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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on Aug 4, 2008 21:13:55 GMT -5
I found squash bugs on my pumpkin vine. I knocked all the bugs off into a cup of water, or mashed them. I picked off the eggs and soaked them in the water also. Hopefully that will take care of that.
But!
They have just about eaten both my zuke plants up. I don't know if I can salvage them or not. I didn't even try to pull all the bugs off, they were just thick.
If I don't kill them, what else might they do when they kill the zukes?
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Post by plantsnobin on Aug 5, 2008 9:48:09 GMT -5
I had hoped that the chickens would help take care of various bugs in the garden. They don't really seem to be interested in the cumcumber beetles and potato bugs, etc. Perhaps ducks would work better for that, and they wouldn't peck the tomatoes either.
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Post by canadamike on Aug 5, 2008 13:36:15 GMT -5
Go to thenearest pharmacy or health food store and buy a little bottle of peppermint oil. Add a quarter ouce to a liter of water and a couple of drops of dish soap.
I tried it this year in my melons and cucurbits test patch, I have well over 200 plants of all of those, which were eaten alive as you say, and BAM!! Instant success. The soap kills by contact then the smell of mint repells them.
2 applications 3 days apart solved my problem. I still see some, but they don't bother me, the plants are way to big to be bothered by just a few.
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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on Aug 7, 2008 2:29:15 GMT -5
I'll give it a try.
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Post by canadamike on Aug 7, 2008 22:40:06 GMT -5
HH, my problem was with cucumber beetles. Sorry for the mistake. But I think there is a very good chance it works with SB too, as my patch was quite empty of most insects anyway. There is the soap action of course, but I think the mint oil is a good general repellent.
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