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North Carolina

Squash vine borers killed off both of my giant pumpkin attempts and all of my squash last spring. Does anyone have any way to stop them, or is a growing a giant pumpkin in southeastern North Carolina a lost cause? Thanks for any advice.

1/2/2011 3:47:09 PM

Arden, NC

letssee3,


Try putting down some Bayer tree and shrub (drench) around your pumpkin plants next year. It is a systemic (is taken up by the plant internally) and will kill the SVB's.

1/2/2011 7:35:34 PM

Winston Salem NC

any thing with Imidacloprid which is the ingredient name for Merit. As Suzie said Bayer or Bonide tree and shrub is the same active ingredient just cheaper. I apply in a drench a few weeks before planting in a 6' radius where the plant will go. Then again the 3rd week in May to all the plant and going 6' outside the plant. Last application is the middle to the end of June (unless pollinating...no applications of any kind during pollination time)when the plants are mostly grown, again around 6' outside of the plant like before. Just my 2 pennys though. You can email me if you have any other ?'s on it.
NcGardenFreaks@yahoo.com
Rick

1/3/2011 9:56:10 PM

Minnesota

Traps also, they sell traps to kill vine borers.

1/3/2011 11:14:08 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

I highly recommend getting our SVB traps, in one season, I can count over 30-40 SVB between 2 traps. I've seen alot of SVB and we havent had our season distroyed by them yet. We absolutely include a contact and system insecticide program along with the traps, but most any grower that uses them will tell you that they are very successful at stoping the SVB.
http://www.extremepumpkinstore.com/ecom-prodshow/SVBtrap.html

Thanks,
Tom

1/4/2011 8:07:28 AM

Lexington, Ky

Tom's traps bar none! They are cheap and they just flat out work. I use two per plant.

1/5/2011 12:07:14 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

2 years ago, I only grew field pumpkins and was completely wiped out by late July. Last year I used Bayer and a contact (Sevin dust) and vines were completely intact in October. I won't use Sevin again though as it is pretty harmful to beneficial orgs. In Missouri we have 2 cycles of the borer compared to the northern states, so I would almost guarantee you southerners do.

1/28/2011 11:30:23 AM