Planning the garden for this year and want to avoid the problem I had last year with vine borers. I lost all of my zucchini to the little buggers and was wondering if I plant bush zucchini in pots rather than in the ground this year if it would prevent this problem? What squash varieties are less prone to these insects?
Which varieties of squash are more resistant to vine borers?
C. moschata and, to a lesser extent, C. maxima, have some SVB resistance because of their harder, denser stem. If there are no other squash, they will attack these anyway.
AFAIK, there are no "true" zucchini in these species, but you might try Tromboncino, which is C. moschata.
The SVB adults are strong fliers, so moving to a pot won't solve your problem. If it's a small planting and containers are viable for you, I'd cover the plants with Agribon (or similar) and hand pollinate.
I cover my summer squash plants with tulle and never had a problem with SVBs again. I put tulle over the area when I sow the seeds. I've never had a problem SVBs on vining squash but that might bc I sow the seeds later for a fall harvest.
Planting in containers will not prevent as the moths find them anyway and lay their eggs. Cover - either with tulle or with Reemay Insect Barrier - and hand pollinating is by far the most effective control.
Lisa, what do you do for pollination?
I hand pollinate them. I remove 1 or 2 male flowers and use themon all the female flowers of that variety. I probably miss some but i get plenty of squash. I do the same thing with cukes and melons even tho they aren't covered. I get a much higher yield. Maybe I'm a little OCD...
Quote from 1lisac :
I hand pollinate them. I remove 1 or 2 male flowers and use themon all the female flowers of that variety. I probably miss some but i get plenty of squash. I do the same thing with cukes and melons even tho they aren't covered. I get a much higher yield. Maybe I'm a little OCD...
Nope no OCD. Hand pollinating is easy (and kinda kinky fun :) and one can easily double production - even if you don't want to cover - with hand pollination.
Dave
It bothers me when I see the baby fruits drying up bc they haven't been pollinated. It only takes a couple minutes. I make sure I hand pollinate the pumpkin and winter squash. They have a longer DTM and I want to make sure I get something.
I have a problem getting male flowers available when female flowers open. Any hints?
Quote from 13Turtles :
I have a problem getting male flowers available when female flowers open. Any hints?
That would be unusual IME unless you are only growing one plant. Usually it is just the reverse. The easiest solution is to grow an additional plant(s). 2-3 insures readily available pollen. Even different varieties can be used to pollinate each other as long as you aren't saving seeds.
Lisa, how to you weight the tulle down? Do you have some kind of frame or do you use bricks or rocks to hold it in place?
ddd: I actually had 8 plants. Isn't that weird?
stephanie: I'm not Lisa, (:~/) but I have the plastic conduit forming the hoops over my beds, and I use the split-conduit looking clip on my tulle. Effectively. In case that helps. And I know some people who shovel soil on all the edges of the fabric, but to me that sounds like a whole lot of work if you're trying to hand pollinate!
Steph,
Have you started your squash seeds already? I wanna grow zucchini. Is this the time to sow the seeds? Also, is there a specific variety I should be looking to grow in the Houston area?
Thanks!
My squashes are already making flowers and growing great (under covers off course)
Lynda, I've not started them yet, but now is the time. I should get some zucchini seeds, but my hubby loves the Gray Striped Zucchini. Of course, you gotta get em before the SVBs arrive.
I use tacks when I grow squash in my wooden raised beds. Otherwise just rocks. I only grow 3-4 plants and I hand pollinate when I think abt it. Summer squash are the only plants I have trouble with SVBs....I don't know why.
Lisa,
Which summer squash are you growing for a fall harvest, and, when do you sow the seeds?
Also, I hope to sow some Hale's Best cantaloupe seeds this weekend, after all this rain. I'll be sowing a row along the back half of the bed that's currently growing tomatoes, and training the melons up baler twine lines.
I can pin some tulle down over the seeds, too, as you suggest. Once they're established and start climbing, I guess it's time to uncover them? Do cantaloupes need hand-pollinating?
Thanks!
Linda
I'm not growing any summer squash right now. I really don't like it but when I grew it last year that's what I did. Like I posted above I've only had trouble with SVB and summer sqush ( bush types) so I've never used tulle on anything that vines. If you want to grow summer squash you can sow the seeds at any time.
Yes, cantaloupe needs to be hand pollinated if insects can't get to the flowers. Anything that has a male and a female blossom needs to be pollinated by hand or insects.