We are having trouble with a vine borer at a few of our gardens. The following picures are me trying a new intervention (as recommended to me by Chris Porter). Stay tuned for results of this effort.
The squash vine borer leaves a sawdust-like substance around the entry point. This plant still had fruit on it.
I begin an incision above the entry points as the borer seems to move up the plant.
After cutting more than I want to, I find the borer. Neither of us is happy to see the other. I also cut down the vine, towards the ground, looking for other borers.
When I am pretty sure I have the whole family out, I tape the stem where I have cut. I am using this painter’s tape because I’ll be able to see it and remove it when the plant dies, and because it is what I had on hand.
I bury the wound with soil and/or compost and water the plant.
I have not tried this before, but I am hopeful that this can keep the plant going so that we can harvest more squash. I plan to keep you posted on how our squash plants do following this minor surgery.
