So we definitely have pickleworms in force. I harvested everything of decent size on Tuesday then sprayed with Sevin. I hate the non-organic aspect but given that its been on the market for DECADES, I think its safer than other non-organic methods and definitely more effective than organics with this particular problem. With my piles of squash on Tuesday, I called up a neighbor who took some yellow sqash. I froze the rest (that we wouldn't have time to eat fresh) and made my grandmother's zucchini pickles with the zuccs.
The yellow squash (early prolific straight) is supposed to be more resistant to pickleworm. I have it right next to the canteloup so I was a bit nervous. I bagged any fruit that was big enough to bag and sprayed the squash, canteloup, zucchini and the cucumbers which have their first few blossoms. Fat chance they'll get pollenated now, but oh well. I left the pumpkin and butternut alone.
I didn't pick anything Wednesday so I'll probably really have a big harvest today. Hopefully I find evidence that I'm at least giving the pickleworm some breeding difficulties.
I read somewhere last fall that planting garlic around the border of cruciferous veggies would cut down on the worms and bugs. It worked! I planted garlic around the edge of my cauliflower/cabbage bed and I'll be darned if I wasn't able to get a full crop. I still don't have real garlic heads, but what the heck. I'll plant it if it helps out. Maybe try tons of a garlic/water solution sprayed on the cukes and squashes? Might stink, but I think it helps with the worms and other bugs that hit us in Florida.
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You do what you have to do in order to eat your own produce. That is why we went to the solar powered fence around the perimeter of our garden. A pain to work around, time to install, but so far no evidence of critters wandering through the garden placing their feet wherever they want nibbling on the produce and leaving us the remains.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about being hesitant to use Sevin... we looked at some "organic" and "eco-smart" brands for veggie pesticides but they all have the same ingredients as Sevin! Our first spray of pesticide went on last night, it was a sad evening for me. We have been fortunate, no pickleworms! Maybe it's because our squash are in containers on plant stands in the yard, a good 1-2 feet above the ground. Your zucchini pickles sound delicious, I love zucs!
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