by Texas Homesteader ~
Don’t you just hate squash bugs? Me too. They gain their foothold early and decimate your squash plants in no time.
And squash bugs are notoriously difficult to control. The only sure way I know of is to remove all eggs and also both adult and nymph bugs by hand.
Today’s Homestead Hack is timely. Use what ya got!
Finding Squash Bugs On Your Plants
I was so excited at how well the spaghetti squash plant was growing in my garden!
As I tenderly removed the encroaching grass & weeds from around this tiny fragile plant I was horrified to see those dreaded coppery-colored eggs on the underside of the leaves and a scurry of the most vile almost undefeatable foe in any garden…
Squash Bugs! Ugh. I’ll not let them take what little garden I’ve had survive this year, I WON’T!
So when I saw the dreaded squash bugs and their eggs I vowed that I wasn’t going down without a fight. It’s almost impossible to get rid of squash bugs and they can decimate your garden overnight.
Negative Effects of Using Insecticide In The Garden
But here’s the thing – I won’t use insecticide in my vegetable garden.
Insecticide is almost always a non-discriminatory killer.
Sure you’ll kill the squash bugs, but at what cost?
Residue on Vegetables: I never want to eat food that’s ever had poison sprayed on it at any time of its growth.
Harmful effect on beneficial insects: Insecticide often also kills the beneficial insects – ladybugs, honeybees, etc.
Potential Harm To Earthworms: What happens when the poison sprayed on the plant leaf is washed to the ground. Does it harm other insects in the soil such as earthworms?
Harmful Effect On Birds, Lizards, Toads, etc.: And if that poison takes a while to kill the pest bug there could be other victims, such as the bird or lizard that eats that now-poisoned bug. Maybe the bird takes that poisoned insect to the nest to feed the baby birds…
No. For me there’s just too much unintended damage, poison is not the answer!
So I sprung into action using this tried-n-true homestead hack.
Low-Impact Method Of Squash Bug Control
To reduce the impact of controlling the squash bugs in my garden I used a wide-mouth bottle with a little water in the bottom of it.
Then with my gloved hand I pulled each squash bug I found on my plant and dropped it into my bottle of water which makes quick work of those squash bugs.
Buh-BYE!
I also tore off any portion of any leaf that had those coppery-colored eggs and placed it in the bottle as well.
I’ve heard you can just scrape off the eggs but I’ve always worried that they would just hatch on the ground instead of on the plant. And I don’t want to take any chances!
Then I just screwed the lid back on and tucked this bottle away in my garden.
I know to be sure I get all these little squash bug beasts I’ll need to be diligent. I’ll need my little bottle with water for at least the next several days. Maybe even for the rest of the season.
You can’t be complacent when you’re dealing with squash bugs!
So there ya go – today’s Homestead Hack. It’s effective, it’s low-impact, it’s repurposing, it’s organic and it’s using what ya got!
~TxH~
This post categorized in 
My Favorite Garden Hacks
Garden Planning
- Easy Garden Planting Plan Spreadsheet
- Prepare Now! Late-Winter Garden Checklist
- How To Make Your Own Garden Soil
- Prepare Your Garden For Spring Planting
Seed Planting
- Planting Seeds In A Milk Jug Mini-Greenhouse
- Planting A Clear Tote As An Indoor Greenhouse
- Repurposed Cardboard Seed-Starting Pots
Soil Health
- Easy Compost For A Healthy Garden
- How Leaves Benefit Your Garden
- Using Manure In Your Compost & Garden
Garden Styles
- How & Why To Use Raised Beds In Your Garden
- 3-Sister’s Garden – The Original Companion Planting
- Planting A Large Galvanized Trough
- Where I Found The BEST Raised Bed!
- Planting A Blueberry Bush In Rustic Galvanized Tub
- Creating A Vibrant Pollinator Garden
Garden Plants/Harvest
- Stevia – Growing Your Own Sweetener!
- My Simple, Zero-Waste Herb Drying Setup
- The Lazy Gardener’s Plant List – Plant Once, Eat For Years!
- How To Tell When Watermelon Is Ripe
- Luffa A Surprising Zucchini Substitute!
- How To Plant & Grow The Best Tomatoes
Water/Irrigation/Drought
- Keeping Potted Plants Watered
- Repurposing A Coffee Can For Deep-Soak Watering
- 3 Rainwater Collection Systems We Use
- Cheap (or FREE) Wood Mulch For The Garden
- Using Vining Plants For Living Mulch
- Surprising Use For Empty Clay Pots In The Garden
Weed Control
Garden Tips
- How To Save Outdoor Plants Even During A Hard Freeze
- Growing A Sustainable Garden: Eco-Friendly Practices
- Tricking Birds AWAY From Your Strawberry Plants
- Protecting Tender Seedlings From Wind
- Homestead Hack: Remember Where You Planted Seeds
- How I Use EcoBricks In The Garden
MORE Gardening Posts
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We drown squash bugs too, it seems the easiest most effective way to get rid of them naturally. Glad to see your garden is doing good, mine has been enjoying our sunshine too. I’m now thinking towards fall planting as spring was pretty light due to all that rain, it is nice though to see all the ponds and lakes full again.
Carole
Seems like it’s feast or famine with this weather lately, eh Carole? ~TxH~
Exactly the way I always handle the little beasties! Left unchecked they will quickly decimate any garden.
Works wonders Amy and for the devastation they cause in the garden they deserve nothing less… LOL ~TxH~
Every year I say I will never plant any type of squash again. Seeing those beetles is like watching a horror movie for me! Every year I replant with hopes to outwit them. Nothing seems to work or I start too late. I will try the simple water trick if I find them. Hopefully they will not visit while we’re on vacation!
YES Amy – I feel your pain. The water trick will work on them, but you must inspect your plants daily. Squash bugs are opportunistic little beasts and their populations can explode overnight, so keeping any adults, nymphs and eggs removed is the only way to keep their populations to a non-lethal level. This water trick is the only thing that’s ever worked for me. ~TxH~
I don’t think I’ll feel guilty drowning those little beasts! đŸ™‚
Our weather has been horrible here too. One day it’s warm and the next you have to put the heat on. Right now the only plants that have survived is my tomatoes and 1 squash. The way we deal with bugs is castile soap. I mix up a mild solution and spray everything. Not only do the bugs hate the smell if they’re caught in the cross fire, they dry up and die. It even works for the eggs, it dries them up. Not sure if this would work for you. Happy plantings!
I have castile soap Patti so I’m interested in what you’re saying. Previously when I tried to control garden pests with soap it seemed to burn my plants – maybe I was mixing it too strong? What is your mixture ratio? And I know squash bugs are notoriously hard to treat with any method – have you ever successfully treated squash bugs (and eggs) with the soap mixture? ~TxH~
Tammy yes we have treated the squash bugs along with tomato worms/bugs. Here those are worse for us. I use a 32 oz spray bottle and add 1-2 TBSP of the soap. We’ve never had a problem with it burning leaves or plants. We do apply it in the evening when it’s cooler. We’ve also applied it after we have watered and that also works. I’ve also used the peppermint castile and I like that one the best as I think the smell keeps away the rabbits and squirrels. Make sure to use a good quality soap ( Dr, Bronners ) as they are not all the same. Some use cheap fillers and I believe that’s where many problems come into play. I apply every other day when there’s a big out break and then you can cut down the times applied. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any luck.
Good grief, I should have told you I use 32 oz of water in that bottle and then add the soap. Make sure to do it in that order!
Thanks Patti. I make my own castile soap in bar form, so I can dissolve some shavings in 32-oz of water and pour into spray bottle? (fingers crossed!) ~TxH~