cucumber wilt

[bookwormom]

how do you all cope with cucumbers getting sick and dying the moment they are ready to set fruit? Last year I planted a resisitent variety, Calypso, but I want to save my seeds. Not only that, the butternut squash are starting to wilt, too. that has never happened to me before.
I understand the virus is spread by that little striped cucumber beetle. I am wondering what they are doing at the big cucumber farms. spray the devil out of everything? Is this wilt thing regional and maybe other locales are not bothered at all? I am thinking of putting up a cattle panel hoop to make a 'screenhouse' but am wondering if that would be an exercise in futility and waste of money. Maybe those critters emerge from the earth like the Jap. beetles and I would have them inside the hoophouse. I planted two new beds just to find that the dogs wallowed in the soft dirt. messed both of them up good. think I am going to take a switch over and leave it by the compost pile.
>:( >:( >:(

[Deberosa]

I've heard with tomatoe viruses at least that the disease is in the soil - so pretty much you can't plant the cucurbit crops there for a few years. Not sure what non organic thing you could do to speed the process.

[Gracie]

Hi,
This is GracieG's husband Carl. I've had the same problem in the past. There are two things that have worked for me. For a few years I ordered from Gardens Alive! a somewhat bio friendly pesticide called Sabadilla. Gardens Alive! no longer offers Sabadilla and I have been unable to find it elsewhere.
Another method I used was to let my garden go fallow for a year. The bugs would hatch but have nothing to eat. Very few lived to hatch eggs for next years batch. After I let it go fallow for a year I did not grow squash plants for another two years. When I started again the bugs were non existant.
One more method I have heard of but never tried is row covers. I have row covers but this year my arthritis kicked in really bad long about the time I should have been out tilling. I'm going to try for a late garden but we will see how it goes. If anyone has had luck with the row covers I would like to hear about it.

[bookwormom]

Thanks Carl.
the thing is, this land has lain fallow for over 15 years and before that cattle was kept on it and tobacco was raised. We bush hogged it once a year and thought the soil would build up some fertility from the annual "mulch". No such thing.
The first cucumbers I planted all died. we live far from any gardens or farms. but I have noticed the beetles on some weeds (which I do not recognize).
Gardening here is such an uphill battle, so much effort and not much return. and I am not new to it, actually an old hand with 40 years of gardening to my credit. but this old dog has to learn new tricks.
.

[Gracie]

My own problem was from the squash vine borer. They themselves were not much of a problem but they carried the spores from a fungus I have in my soil. There are various methods I have heard of to control the fungus but I've have arthritis and it always kicks in really good about the time I should be preparing a garden and does not let up until real hot weather gets here. I'd love to garden more. I'd had plans on starting another truck patch but that turned out to be a pipe dream.
I've read about spraying a soil sterilizer on soil infected with fungus but that is too many chemicals for my liking. I've also heard of spreading black plastic over your garden and letting the sun cook the soil until the fungus is killed off. Then they recommend cleaning all your garden implements in bleach water to kill off any fungus that may remain on them. I've never actually talked to anyone who has done this.
If I hear or read of anything different that may work better I will post it here. To me the business of cleaning the tools in bleach water almost seems a bit much. I'd think if you used your tools off in another spot you'd wind up having to clean them again before you used them in your garden.
I do not really consider myself that much of a knowledgeable gardener.I do like passing on what little I do know, or if I've heard of a new procedure I'll pass it on. In this case if I hear or read of anything different that sound like it will work better I'll post it here.
Arthritis, a bad back, and knees have caused me to slow down a LOT more than I had planned on the past few years. I had this dream of working a monster garden after I retired but that has not happened yet.

CB

[bookwormom]

yeah, I am familiar with the squash borer, it ruined my melon crop last year.
I hope you get your moster garden Gracie, I hope you get much better.

[Gracie]

Hi, Bookwormom,Thank you for your kind wishes. My husband, Carl, or CB responded to your posts. Fortunately, he grew up on a farm, and most of what I know of gardening and such, I've learned from him. Because of his infirmities we'll not plant a monster garden any time soon, but despite it, we will plant and harvest what we can :) Gracie