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Wichita, KS

Since I moved from California, I have had a heck of a time adjusting to all the pests most of you have been dealing with on this side of the Rockies. This is my third season in Kansas and I finally have healthy plants... until today.

Yesterday, I noticed my first SVB of the season. Last year at this time I didn't even know what one of them looked like. Last year at this time there were so many pests in my garden I couldn't count the types. This year, Merit gave me the healthiest plants I've ever had (Van Hook genetics played a part in that) and a relatively pest free back yard and garden. So good! And that's what it looked like last night just before the sun went down.

Today, one day later and several days too late, my leaves are almost lying on the ground. Merit did wonders ridding my plants of just about everyting except SVBs. Today both my plants are circling the drain. I expect them to be dead by Monday based on the way they look today.

Lessons learned:
1)Merit is good stuff. Use it on everything.
2)Triazicide gets what Merit won't. Next year I will use them both.
3)Organic pest control worked in California, not in Kansas. As far as pest control goes, I'm over organics. I'm going with the sure thing.

I'll be checking in to see how you guys are doing but my season over.

Good luck, friends!

6/23/2007 4:26:30 PM

Wichita, KS

BTW... are there any other good lessons out there that can save folks trouble and heartache? Lets list some of them.

6/23/2007 4:28:21 PM

ordinary,VA

Mr.Sprout
sorry to hear about your season ending the way that it did.
I tried growing 100% organic one year, tough road.
should have just put up a sign "bugs buffet".
once asked a very good grower if he grew organic he said "yes,i use organic merit, organic warrior etc etc,"
I got the point..

to fight disease you should change up your fungicide during the season.I know some growers who use 6 or more different types of disease control.

6/23/2007 4:49:52 PM

Rhode Island

if most all the plants leaves are laying on the ground as you mentioned it would seem like you have more than just a svb problem. id get a leaf tissue test.
could help in the future

6/23/2007 10:10:16 PM

Nashville, TN

Pap's right, even when I had hundreds of SVB last year, the GPs still grew (in pieces) with their peripheral root system that came from secondary root growth on down the vines... Still managed to get 400+ pounders off these damaged plants at the end of the season.

Merit's SUPPOSED to stop SVB larva.. But Tremor advised that you have to START your plants in media with merit - so that it's absorbed in the deep vine tissues along with being absorbed in the leaves through foliar application. Makes all the plant's tissue toxic.. I find dead cucumber beetles/stink bugs/squash bugs in the flowers and lying around the plant every morning...

I'd look to a fungal/bacterial problem... Even if you have SVB larva in the vines - they should still be small enough with the plants BIG enough - that the plants would survive this initial attach. In your area - you'll get a second attack as well. In my area - my plants had to survive 2-3 'waves' of attacks last year..

I've seen my first SVB female in the patch just yesterday - we'll see if the Merit (and the way it was applied through BOTH roots and leaves) is as good as it's reputation... I SHOULD see hundreds of SVB females swarm in the next couple of weeks (like last year).. We'll see if the Merit kills the next generation.. I'm using no other pesticide on these plants.

6/24/2007 7:42:44 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Mr. Sprout,
Sorry to hear of your plant problems. It's good to see you back at BP.com though.

6/24/2007 9:59:19 AM

[email protected]

The first line of defense against SVB is a good residual CONTACT spray to keep adults off the plants. Bifenthrin & Lambda-cyhalothrin are both good.

I would consider Merit to be a safety net as it seems to catch young borers IF the plant is recently treated just prior to the attack.

Completely wilted plants might be bacterial wilt unless a borer go right into the main near the crown.

I agree with Dick. Get a lab test ASAP so you know who the enemy really is. Then you can be better prepared for next year.

6/24/2007 5:02:06 PM