Re: Squash bugs & cucumber beetles

Hi farmgirl,

Sounds like you have been adding everything you can get your hands on!

Anyway , what you have shared provides an answer as to your problem!

Your garden is supplying enough Nitrogen for your plants and the plants which are vining plants as the squash is, may get too much Nitrogen in relationship to the Alkaline Minerals and Phosphates it is able to get and this may be the reason for the wilt problem you are having and also the reason for the squash bugs and cucumber bettles!

All plants which have Larger Leaves which are grown in soil which has some soil Life working in it, may be able to pull greater amounts of Free Nitrogen out of the Air and thus may get too much Nitrogen in ratio to the Alkaline Minerals and Phosphates it may be recieving!

These plants need a more Acidic soil condition so as to help regulate the Nitrogen, and keep it in the Cationic state so the Plant does not get to much of the Isotope which is Nitrate Nitrogen, for this form of Nitrogen may cause the plant to it's self become too Acidic from a lack of Alkaline Minerals in the Plant!

This all probably sounds Greek to you , so I will try to make it simple for you to deal with!

You have a few options which you may try!

1st you may cut the growing ends of your squash plants off, this may throw the plant into the Cationic stage which may help correct your problem!

2nd you may try spraying a mix on your plants: Mix one tablespoonful of Epsom Salt in one Gallon of water and add two Tablespoonful of Blackstrap Molasses to this and spray on the plants of an evening !

You may need to spray more than one evening and do not use a sprayer which has had any Herbicides used in it!

You may want to spray some plants heavier than others to see how much it may take to do the job!

If the plants start growing faster, you may need to use a little more Epsom Salt in the mix, but if you use too much you may Burn the leaves!

As you get the Nitrogen to Alkaline Mineral ratio more in Line with how it needs to be, the bugs will leave your plants alone and you will end up with sweeter and better Quality Vegetables!

Also you may not want to add wood ashes to the area where you intend to grow your Vining and or Large Leaf plants which you want to produce seed or Fruit in the same year or year before wanting to grow these foods as it may cause the plants to take in to much Potassium Nitrate with all of the organic matter you have been adding to your garden, unless you do what I have suggested above to help correct the condition!

Smile Tis your choice.

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