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Pataskala,OH

I saw that one of your plants got YVD again. There is a method called perimeter trap cropping that may be of interest to you. It is where you plant a type of squash squash bugs prefer over pumpkins along the entire perimeter of the patch and spray it heavily. I think it has worked so far because this is the time when my plant got it last year.

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Ipm/veg/htms/ptcworks.htm

6/18/2011 3:16:12 PM

Corryton, TN

Thanks

6/19/2011 7:30:02 AM

The bottom of New Jersey

The only fool-proof thing I've found is floating row cover. I love it, no cuke beetles, no squash bugs, no SVBs, built-in shade, kick back and let 'em grow!

6/19/2011 11:25:50 AM

Pataskala,OH

How do you secure the floating row covers?

6/19/2011 11:54:34 AM

Hinckley MN

I secure my floating row cover with weights. old fence posts and sandbags. there are staples and other things that pierce the row cover to hold it down, but they just make points that tear in the wind. I use a double layer of AG15 wich gives 72% light transmission. on a sunny day there is more Photosynthetic Available Light (PAR) than the plants can use. I benefit from night time heat retention more than anyting else. Two layers adds 5-10 degrees at night and 10-15 in the day. since our highs have been stuck in the 60s (except for that one 100 degree day) it has been the only thing keeping my plants on pace.

6/19/2011 6:53:30 PM

The bottom of New Jersey

I cover what is basically a large hoop house with a 50 foot wide piece of row cover. I dig a trench on 3 sides of the house and bury the edges of the row cover, the fourth side I hold down with large rocks and use that side as my entrance. The key of course is to try to avoid getting holes in it, which is a challenge I have to admit. I've been making modifications each year though and getting less holes as a result.

6/19/2011 9:04:35 PM