Every year i lose my squash to squash bugs, help please

[Bethanie]

Has anyone found a way to protect their squash plants from these bug?
Beth

[christinajade]

If you go to a greenhouse they sell praying mantis eggs. They are frozen and they keep for as long as you keep them frozen. Attach it to a tree (the egg usually comes on a stick) and in about 4 days or so it hatches hundreds of baby praying mantis bugs! They are a farmers best friend and they love to eat all those little pesty bugs that eat your plants and veggies! :D

[Bethanie]

Thank you so very much:cool:\
Beth

[michigan roman]

powdered cayene pepper mixed into water and sprayed on plants
works for some bugs

[JCB44]

Planting marigolds in your garden will deter some pests not sure about squash bugs but at least the marigolds look nice

[fastfreedom]

The mice are eating all my marigolds.:p Hopefully they'll just stick with the marigolds and not eat any of my veggies. So I think I need to go get more marigolds and see if they'll stay away from my veggies.:D

[christinajade]

For the mice...if you know someone that has a cat, you can place cat poop in an a small section near the marigolds. Normally you hear about voles and moles eating plants rather than mice. I know for moles and voles you place cat poop in little holes places in areas close to your garden and it keeps them away. Strange but it works. :D

[Bethanie]

:D
I've go cayenne pepper and i'll try that.
I also heard that vanilla will keep squash bugs away, why not try that too.
B.

[rawmoose]

We watch the plants for the peskies and either spray them with dish soap diluted with water, or brush them into a bowl of the same. That kills them. Also watch for their eggs, usually laid under the leaves. You can gently scrape them off into soapy water (don't squish 'em tho, they STINK).

Theoretically you can plant a trap crop, if you have space -- a couple of weeks before planting your real crop, plant another squash plant or two some distance away from the real ones. The squash bugs are supposed to hang around there and leave the rest alone. We haven't tried this yet.

[Bethanie]

I tried that with rabbits but they ate more than their share:)
Beth

[freespirit]

do some research on companion planting. simple herbs like basil or mint planted with crops can work wonders.

[sprouts2go]

All my squash have a powder look to the leaves and the blossoms are dropping. I don;t think I will get a single zucchini or squash this year. Last year we lost all the tomatoes to the blight.