Squash bugs and cucumber beetles are two of the hardest insects to combat in vegetable gardens.
Knowing about the life cycles and the kind of damage to look out for, with some simple organic controls, you can control these pests and still have enough cucumbers and zucchini to leave on your neighbors’ doorsteps.
Cucumber beetles are yellow and black in color, and have spotted or striped patterns on their small, elongated bodies. They emerge almost as soon as your cucumbers come out of the ground or when you transplant them.
Cucumber beetles can actually kill a young plant if they aren't controlled and they will continue feeding even if your plant survives.
The cucumber beetle feeds on the flowers which can impact pollination. Plus, they will eat the cucumbers, too! These beetles can also spread bacterial wilt disease.
Knowing a couple of organic methods can help save your cucumber plants.
One technique is to use yellow sticky cards and hang them above your cucumber or melon plants. It won't get rid of all the cucumber beetles but some will get stuck on the cards and that will help reduce the population.
Another method is to sprinkle diatomaceous earth on your plants. That is a powdery substance which cucumber beetles don't like. They tend to avoid the plants that has this powder on it.
A third technique is to garden differently, right from the start. Trying straw bale gardening - that's when you plant the cucumbers directly into straw bales - can reduce beetle issues almost entirely!
Once the plants are off the ground, the beetles have a harder time finding them.
Squash bugs have very similar life cycles. They hide out in weeds and lays its eggs this time of year.
You might find these bugs on summer squash, zucchini, winter squash and pumpkins underneath the leaves.
The bugs' copper-colored eggs are all in a cluster between the veins of the squash leaves. Once you locate them, just cut them out or squish them.
This will help reduce the population and the damage they can cause.
Q: I am positive that my garlic is infested with allium leaf miners. I can see the damage done to the leaves by their burrowing. I'm guessing they over-wintered in the soil and are now feasting on this year's crop. Is the only solution to pull all my plants and not plant garlic again for a year or more? — Jenn, in Northfield
The issue here is probably more likely to be the leek moth. Leek moths lay eggs in the center of the garlic plants and those eggs hatch into caterpillars that devour the plant's center. The leek moth is a relatively new pest in Vermont and in the northeast.
This critter can be devastating to garlic to alliums, like onions, shallots and leeks.
You can cover plantings with a floating row cover or a micro mesh cover to prevent the moth from laying the eggs.
If you already have leek moths, you can a spray like bacillus thuringiensis.
You should still be able to get a good garlic harvest.
Q: We planted tomatoes and basil where we always have had great success with a fabric soil covering and straw mulch on top. All but one basil plant has died and the tomatoes are going in the same direction. If we remove the straw, can we replant in that soil this year? — Ginger, in Plainfield
You can definitely replant. Wet straw can get moldy and that mold could cause some diseases on your plants.
Plant more basil and try to aerate that straw area so you have better airflow.
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