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New Hampshire

I cut 10 svb larva out of 4 plants yesterday. 2 of the plants had been bored into just a few inches up the basal crown. I did some cutting and was able to dig out the grubs. In one spot the vine had split about 3 inches lengthwise along the path the grub was taking. The section has dried out and scabbed over. I have read about some virus or bacteria that the grubs pass to the plant that causes it to wilt some. I noticed this wilt at the very end of a 30 ft main. Will this "virus" pass after the removal of the grubs, or should I treat the plant with something...........Michael

8/12/2005 4:57:57 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

One word for you Michael "MERIT".

8/12/2005 9:07:33 AM

New Hampshire

Will Merit deal with the existing borers, I just cut about 10 more out this morning

8/12/2005 10:08:03 AM

ipswich, ma usa

If the plant sucks up the merit and the SVB's eat it they will die. I put it out every 2 weeks. The ones that are in there are already munching away and will damage your plants more by the time the merit gets to them. keep picking them out and get the merit going to get the next batch.

John (5150)

8/12/2005 10:53:29 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

mike,
Merit is a systemic fungicide, it will kill em as they eat, as far as killing any virus that may have been passed on, no, it won't help with that.
If you get merit you need to drench the stump and roots and soak it in, I believe it takes a few days to work its way through.

8/12/2005 11:01:01 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

pesticide, not fungicide...doh

8/12/2005 11:01:47 AM

Long Island,New York

I have never heard of a virus passed by a svb grub. (that doesn't mean it cant happen if the svb doesn't wipe his feet before entering your vine after walking on diseased soil....just look what a possum with dirty feet from my patch did to Scott's patch). Usually the wilt is due to the destruction of the tissues caused by the svb snacking on your vines. If the wilt is at the end its likely just a warm sunny day and the plant is damaged to the point it can't keep up with hydration or perhaps you missed a borer. Its also that time of year when some vascular diseases show up as wilt.

8/12/2005 3:57:10 PM

New Hampshire

Well, none of the farm stores around here had merit. I wound up getting some stuff made by Bonide called Thuricide, Bacillus Thurinblahblahblahbedeablah........or BT. I hope this stuff will work

8/13/2005 10:38:22 AM

Windsor Maine

Mike~
You might find it in an Agway, Home Depot, Lowes type store in the form of "Bayer-Advanced Lawn".."Season Long Grub Control"..

(active ingredient= Imidacloprid.) (Look fer the blue plastic jug.. also comes in a jug fitted for hose-end application ready to use...

srry to hear about the dreaded svb's...Hope you get (kill) em all!

ps: QicK! get them whirlygigs and fans a'goin in yer patch too- so that any flying survivors get good and dizzy- caint find their way north ~eh! heh~heh!
seriously tho~ Good Luck w/em~
;-)Tom~

8/13/2005 11:16:02 AM

Windsor Maine

quick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8/13/2005 11:17:10 AM

Canada

Ya when i first noticed larva in my main vine i ended up cutting 2 out of the main and it healed up nice, I just arrived back from Holidays yesterday and noticed 2 more soft spots close to the stump and i was able to pull those 2 out with tweezers ( these were BIG LARVA ) and i ended up cutting off 2 secondarys s i noticed svb holes in the vines further down near the tips. I believe i now have them all out but who knows, fruits are growing well and plant is still growing well, best thing you can do now is keep pulling them out when you spot them.

good luck
Dave

8/14/2005 11:14:39 AM

North Smithfield, RI USA

Apply the granular in spring then in late July apply the liquid. Have had very few squash bugs for years, cuke beetles are down and SVB doesn.t exist ! Merit is great !

8/14/2005 2:24:13 PM

Montoursville, PA

Lowe's and others have a product called Grub-X. It is merit by another name. The Merit in the granular form or for use with water another is Merit 75 WP and may be available from Pumpkin Supply.com as advertised on this site.

8/14/2005 7:44:39 PM

Montoursville, PA

Incidently, my buddy uses both granular and wettable powder. Both labels claim sixty days of protection. He has found that to be a reasonable time, of protection. Topping off by reapplication at fifty days would not be unwise. Three appications covers the most effective use of the product called merit.

I prefer to use a contact insecticide weekly. I nail them to the cross that way and feel it is less offensive to my soil. My buddy does both. We both have control.

8/14/2005 7:50:23 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

svb's generally do not spread viruses, the reason being is that an svb grub is a one plant pest, it egg was laid on the plant it now occupies therfore it cannot transmit a virus by mechanical means (chewing) like a cucumber beetle would be feeding on an infected plant and then fly to another plant and transmitting it.
Glenn

8/18/2005 12:26:27 PM