Let’s talk pests. This year, my two biggest nemesis have been the squash bug and cabbage worms. 

While I’ve had an incredible season growing things like tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers organically with no pest problems, alas, I can’t have the same drama free growing experience with all my crops.

In spring I planted cabbage plants, only to have the leaves eaten down to what looks like a skeletal frame, and although I have replanted for fall, I’m not optimistic that those plants will turn out either, since they’ve seemed to have stopped growing.

These darn worms have also eaten the leaves off my rutabaga plants. 

Now, for the pest I really loathe: the squash bug. 

I’ve had issues with my zucchini plants and have only (thus far) harvested three zucchinis 😦  I started a late summer planting of zucchini and summer squash in different garden beds that aren’t located at my home garden to see if I’d have better results. So far, they’re growing slowly, but are pest free. 

Although my intent with growing the summer squashes was to dehydrate them to make a low carb flour, as well as making zucchini relish, I’m hoping for some late summer productivity that makes those goals possible.

What I’m really concerned about is the (bleeping) squash bug’s fascination with my winter varieties, which from what I have read online, are supposed to be less palatable to the pests. So far, that’s not been completely true for me. I’ve got one spaghetti squash and butternut squash plant and while one of my winter squash plants has grown so large that it is encroaching on our roof, each seems to be struggling to produce fruit. Again, I’m hoping for some late summer magic with these plants, but only time will tell. 

Have you had success evading the dreaded squash bug? If you have an organic remedy for dealing with these destructive bugs, I’m all ears, so comment below!