Squash Borer

First off, I would like to say that the title to this blog should be an oxymoron.  I cannot find an organic control product that controls or prevents Squash borer.

The First thing I would recommend is find plant varieties that are less susceptible to the borer.  Baby Blue and Butternut squash are somewhat resistant of the borer.

The Second thing is if you can rotate your crops, that can help.  Keep two separate gardens and don’t plant the squash in the same spot two years in a row.

The Third thing is make sure and do a fall and spring plowing to kill the cocoons of the baby plants.  If you already have the borers, pull up and burn the plants immediately after harvest.

The Fourth thing is if a vine starts to wilt, kill the borer with a knife and heap more dirt over the stem joints to allow new roots to grow to extend the life a the plant.  This will also help control the moth from coming back.

The Fifth thing is plant a second later crop to have a second harvest and double the plants.

If you truly want organic, than you are going to have to do it with your hands and not with any type of chemical product.

Happy Gardening

I got part of my research from organicgardenpests.com.