Organic bug killer?

[spyfferoni]

Does anyone know anything I can use to kill squash bugs. I tried to just pick them off and squash them, but they are taking over the planet!!! I'm about to give up and go buy some sevin.

Thanks,
Tyffanie

[Medbury Gardens]

How big are they, can you get a picture on here of them
Richard

[Tomstrees]

I'm about to give up and go buy some sevin.

Please don't !!! Someone !!! Please give some organic advice quick!

~ Tom

[Medbury Gardens]

I asked before what they looked like because if the bugs have a hard outer shell that can make some of the organic sprays less effective.if you have the pyrethrum plant in your garden this can be used as a spray along with adding soapy water.
Pyrethrum extrace breaks down quickly and loses its effectiveness fast ,so it needs to made fresh before using. Others out there may know what concentrations (leaf to water) for boiling, i would think the stronger the better
A lot of bugs are killed just by soapy water alone, go out and grab some of those little buggers and try spraying the soapy water on them and see what happens.
Report back.
Richard

[dice]

Someone reported on page 23 of the 24 page squash bug thread
on Idigmygarden that a mix of soap, neem oil, and cedar oil
seem to repress their numbers pretty well without killing
them outright.

http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/s...?t=306&page=23

The next best course seemed to be growing resistant varieties,
several of which are mentioned more than once in the thread.
People reported variable results with growing the squash among
nasturtiums and specific kinds of radish.

A document elsewhere suggested not to overdo the cedar oil,
as it can kill plants in too strong a concentration. (If you are
searching for it, it might be called "cedarwood oil" instead.
If handling it, I would wear gloves, as cedarwood oil has
toxic compounds in it that can be absorbed through the skin.)

[spyfferoni]

Thanks, I'm ready to try anything. I've had squash bugs before, but never this bad. I wonder if planting my yellow zucchini in an area of my garden that has black plastic mulch has contributed to the problem. I usually plant a couple of varieties and this year scaled back on the zucchini so I wouldn't have more than I knew what to do with---I'm barely getting enough to use fresh, let alone any to bake with or freeze. The squash bugs have really taken their toll!!!

Tyffanie

[Gimme3]

The very best thing you can do, requires time and thought. If you apply rotenone, you destroy many forms of life, some of which would serve as food and attractant, to your greatest allies.In time, if you quit poisoning, and allow natural insect populations to occur, you will find many wasps that will help you, and ...if you truely are patient and benevolent, catbirds will come to your aid. Keep in mind that a strong plant, to a large degree, defends itself....in ways science acknowledges, but does not understand...just yet. Additionally, learn to identify the butterfly that lays the eggs, and kill it by hand upon sight.