NC Gardener Warning

This afternoon I spotted my first squash vine borer of the season. These guys will completely demolish your squash plants so keep a watchful eye for them and get rid of them when you see them. They lay eggs at the base of the plant. These eggs hatch and the larvae hollow out the vines. I also spotted a squash bug. Once they have entered the vine, leaves will start to wilt and eventually the whole plant my die. One way to salvage a plant is to bury the vine in hopes that it will re-root.

Squash bugs lay reddish-brown ovular eggs on either the top or the underside of the leaf. They suck nutrients from the leaves and can kill smaller plants. Last year I cut off and threw away leaves that were covered in eggs.

Plant a second round of squash over the next couple weeks for a backup crop!

Image courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension.