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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Squash bug control

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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Squash bug control
  • Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:37:11 -0400


On Oct 31, 2009, at 9:27 AM, Diane Kunkel wrote:

Hi, Do any of you use Guinea Fowl for squash bug control? I've almost
given up on squash & pumpkins. Or are there any organic controls for
these little devils? Thanks, Andy zone 5-6 Wenatchee, WA


I've found a lot of varietal difference in susceptibility to squash bugs -- in particular, I've found buttercups and kabocha types (of various varieties) to be much more susceptible to them than acorn, delicata/sweet dumpling, and butternut types. I haven't researched other organic controls -- I think there are some -- because I rarely have significant problems with the resistant types.

On the other hand, I've never had much problem with squash bugs in pumpkins; so it's possible our squash bugs don't have the same tastes as yours.

(Guinea fowl actually probably wouldn't meet current organic standards: they'd be depositing fresh manure in the field, and to do the job they'd probably have to be in there within the 120 days before harvest -- fresh manure can't be applied within 120 days of harvest of a crop for human consumption if the part of the plant for consumption can touch the ground. You could put them in the field after harvest to clean up, of course; that might reduce next year's pest pressure significantly.)

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



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