From

Location

Message

Date Posted

United States

Will SVBs invade your vines if they are buried? If so, is the only way to monitor to unbury and rebury the vines each week?

9/10/2023 7:11:56 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

They can enter the leaf stalk and make way down into vine, so buried doesn't matter. I have had them go into the pumpkin stem itself then emerge out of the pumpkin skin close to the stem. They are just insects and opportunists.

9/11/2023 8:12:36 AM

Western NY

In my experience, they either can't get to the buried parts, or won't bother - they need an easy spot to lay their eggs.

Like Luke said, they can go from leaf to vine, but sometimes the leaf damage is very noticeable if it's in the leaf vein instead of stalk - that's an easy fix.

I wouldn't unbury anything just to check for grubs anyway. They're probably only in the exposed areas.

9/11/2023 10:39:34 AM

United States

Are there effective grub killers I can apply at the end of the season to exterminate anyone who's planning to spend the winter growing in my soil?

9/12/2023 7:53:37 PM

Syracuse, NY

Not specific but I enjoyed and would additionally follow this article if I were to have SVB woes; I'd have recommended tilling harshly/repeatedly once the pumpkin was outta there, to expose the cocoons they mention:

https://www.almanac.com/pest/squash-vine-borer

eg

9/14/2023 12:01:26 AM