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Garden Gate:  Squash bugs and chickens  |
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StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 04 2011 : 7:57:14 PM
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It seems like I've read/heard somewhere before that chickens are great at keeping the squash bugs under control. Do you all have the same experience? Do the chickens bother the squash fruit themselves? I was thinking about allowing the chickens to have free access to our squash plants next year, but keep the tomatoes and peppers out of reach. We've got a ton of squash bugs hatching out right now. It has been so hot that I wasn't able or willing to get out in the heat and inspect the plants as much as I should have. So all of those little egg clusters are hatching out right now...ewww..it is so gross to see all of those bugs. No pesticides here because of our beehives.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
A Beehive is the ultimate Home Sweet Home
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl
2027 Posts
Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2011 : 8:03:09 PM
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Not sure what to tell you on this one. Any veggie garden I've ever let the chickens near (unintentionally, mind you) they have demolished whatever is growing. Maybe someone has had a different experience, or has dealt with chickens and squash directly. I hope that you're able to find a solution though!
--* FarmMilkMama *--
Farmgirl Sister #1086
Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde
www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com
www.thehmmmschoolingmom.blogspot.com |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
Posted - Aug 05 2011 : 08:36:33 AM
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Kristina,
Are you flour and peppering the upper side of the leaves or somehow getting it to stick to the under side where they lay their eggs? I wonder if it would be too late for us to try that now with all of those squash bug babies running about.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
A Beehive is the ultimate Home Sweet Home
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camiesmommy
True Blue Farmgirl
113 Posts
Anne Jeannette
Stagecoach
NV
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - Aug 05 2011 : 7:16:43 PM
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Had a friend last year who cooked up a concoction of chopped up onion, garlic and cloves on the stoved. Said it smelled pretty disgusting when it was cook, but put it in her garrden and didn't have any problems with bugs! For what it's worth.
A.J.
Work is love made visible. ~ Kahlil Gibran |
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13647 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13647 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2011 : 08:31:47 AM
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Any of you who find a SURE-FIRE, SUCCESSFUL way of totally eliminating squash bugs . . let me know.
We never had any until 2 summers ago and were able to control them with a mixture of dishsoap and water. Last year we tried SOOOOOOOOOOOOO hard and they won!
I don't have chickens . . even that was helpful . . because we have so many predators (bears, mountain lions, skunks and racoons) that they would never make it to the garden.
We didn't plant any squash of any type or pumpkins this year because of the battle with bugs last year . . I don't want to go through that again right now!
Thanks . . and I hope someone comes up with a REALLY GOOD solution!
CJ
..from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado...sister chick #665
From my Heart - www.fromacelticheart.blogspot.com
From my Hands - www.cjscreations-ceejay.blogspot.com
From my Hubby - www.aspenforge.blogspot.com |
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marthajane
True Blue Farmgirl
196 Posts
Anna
Orlando
FL
USA
196 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2011 : 11:16:02 AM
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Gosh, I am so glad I live in FL now and havent seen a squash bug in months! I almost forgot to post something here...hope its not too late for you!
YES chickens will eat squash bugs! But I dont know if that affects the egg quality...you know how those bugs smell!
I dont know if your chickens will assault your garden produce.
The only way Ive ever been able to sleep at night when I lived with squash bugs was to spend all day gathering them up into a bucket or jars...then you can feed them to your chickens or burn them...
Honestly they could probably be used for fuel in the woodstoves because they ignite and burn like kindling...so weird...and this is quite a detestible topic...so sorry your being plaqued, its horrible.
Happiness IS being a MoM |
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Beca
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Becky
Chino Valley
Arizona
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 08:58:03 AM
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| I heard about planting dill seed (not dill weed)...around the plant when you first plant the squash seeds...so I found some and planted the seeds around the mounds and this year I didn't get a squash bug!!!!!! |
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StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 11:10:49 AM
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I have some interesting plans for next year's squash. I'm going to go vertical + horizontal. I had such a problem trying to go just vertical because there were so many vines branching out on my plants that were a mile long and I couldn't keep them all under control or make a vertical structure tall enough. So, next year I'm going to try to train them up a pole and then along a line like one would do with grapevines. I'm not going to plant so many plants so close together. And I'm going to try to be strong and cull the plants so only ONE plant comes out of the mound rather than letting all three seeds grow like I did this year. Hopefully that will keep things thinned out better in order to help with the plant inspections and keep the eggs off before they hatch. Think I'll add some dill too...thanks so much for the tip!
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
A Beehive is the ultimate Home Sweet Home
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Garden Gate: Squash bugs and chickens |
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Squash bugs and chickens
