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Fuquay Varine, NC

Well it appears that the SVB got the best of my patch. Despite all my efforts of treating and removing them all (6) of my plants are slowly dying. I lost all my pumpkins, the biggest being the size of a basketball (there was a live borer at the stem of the pumpkin). The ends of the vine are still growing, but about 2-3 feet of vine from main stem looks pretty dead. Most of the leaves have dried up and died. It looks like this season is over for me. Hopefully I will do better next year. If it wasn't for the SVB I would have some nice pumpkins right now.

As an aside, I threw a large decorative gourd at the back of the yard last year to let rot and some seeds apparently germinated this year. This thing is flourishing. The vine is about 15+ feet, nice healthy leaves, and small gourds growing. I guess the SVB don't like those. Maybe I'll do that next year with some pumpkin seeds, just throw them in the yard and see what happens.

8/11/2016 9:41:05 PM

Central NY

Sorry to hear that...bugs love these plants...

8/11/2016 9:59:43 PM

Kentucky, U.S.A.

I have been making a stab at these things five years now. SVB hammered me again. Seems I can't get enough out to stop these things!!! I think all of them (squash bugs and cucumber beetles too) are in the neighbors pasture and as soon as the bores break the skin the others move in for the meal!

8/11/2016 10:54:40 PM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

I use a 4 way attack to beat them. Garlic to repel them early in the season, Bifenthrin sprayed as a contact insecticide when I see adults flying around, Eight dust on the stump and main vine to take out any that hatch and get in the critical areas, and Merit as a systemic to kill any that try to chew their way anywhere into the plant.

8/12/2016 7:40:20 AM

Westmoreland, KS

Next year try a trap crop...I used to have terrible issues with svb (squash bugs and cucumber beetles).

Now I do everything Iowegian said but i also plant Squash at each corner of my patch, and i plant the squash very early (replant if you have too) And just spray the crap out of them with merit, talstar and anything else you want. The only thing svb's love more then giant pumpkins is squash...the green ones. Be sure to pick all flowers off of the plants so the bees don't get hurt.

Haven't had issues with bugs since I've been doing this going on 3 years now....my plant looks amazing right now so it is working.

8/12/2016 9:09:57 AM

Fuquay Varine, NC

Thanks for the good tips. Next year I'll be ready. I declare war on SVB, and will go all out. One last question; I started my crop in late April after last frost, but the local farm around me that has successfully grown large pumpkins for years informed me that they don't plant theirs in the fields until after the fourth of July (they say that starting too early will cause pumpkins to rot before harvest). Any thoughts to this and recommendations?

8/12/2016 9:29:42 AM

Kentucky, U.S.A.

They are growing for Halloween season sales using big macs. Two different critters! Stay with your plan if you want Gigantic, competitive size. Atlantic Giants, given a season long healthy plant (something I don't know about), need 90 days to peak their growth cycle, good healthy ones can grow well over 100 days!!!!

8/12/2016 9:52:28 AM

Westmoreland, KS

My two cents...it really depends on how much time you want to spend on them in the beginning. Personally if you don't have a green house or a way to keep them warm i would wait to start your seeds the day of your last frost date. then i would put the plants in the ground 2 weeks after your last frost date. (Make it easy on yourself instead of trying to keep the plants warm during this stage)

8/12/2016 11:52:16 AM