Quote:
Originally Posted by JRinPA
kath, when was last minute to you? Apparently, I am terrible at growing zucchini. I think that first year with butternut here brought in so many squash bugs to the yard that our summer squash gets destroyed as soon as it starts producing. This year I didn't plant any back there...but now a few went in pots out front.
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Last minute for me meant months after all my seed orders arrived in the mail, but it was still in time to start seeds in peat pots 5/1 and set them out 5/15. If I direct sow them, the cucumber beetles sometimes damage the sprouts/seedlings beyond saving. Usually the squash vine borers kill the plants in late June/early July, but sometimes they survive quite a while. I've also grown them in succession about 3 weeks apart and that usually gives me a longer window because they don't all die at once, but it takes up more room than I like. The squash bugs make a mess out of things but aren't usually fatal- I really dislike dealing with them though because it's gross as well as time consuming to patrol every day and squish them and try to remove the eggs from all those leaves in the worst heat of summer. Saw the first eggs yesterday on some butternut leaves but haven't found any adults. Made the mistake of planting melon and watermelon too close to the trellised cucumbers and butternut squash and now I only have access to one side of the trellis, so I'm at their mercy this year, I guess.
Depending on how bad it gets, next year I may buy butternuts.
Hope they don't find your squash!