Growing Zucchini in Tomato Cages: Squash Bug Prevention

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One way to tame your zucchini is to grow it up a large tomato cage. You do have to secure the cage down with posts. The idea is to help the plant manage disease and pests. The leaves of zucchini and squash are large and if any part of the plant touches the ground, the squash bug can get on it and lay its eggs. Large leaves on the ground also block air flow.

Growing zucchini up the cage gets a majority of the leaves off the ground and it improves airflow and leaf drying after rains. Once the plant is growing up the cage you can put Sevin Dust on the stem. This is a targeted use of an insecticide. The squash bugs and beetles will have to walk up the stem and into the dust to get to the leaves. Here is a video on how to target use an insecticide dust: Controlling Squash Bugs with Dust

Growing Zucchini in a Tomato Cage - The Rusted Garden

Yellow Button Squash - The Rusted Garden

The white stuff is Epsom Salts. It is waiting for a rain to melt and wash into the soil. It help provide a boost of magnesium to the plants and that prevents yellowing leaves. Zucchini and squash are heavy feeders.

White Button Squash - The Rusted Garden