An SVB Deterrent Question

Post Reply
User avatar
GoDawgs
Reactions:
Posts: 3741
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:38 am
Location: Zone 8a, Augusta GA

An SVB Deterrent Question

#1

Post: # 31145Unread post GoDawgs
Tue Sep 22, 2020 2:47 pm

I was sitting here idly musing about squash for next spring's garden and a thought popped in. The thought that popped in was a quick vision of something like white latex paint like some people use on tree trunks to protect them. Do any of you know if there's something similar that can be painted on squash stems that won't hurt the squash plant but would deter the vine borers via confusion or other?

Would that kaolin base stuff that some of you spray on leafy plants work? This area is laced with kaolin mines and in a few parts of this property it's close to the top so I could dig some, dry it, pound it to a powder and mix it into a thick slurry or mud to use as a paint. I wonder.....

Any thoughts?

User avatar
stone
Reactions:
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2020 11:33 am
Location: Middle Georgia USA
Contact:

Re: An SVB Deterrent Question

#2

Post: # 31148Unread post stone
Tue Sep 22, 2020 3:04 pm

The only deterrent That I know of is planting solid stem squash varieties.
I've heard that people attempt to grow them under row covers... Seems easier than painting or surgery.

I like striped cushaw... Unfortunately, so do the cucumber worms.

User avatar
brownrexx
Reactions:
Posts: 2079
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 1:05 pm
Location: Southeast PA, zone 6b

Re: An SVB Deterrent Question

#3

Post: # 31153Unread post brownrexx
Tue Sep 22, 2020 4:32 pm

[mention]GoDawgs[/mention] that sounds like it's worth a try. I have wrapped stems in aluminum foil to no avail. They just seem to bore into the stem higher than the foil. Maybe if you coat the whole stem it would work.

This year I have been amazed. I grew 3 Green Tiger Zucchini and 1 yellow squash. All were infected with the SVB and none died. The stems look terrible and are splitting open but they just kept growing and they are still producing. My acorn and butternut squash were also infected and didn't die.

I honestly do not know what is going on. I have never had summer squash make it through an entire season. I didn't do anything special this year.

EdieJ
Reactions:
Posts: 459
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2020 8:34 pm
Location: North AL Zone 7

Re: An SVB Deterrent Question

#4

Post: # 31162Unread post EdieJ
Tue Sep 22, 2020 5:31 pm

That would be an interesting experiment!
North Central AL (mountains)
Zone 7

User avatar
pepperhead212
Reactions:
Posts: 3105
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:07 am
Location: Woodbury, NJ

Re: An SVB Deterrent Question

#5

Post: # 31187Unread post pepperhead212
Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:21 pm

I've tried just about everything ever suggested for fighting SVB, and nothing has worked. Foil was one of many. Surround worked briefly, but eventually there was new growth, the SVB would lay some eggs, before the next spray of surround, and that was it. The thing that lasted longer than any was a heavy planting of radish greens - something that they supposedly didn't like - well before planting the squash, and I got several squash per plant, before the signs would show. Most of the time, plants would succumb before I got a single squash. I can only plant moschata varieties here, unfortunately.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

User avatar
GoDawgs
Reactions:
Posts: 3741
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:38 am
Location: Zone 8a, Augusta GA

Re: An SVB Deterrent Question

#6

Post: # 31256Unread post GoDawgs
Thu Sep 24, 2020 10:07 am

I think I will poke around the place here this winter and see if I can find some good white kaolin. There's plenty of yellow stuff but I'd rather have the white. Then again, there's always good white stuff that fell off the trucks along the road near the mines. Why dig when I could just shovel up a little? :lol:

rxkeith
Reactions:
Posts: 1195
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 5:57 pm
Location: keweenaw peninsula

Re: An SVB Deterrent Question

#7

Post: # 31259Unread post rxkeith
Thu Sep 24, 2020 12:56 pm

OR,
you could move to da U.P.
i have never had a SVB problem here.

but then, there are other issues to contend with.



keith

User avatar
Whwoz
Reactions:
Posts: 2462
Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2019 12:08 am
Location: Trafalgar, Victoria, Australia

Re: An SVB Deterrent Question

#8

Post: # 31278Unread post Whwoz
Thu Sep 24, 2020 7:06 pm

[mention]GoDawgs[/mention] the Green Tiger Zucchini mentioned by [mention]brownrexx[/mention] is hybrid that was dehybridised by others to give the Jade Numbat Zucchinis I grow

Post Reply

Return to “Diseases, Pests & Cures”