Greetings fellow steemers,
What a fantastic summer we are having up here in New England. For the most part, the garden is doing fantastic. However, my cucurbits are under attack! Stripped cucumber beetles have invaded my squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupes, and have begun feasting.
I sprayed the plants with neem oil, and that has seemed to help a lot, however the beetles still love to gather in the flowers of the plants no matter how much neem I spray. I am not too concerned with the eating damage as the plants are large and healthy and can handle some defoliage. However, I am very concerned about bacterial wilt, which is transmitted by these little buggers. Does anyone have any advice as to how to keep the beetles out of the flowers? Also, are there any early signs of bacterial wilt I should look out for?
On a different note, I have also noticed a few squash bugs starting to appear. Will the neem work against these guys too? If not, what can I do as protection against them?
Comments and advice are greatly appreciated!