I'm about to plant some early crookneck squash for the first time and I want to make sure I protect them from pests. I've planted some dill, borage, and lemon balm nearby. What are some effective precautions or tips I should follow to prevent common pests from ruining my squash crop?
5 Answers
Be mindful of pickle worms; they can be really prolific in California, and they’re tough to deal with! Also, don’t forget about squash worms and aphids, especially on the underside of leaves.
It really depends on where you live! In my area, squash vine borer is a huge issue, but I’m not sure if that’s a problem in California. I personally check my plants every day for eggs and signs of pests, and I just hand pick them off when I see them.
Pre-treating your soil with beneficial nematodes can be a good strategy. They help keep the pests in check without harming your plants.
As a first-time squash grower, I noticed that ants love the squash flowers. I haven't spotted any aphids, just ants. This seems normal, so it’s not something to worry about too much. Just be careful if you’re going to hand pollinate so you don’t get bitten!
If you're dealing with lots of pests, here's what I do: choose resilient varieties that can outgrow pest damage, inject BT into the stems monthly to target squash vine borers, and pick off squash bugs and eggs daily—it's tedious but necessary. I also plan to release beneficial nematodes once I can afford them.