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I grew my first pumpkin three years ago; two years ago my patch was thoroughly desecrated by SVBs. I know they burrow into the soil over winter, so last year, I grew nothing.

1. Is two years enough wait time to grow in the space space?

2. I'm 99% sure no one grows pumpkins within at least 1 mile of me, so why were these heathens even around to find my patch in the first place?

3/28/2025 6:32:03 PM

Syracuse, NY

A nice, long, informative article about this pest.
Personally, I would till the life outta that patch right now and every fall and let the cold kill them and/or do the Floating Row Cover Strategy, in-season, for me, since I love the stuff. I need to get more of it for my usual 8' X 8' Floating Row Cover greenhouses. I've often wondered about what to COAT the LEAF stems with, other than, butt in addition to, VINE-BURYING, lol.
eric g
https://leafyplace.com/squash-vine-borer/

[Last edit: 03/29/25 3:32:22 AM]

3/29/2025 3:31:23 AM

Upa Creek, MO

Great question and no, they will be back. Guaranteed. SVBs are horrible here from May through October and always find me. I have taken years off, and they always come back. Just because you don't grow doesn't mean they are locally extirpated.

Vine burying doesn't work since they lay eggs typically on stalks and leaves, and burrow in making their way to the vine. I have had them even bore into pumpkins and pumpkin stems.
I have read articles online about foil on the base of the stem etc... it's laughable. SVBs will lay eggs everywhere and bore where they can.

You have many options for treatment, but being proactive is key whichever route you go. They die easier when an egg\tiny larva vs a big grub and cause less damage\rot.

3/29/2025 8:24:05 AM

United States

I'm still a bit confused. If they only burrow into squash and a few other vegetables, how are they surviving if nothing that can host them is being grown?

[Last edit: 03/29/25 10:51:20 PM]

3/29/2025 10:50:51 PM

Syracuse, NY

Read the entire article. I DO see what yer sayin' about 'How are they surviving?'.
To be more-advised myself, I did read it again just now. Oyyy!
Can you live ANYwhere, on scraps and water alone? Yes.
I'd hate to find out just how well, but for instance, Cucumber Beetles thrive on Sunflowers as well as Pumpkins and Squash and so forth. They may say 'exclusively Squash and Pumpkins' but no one has followed one around. This is why I've suggested tilling the area to expose the grubs and larvae and whatever else they are, the little monsters. Ever seen 'Alien'? Oddly, the moth is the biggest initial indicator of their presence, but is the non-destructive phase of its cycle.
PS---Just my conjecture, as I was recently thinking about my giant tiller, is that I'd not be surprised if tilling savagely, several times during and followed by 25 F and below would kill them, along with a few other beneficials.
'Friendly (not) fire'...There may be chemical means as well.
Searching elsewhere:
"To naturally prevent squash vine borers, you can use row covers, choose resistant squash varieties, practice companion planting with nasturtiums or catnip, and ensure good garden sanitation by cleaning up debris and rotating crops."
They may also live on flowers called 'Moonflower', which we've probably all seen in Nature.
Good Luck! eric g

[Last edit: 03/30/25 1:29:41 AM]

3/30/2025 12:53:50 AM

Merrimack NH

Unless you plan to eat your giant pumpkins, use an appropriate amount of Imidacloprid during the season and you'll never have another SVB problem. We spend too much time, money and effort growing these giants to let SVB's kill the plants.

3/31/2025 8:57:30 AM

Colorado

They are gonna reproduce on any plants in the cucuribit family in your area. Theyres gonna be lots of zucchini and summer squash and cucumbers in small gardens to keep there species going so youre always gonna have to deal with a local base population.traps, systemic insecticides and contact insecticides are what serious growers fight them with.

4/1/2025 12:30:48 AM