Preventing Squash Vine Borers: Covers and Foil

Squash vine borers kill plants by boring into stems. Once inside, the plant is lost. Prevention is everything.

Two Proven Barriers

Floating row cover (Reemay): Cover seedlings until first female flowers open. Remove for pollination.
Aluminum foil wrap: Wrap stem base once blooming starts. Moths can't lay eggs on foil.

Combine both for near-total protection. See Ohio State fact sheet for details.

Growing Vegetables: Why Are My Squash Rotting on the Vine? Expert Diagnosis for a Baffling Case; Growing Aristolochia littoralis (Dutchman’s Pipe) in a Container; Invasive Vine in Pennsylvania: Photo Needed for ID; Dealing with Unripe Spaghetti Squash in Fall; Managing Squash Vine Borers: Prevention and Saving Fruit; Butternut Squash Rotting Young: Pollination Failure or Blossom End Rot?; Fungal Spots on Squash and Cucumbers: Fungicide and Fertilizer Response; Shriveling Baby Yellow Squash: Likely Fruit Fly Damage; Yellow Squash Fruit Drop: Pollination and Water Fixes; Stop Squash Vine Borers: Prevention and Control

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