I don't have the answers but I'm looking for them. It appears that some varieties of cukes and zukes are more susceptible to cucumber beetles. Last year a round yellow summer squash and costata romanesque zucchini survived. When the squash beetles hit, I tried going on daily patrol, scraping the squash beetle eggs from the undersides of the leaves. I tried spraying with an organic spray I got at the farm store. I lost most of my winter squash. A late planting of Eastern Rise made it but they fell victim to a chewing critter. I had bragged about my winter squash in 2010. I hung my head in shame in 2011.

This year I have summer squash/zukes planted under a low tunnel made from Agribon which came from Johnny's. I actually got a roll from someone on Craigslist. I have seen a similar fabric called garden blanket at Blue Seal store in Concord NH. I'm trying the winter squash in a location on the other side of the house. Maybe the bugs won't find the new garden bed this year.

I recently read in one of Eliot Coleman's books that seaweed fertilizer makes plants stronger (need boron) and more resistant to bugs. I'm going to try that, too. Right now I have small cucumber plants (a few leaves started indoors) and some seedlings that have just broken ground. I would prefer not to cover them because of where they are growing. I may cover the winter squash seedlings once they develop some more leaves.