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California High Desert CinnamintStick@msn.com

This is my first year at growing pumpkins. I don't have any poisions or funguscide for my garden. I don't know what I need to have on hand. I don't even know if I get the same kind of bugs as other people. We are dry here. I have never seen snails, slugs, mosquitoes or even fleas (not that i think my pumpkins will get fleas). So what are some things I should look out for and what should I have on hand?

6/8/2008 11:53:19 PM

porterville, calif.

Watch out for white fly.They didn,t show up until about Sept. here. Maybe out there where you are at grasshoppers. Aphids may be a problem till it warms up. I did have a problem last year and this year with squash bugs. I found that while using fish emulsion and seaweed fert. I didn,t have much of a problem with pest
The only thing I use around here is some round up to kill bermuda grass. I stay as organic as I can

6/9/2008 12:01:28 AM

California High Desert CinnamintStick@msn.com

I do want to stay as organic as possible but still effective. I buy 80% organic foods so it is stupid for me to bring poisons in if I don't have to. We do have my 1 year old grandson that lives here too. He is in the garden with me 5 days a week or more.

I do have every kind of ant. Nobody here is able to get rid of them. I have not seen aphids yet. I also see those big black beatles. I don't know what they are called. As a kid we called them stink bugs. Do they do anything?

6/9/2008 8:52:40 AM

Lexington, Ky

Stink bugs can wreck your season! Get after 'em!

6/9/2008 6:11:20 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Stink bugs and squash bugs are one in the same!!! 1320 is right, they will end your season quick if you don't get ahead of them. Organic is alright but in my experience those pests need something stronger~!

6/9/2008 8:54:27 PM

porterville, calif.

Carol, I google Black stink bugs. The pic i saw was different from the Black stink bugs we have here in Calif. The ones Ive seen nevered seemed to bother anything. They are kind of long oval shape, and do stink if you step on them.
The stink bug shown in the picture looked like another form of squash bug. It was suggested you use Pheromone traps to catch them. You can google that and seem what info there is using that. I think what you and I call a stink bug is different Carol from what I googled. Go take a look Carol and see what you think. Greg

6/9/2008 9:25:29 PM

California High Desert CinnamintStick@msn.com

Greg your right. I did a google search and what we called stink bugs are not the bugs we have. I don't even think they stink. My husband said they do. From looking at pictures they are called ground beetles. I guess they are good bugs from what I read. I have been stepping on them. If they are good I will leave them alone.

6/9/2008 10:43:32 PM