Wouldn’t you just know it! The bugs are already eating the pumpkin leaves. Does anyone have an easy solution for killing these bugs before they devour all my pumpkin plants?
Here is Armando with Telly and Faye after the new fence was finished.
Sweet Little Rylie perched on the chair behind my sewing machine – she was here just one day and is a good girl who is having trouble with her vision likely due to old age.
Waiting for their bedtime snack – look how dirty Marty is!
Here is Connie’s Gypsy Wife block made in 30’s fabrics – won’t this be fun to see both of our blocks each week? They couldn’t be more different! Could you guys post your blocks on our Country Threads Pinterest board? We would love to see what you have chosen.
Some of you probably remember Dianne? She’s the one who broke her leg many years ago and she stayed in Becky’s porch while she had a cast on her leg. She came to the sewing room last night and as I was petting her, I noticed a big bump on her spine towards her tail. I hate to think what it might be. Darn.
If you’re looking for the Gypsy Wife booklet, go to Etsy where it’s $23.50 including shipping.
My leg is much better. Thanks for all your concern.
Ron says to use ‘Sevin’ to save your pumpkin leaves
love your love of animals thanks for posting
I made a mixture I of dish detergent and water and sprayed on my plants, tho no pumpkin or squash
I would try diatomaceous earth before anything toxic for the pumpkins. It gets rid of pests by slicing their bodies as they crawl across it and it won’t harm humans or animals. You do have to reapply it after each rain and be careful not to inhale it when dusting. You can eat it but don’t breathe it.
Evening Mary….I laugh when I see Marty and the evidence shows how much staying with you and the others is enjoyed. Good to hear your leg is on the mend. Haven’t a clue what to put on your pumpkin leaves. I do know planting some Marigolds near will deter bugs. Is it aphids sucking the life out of the leaves?
How fun to see Connie’s Gypsy Wife’s..primary colors 30’s prints. Thanks for sharing.
I have had good success spraying leaves with a mix of water and peppermint castile soap. It has been effective with white flies, aphids and ants in my kitchen. None of them like the peppermint smell. I get the soap at the natural food type stores. Might be able to get it online. I don’t like using the chemicals on plants and this works well. I have such a time with cuke and squash plant leaves mildewing every year when we have the marine layer in S. Calif. I just have tolet them go and plant more later. Can’t always stay ahead of gardden problems.
whoops – garden with one d.
Marty is a kick! Gets so dirty everytime he stays. You must have to bathe him a lot. So cute!
Glad to hear you are on the mend. Your guests are going to love their new run areas. Wish we lived closer so you could take care of the dig I would get IF I had you near. I just wouldn’t trust anyone around here to care for mine.
what kind of bugs are eating the pumpkin leaves? could the county agricultural agent be able to suggest what to use? sometimes planting another plant nearby works. I plant garlic cloves by mo roses and that deters aphids. There is an old gardening book that is titled “roses Love Garlic” where I got that info.
Maybe querying online about what to use or plant will give an answer? Or plant under some kind of clear cover?
Sounds like Dianne might have an abscess, which is easy enough to fix. I hope she recovers quickly from whatever it is!
Dianne may have something benign like a lipoma (a fatty tumor), a foreign body that has gotten infected and/or encapsulated (somebody else’s claw, a thorn or twig, or even a parasite could have gotten stuck under her skin) or who knows what else, but we know your animals all get good care. Hope it’s a simple thing with a simple solution!
I’ve tried several DIY insecticides and commercially available (allegedly) insecticidal soaps over the years with no results, and I always go back to Sevin. I apply Sevin dust around my cucumber, zucchini and winter squash plants early in the season (now) and spray liquid Sevin on and under the leaves the rest of the summer. I’m a few hours west of you, so growing conditions seem similar.
Some of these bugs overwinter in the ground, so extra tilling, especially right before a frost, helps kill them off. Also, cover the soil with plastic in the early spring and/or fall to sterilize the soil with the sun’s heat may kill off some of these suckers.
At this time of year when this happens, I start some more seeds in small pots to get them going quickly or buy plants if you can find them. Cover the plants with a floating row crop cover until they flower.
At the end of the season, bag or burn the dead plants and any mulch.
As Karen suggested, talk to your county agent. Does Iowa Public TV have a call-in gardening show? And check Iowa State’s Ag website.
Sevin dust is my go-to for pumpkin/squash/cucumber beetles, too.
Mike used to grow 3 acres of pumpkins. The only thing he found to kill those bugs is to spray the plants with Sevin.
Try dusting with Seven Dust or just plain sulfer..that should help with the bugs and not harmful to man or beast(dogs or goats).