hot part of the day and you can then squish them.
ReplyDelete