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Hitchins, KY, USA

I have raised about a 1/2 acre of jack-o-lanterns for fall decoration along side of some of my atlantic giants. The jack-o-lanterns have something boring into the actual pumpkin. I've cut some out and they look just like a vine borer larva. Will vine borers go into the pumpkin itself? Also, if I get the larva out of the pumpkin will it heal or will it rot?

8/29/2008 1:03:31 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Sounds like Squash Vine Borers. They bore into fruit too.

In most cases the pumpkin will rot if there are holes. If you have a premium show entry then we can walk you through the bleach, fungicide, fan thing.

8/29/2008 2:01:46 PM

Hitchins, KY, USA

I don't have any premium show entry pumpkins.....But I've cut the worms out of the pumpkins, mainly the jack-o-lanterns. We didn't lose the first plan to a vine borer, only seen 2 in the plants which I surgically removed!!! Now this....What should I do to the ground this fall as its obvious the larva will be going into the ground...???

8/30/2008 11:37:03 AM

Aurora, IL

Once you find SVBs in vines, do you have to cut the pumpkin off?

9/22/2008 5:45:51 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

No. It is advisable to kill the larvae so they cannot reproduce & cause trouble next year. If there is enough conductive tissue left in the vine then the pumpkin will keep longer (and might still grow some) if still on the vine. Do protect it from hard frosts/freezing temps though.

9/22/2008 10:20:49 PM