Squash Boring

Oh, No! My squash and pumpkins have a squash borer infestation! I hate this, the cure is disgusting, but if I don't do it, the plants I started from seed will wither and die. The adult squash borer beetles lay eggs on the base of the vines. the larva hatch and bore into the vines. I can tell mine have this because there are little piles of mealy/sawdusty gunk where the leaves attach. I am afraid this is larva poop.











I don't use any chemicals on the vegetables, although if I had any Bt I'd use it. I do spray the apples, or they are inedible.
So, to get rid of squash borers, slit the vine by the pile of larva poop with a sharp knife.















Reach inside with a pointy tweezers while holding the cut open and pull out that nasty grub! Yuck! If you don't own a turtle, throw the grub on the ground and stomp it! Look at all your plants, there may be more than one larva per plant.















Cover up the cut part of the vine with soil. Usually they heal up just fine. Keep checking the rest of the summer, though, those beetles will be back.

















If you do own a turtle (technically, a box turtle is a tortoise, and an omnivore) let it eat the grubs. Tuttle says they are delicious and nutritious! He sure snaps them up quickly. He gets all the things I dig up while gardening. June bug larva are his favorite.

I don't have a recipe for grubs, so it will have to be a squash recipe, sorry.










Pasta with Peas and Zucchini Ribbons

1 pound pasta, whole wheat fettuccine or ribbony pasta is pretty
1 cup frozen peas
10-12 small zucchini, trim ends and slice with carrot peeler, knife or mandoline - 1/8 inch thick
1 1/2 cups whole milk yogurt or low-fat sour cream
1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves, very thinly sliced (other herbs are good, too, like cilantro or tarragon) Use pesto if you're in a hurry.
1/4 to 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Heat a big pot of water to boiling. Cook the pasta until it is almost done. Stir the yogurt and herbs together in a metal bowl over the boiling water to heat it up, about a minute. Set aside. Dump peas and zucchini into boiling water with pasta, wait 30 seconds and drain the whole pot. Mix with herb/yogurt mixture in a serving bowl, add salt and pepper to taste, top with parmesan and serve. Serves 4