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alabamanicole

SVB timeline

alabamanicole
11 years ago

Well, up until now I have been lucky to have never had the SVB, but this year I am experimenting with squashes and *every* one of my lovely, huge vines has SVB. The worst one, which I removed, had NINE!

The others I tried the surgery/burial technique, but my hopes are not high. Most of the varieties I planted are bush types so I can't even bury a length of vine as another attempt to save them.

Can anyone tell me the timeline for SVB when eggs are laid in No AL? If the adults are done laying, it's certainly not too late to start new plants.

Methinks next year it's back to Waltham Butternut for me.

Comments (12)

  • lam13
    11 years ago

    I was going to ask this exact question - beat me to it! I am also doing battle with the SVB. I did the surgery last week. I had 3 of 4 zukes hit and both squash. I sliced, pulled out the icky worms, buried the stems and crossed my fingers. Everything still looks good & fruit is continuing to grow.

    I thought I was in the clear as I didn't see any eggs this week. But sadly, I saw an adult today and figure it's only a matter of time before I have to slice again. I read June to July was their season. I had tons of eggs the last month, but only saw one in the past week. Maybe it's at least getting closer to the end? I hope!!!!!

    I'm very interested to hear from others who have dealt with this. Has anyone been successful with cutting and burying? Do they really taper off at some point? Also, I read the larvae (after destroying the plant) drop into the soil to hibernate in a cocoon until the following year. Is there anything you can do to the soil after the season to prevent the moths from hatching next year?

  • alabamanicole
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I haven't seen an adult yet, but obviously they must be there. I don't see eggs either but I probably just don't have an eye for them yet.

    I seem to recall a trick with aluminum foil I will have to look up.

    Since squash are native plants and everyone plants them, I don't think any treatment for the soil would work even if there was one. They certainly flew into MY yard from somewhere!

  • alabamanicole
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    lam13 - I pulled out most of my squash vines yesterday and saw eggs. There's no way I would have seen those without taking the plant out, but I thin kit's safe to say the adults are still flying.

  • lam13
    11 years ago

    I found some last week as well, but only on one bloom. They are definately still around but tapering off. My squash is still growing, but the fruits are quickly shriveling up due to the slicing I've had to do on the stems I suppose. I don't know whether to just pull them and try planting something else or just let them go and see what happens.

  • alabamanicole
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I pulled mine so I could kill the larvae for sure and maybe help next year. One vine had rooted itself in a few spots so I left part of it and watered it really well. It wilted horribly yesterday and today but looked fine this morning, so it isn't past the point of no return, it just doesn't have enough roots I guess.

  • kolet66
    11 years ago

    I found an adult hiding in some Bibb lettuce I have planted ... Grrrrrr . Thatwas the first adult Ive seen and that was Sunday. i already pulled the summer squash vines but I did get a pretty good harvest before the SVB got them. I'm trying a second planting with some nylon covered vines. We shall see.

  • lam13
    11 years ago

    I had a rash of eggs show up last week and killed two adults. I pulled the plants today after picking the last struggling squash. What a disappointment this year! I'm thinking about a borer resistant variety for a second planting, maybe butternut? Or is it too late? I'm in Central AL.

  • alabamanicole
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    It's probably too late for seeding winter squash now and the space would be better used for some fall crops. Something like an acorn would probably make it, but I don't think there are any moschata acorns?

    But if you don't plant for fall, go for it. The worse that can happen is you use up some seeds, and it's anyone's guess when winter will come this year.

  • alabamanicole
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Just a followup:

    I replanted my acorn squash Sweet Reba, C. pepo), and one of them now has SVB. The other plant doesn't... yet. It appears that I will get another single mature squash off it before it goes. The so-far-unaffected plant has a couple that are fairly far along.

    My original Bon Bon squash (C. maxima) managed to recover from a few vines that rooted in place. It looked horrible for a while, but pulled through. It is also infested again. One original fruit is still on the vine and I may get a second mature one plus maybe another immature one.

    The Honey Nut (C. moschata, mini butternut) is still not infested. I guess I'll go back to butternut squashes exclusively. I have heard that C. moschata are unattractive to SVB, but to be that selective on a small scale seems pretty amazing to me.

    So the adults are either still flying around or it's a new generation laying eggs, but it seems certain that late plantings won't be a solution to SVB in this area.

  • lam13
    11 years ago

    I ended up planting some patty pan and cocozelle (all I could find at this time of year). I'll just wait and see what happens. It will be a few weeks before they are mature enough to attract SVBs, so maybe that downtime will help.

    As to the moschata being unattractive to SVB, it was my understanding they are more difficult for the borers to penetrate. The stems are supposed to be solid instead of hollow. So it may be that the eggs are still there, but the borer isn't able to get into the stem. I will definately be going with those next year.

  • swjonthebay
    11 years ago

    I'm surprised no one has linked you to Bill Finch's article re 'summer squash' c. moschatas (see below).

    Next spring it's tromboncino and Teot Bat Put (from Kitazawa seed) for me ;)

    The only drawback (if you could call it that) with plants like the tromboncino is they are space hogs. A sturdy trellis is in order but it will repay you kindly with tons of delicious squash during the summer :) I am assuming the Teot Bat Put will act similarly.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bill Finch article re c. moschata summer squash

  • alabamanicole
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I've read that article. I've grown tromboncino, but I'm not really a fan. To gluey for my taste.

    FWIW, when I pulled out the other squashes, my butternut got infested, too. So C. moschata is definitely not immune.

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