Squash Vine Borer Losses
- Subject: Squash Vine Borer Losses
- From: H* E* P*
- Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 19:58:54 -0700
One row of 10 plants has not done well. I have been saying I feared the
plants would die. I supposed I had failed to water the enough in the
days after tranplanted. Today, all hope for 7 plants is gone. Borer
damages became obvious and I tore into them. All had borers and were
disconnected from from roots by the borer. In all cases the borer frass
was on the invisible bottom side of the vine.
The left over plants still in pots have been dying this week. Each of
them had a borer. It would have been easy to have grown my seedlings in
screen cases as I have 4 cages each 4 feet by 8 which are for keeping
aphids away from my virus-free plants.
I knew Squash Vine Borer was a problem here, but I did not realize AG
was so susceptible to SVB. Further, I have not grown any cucurbits for
10 years and no neighbors have within a mile. Thus, crop rotation has
not given me the protection I expected. I have about 60 AG and 40 other
cucurbits. I think every AG is infected, but none of the other
cucurbits.
I think my damage would be less if I started the plants in screened
greenhouse very early so they have the vigor and size to withstand
borer when they arrive in late June. The row of plants that got into the
garden first and now have 15 foot vines show possible evidence of borer
but no deaths so far. In the future I will try to set in the garden
about May 1 and have spare plants on hand should frost kill the early
plants. Also I might use row covers to protect against moths as long as
practical.
--
Harold Eddleman Ph.D. Microbiologist. i*@disknet.com
Location: Palmyra IN USA; 36 kilometers west of Louisville, Kentucky
http://www.disknet.com/indiana_biolab = Agriculture, science projects
and info for amateurs, gardeners, farmers, teachers, kids
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