Cucumber worms

[rainblood]

I have these stupid worms and/or beetles that bore holes in all of my cucumbers.
Some bore holes into the vines and kill the tips of the plant itself.

Anyone have any natural remedies? I don't like the idea of pesticides.

The only remedies I've read are:
1) plant early to get an early crop before the worms come (this sounds lame)
2) cover your vines every night so that the moth doesn't lay eggs on the plants. but you have to uncover during the day to allow bees to pollinate (also lame)
3) net each fruit individually (what in the world...)
4) plant a decoy squash plant since the worms like squash more than cukes (doesn't sound promising)

[gander]

put up blue bird houses around your yard on slick poles that snakes cant climb they love to eat the pests

[OCkoiFan]

I go pick up the worms myself so they get to the opo “trai bau”
Yeah I see many sparrows also up and down helping too

[rainblood]

put up blue bird houses around your yard on slick poles that snakes cant climb they love to eat the pests

sounds interesting....i may have to try it

[BWG]

Wood ash and damascus earth around stems. Grow your cuccumbers on a trellis off the ground. Personally had more problems with squash and melons vs cucumbers.

[CraigP]

I grow a cucurbit commonly known as 'Mouse Melons' ( Melothria scabra )and the cucumber worms raise heck on them when not treated. The easiest, effective treatment I have found is simply Bt aka Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, aka Dipel. It is an OMRI approved natural, bacterial predator of the cucumber worm...essentially, it works for all caterpillar. It comes in various modes for application....a powder for dusting, a wettable powder for spraying or a liquid form ( Thuricide ) also for spraying. Personally, I prefer the wettable powder ( Dipel Pro ) as you get better coverage than using a dust and I add a Safer Soap type product to increase the sticking power, and the soap will also kill the moth laying the eggs. Thuricide can be used similarly and is available at the big box stores....but tends to be more costly per application.

Use it prophylactically on a weekly basis....or after a heavy rain and I suspect your undamaged harvest will increase markedly. The other alternative I am aware of is a newer, naturally derived, OMNI approved product with a Spinosad base. They work great, but for a home gardener, are way pricier. Last I bought was $120 a pint(?), but you use only .25 tsp per gallon to mix. Was economical when I was doing waterlilies commercially, as it is approved for aquatic applications, but probably overkill for a few cucumber plants. < g >

[rainblood]

Wood ash and damascus earth around stems. Grow your cuccumbers on a trellis off the ground. Personally had more problems with squash and melons vs cucumbers.

I just purchased some DE, mixed and applied as a spray. Apparently it kills indeterminately, so I tried to stay away from the flowers to let the pollinators have a go at it

[rainblood]

I grow a cucurbit commonly known as 'Mouse Melons' ( Melothria scabra )and the cucumber worms raise heck on them when not treated. The easiest, effective treatment I have found is simply Bt aka Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, aka Dipel. It is an OMRI approved natural, bacterial predator of the cucumber worm...essentially, it works for all caterpillar. It comes in various modes for application....a powder for dusting, a wettable powder for spraying or a liquid form ( Thuricide ) also for spraying. Personally, I prefer the wettable powder ( Dipel Pro ) as you get better coverage than using a dust and I add a Safer Soap type product to increase the sticking power, and the soap will also kill the moth laying the eggs. Thuricide can be used similarly and is available at the big box stores....but tends to be more costly per application.

Use it prophylactically on a weekly basis....or after a heavy rain and I suspect your undamaged harvest will increase markedly. The other alternative I am aware of is a newer, naturally derived, OMNI approved product with a Spinosad base. They work great, but for a home gardener, are way pricier. Last I bought was $120 a pint(?), but you use only .25 tsp per gallon to mix. Was economical when I was doing waterlilies commercially, as it is approved for aquatic applications, but probably overkill for a few cucumber plants. < g >

Lol, I am sprouting some mouse melon vines now.
I'm trying several varieties right now - white, persian, dragon, lemon and then the mouse

[Nguyen365]

Grow them in a greenhouse. Next year you’ll have to keep ahead of the pest Andrew illuminate them before they get way out of hand