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Huntsville Texas

pumpkins growing well, but noticed first time today that both spotted and striped cucumber beetles are infesting them. what would be the least toxic effective solution? they seem to be targeting the young fruit behind unbloomed buds.

5/9/2012 10:22:47 PM

Connecticut

Sprinkle or spray garlic on them. They hate it. They will not die but they will not hang around as much.

Maybe boil some water with a bunch of garlic power and spread it around the plant. Let it cool first.

5/9/2012 10:45:54 PM

valparaiso, in

Insecticidal soap. Dries them up.

5/9/2012 10:47:44 PM

Indiana

Use talstar, its so safe, and so much better controlling them

5/9/2012 11:55:34 PM

Huntsville Texas

Thanks so much for all your suggestions and information. I will be using the insecticidal soap on them tomorrow (got it tonight) and also the garlic, since those are what I could get right away. Thanks again.

5/10/2012 1:12:30 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Tom is right, talstar (bifen) is the way to go. Once they bite, you will get the bacterial wilt. So slowing them down or making them angry isn't going to help you. You need to kill them dead immediately with a strong contact insecticide before they have a chance to bite. This is advice straight from tremor, so you know it is legit.

5/10/2012 11:34:22 AM

Littleton, Colorado

You might want to check out Arbico Organics. I'd had a horrendous infestation of cucumber beetles in 2010. I got beneficial nematodes from Arbico Organics in 2011 & sprayed them on my pumpkin patch several times last year. I only saw one cucumber beetle the whole summer in 2011!

5/11/2012 12:34:03 AM