If you buy an detail via links on this page , we may garner a commission . Our editorial cognitive content is not influenced by commission . learn the full revelation .
Pumpkins are spectacular fruit , are n’t they ? They do in so many configuration , size of it , and hues , and are as fun to naturalize as they are delicious . Of course , rise them can be a bit frustrative at times since a wide chain of mountains of pumpkin pests can smite them .
Below are most of the outlet you may encounter while maturate pumpkin vine . Please do n’t let the length of this list dissuade you : it ’s simply proficient to prepare for what might occur than to be caught off guard when and if it bechance .
Pumpkin pest are annoying to deal with , but wo n’t usually bankrupt your harvesting . Most of the bugs you ’ll come across are standard across all Cucurbitaceae specie , so if you also grow Cucumis sativus or courgette , discipline them for these outlet too .
1. Squash Bugs
These flat , brownish bugssuck the sap out of pumpkin plant , result in disintegration and potential death . Insecticides do n’t work on the adult , so your best bet is prevention .
Clear all leaf detritus off the soil ’s surface , and inspect leaf day by day . If you witness reddish eggs beneath them , scratch them off ! Then eat them to your chickens or drown them in red-hot water with vinegar and dish scoop .
If you go away for a few day and miss your opportunity to kill off the eggs or young larvae , you ’ll have to deal with the adult . wind some double - sided tapeline around the stems to pick up them as they fawn around , or nibble them off and overlook them into the aforementioned weewee result .
2. Vine Borers
If you observe orangish - black insects on your plants that attend like wasp , you havevine borer .
These pumpkin pests ( Melittia cucurbitae)are moth , and their larvae burrow ( drill hole ! ) into squash and pumpkin stems to engorge themselves before they pupate . Your industrial plant ’ leaves will wilt , and the fruits will die since they ca n’t get any nutrients through their bow .
Prevent them by till your soil deep in autumn and springtime to reveal grubs for shuttle to eat .
Alternatively , since these insects are drawn to yellow chromaticity , fill a sensationalistic arena with the aforesaid water / vinegar / soap potpourri , append some xanthous intellectual nourishment coloring , and set it out in your garden . They ’ll be attracted to the liquidness and drown in it .
3. Aphids
These little bugger are more of a nuisance than a serious problem , except for the fact that they ’re computer virus mail carrier . Many viruses are carried by insects , which can fly over from a neighbor ’s yard or catch a drive on a visitor .
I once lost an intact zucchini crop after a nose count taker adjudicate to meander through my garden ! Some aphids must have caught a drive on his Pantaloon and hopped over to my zukes when they got the chance .
Neem oil is effective for removing them , as is insecticidal scoop . Encourage ladybugs into your garden , or use diatomaceous ground around your plant to stand off the aphid . Just observe that this powder will also stamp out ladybug , so make it an either / or choice .
4. Armyworms
These Caterpillar are the larva of various moth species . They ’re draw to leafage , and a group of them can skeletonize your pumpkin piece within day .
The caterpillars may be green or yellow , with brown or reddish stripes down their spine . If you see them , piece them off and drown them , or feed them to your poultry . Alternatively , you could treat the area withBacillus thuringiensisspray to resist them off .
Note that these caterpillars are favor by parasiticbraconid wasps . assay planting yarrow , dill , coriander , and tansy around the country to draw them . They ’ll lay their eggs on the caterpillars , and their young will destroy and eat on the crawlers when they emerge .
5. Cucumber Beetles
You might cerebrate these striped or fleck beetle are beneficial ladybug cousins , but they are n’t . They ’re greedy jerkfaces that can — and will — make for havoc on your plants from root to stern .
While pesticide can be effective against them , test to prevent them before they become an upshot .
Till your garden in the autumn , and rotate your harvest yearly . This way , if last year ’s generation wakes up hoping for tasty pumpkin snack , they ’ll be jumble and foiled to find carrot or kale grow there or else .
These beetles hate radishes and nasturtiums , so you could also interplant these amongst your Cucurbita pepo to keep them at true laurel .
6. Thrips
Although thripid are n’t broadly fuck as pumpkin pests , they can sure become an issue if the fortune move up . In fact , they often jump from Allium or cereal crops to pumpkins if they ’re implant too closely together .
quash planting onion , garlic , and various grains within 10 feet of your pumpkins . If thripid do show up , you’re able to put down reflective mulch panels or use an constitutional insect powder .
7. Cutworms
These jerk crawl along the soil ’s surface and munch their way through your plants ’ halt . They like to hide in dust and Grant Wood piles and feed in the former morning and late evening .
We ’ve found that the best way to stand them off is to twine cardboard cuff sleeve around our plant ’ stem base , pushed about 1/2″ into the grunge . This is a great fashion to re - apply cardboard lav newspaper roll !
If you do n’t want to go that route , spread out diatomaceous earth on the grime ’s surface , or visit your garden regularly and pick them off by hand . Drown them or eat them to ducks , geese , chickens , orGuinea fowlif you have them .
Additionally , consider plantingsunflowersorsunchokesnearby : they ’re cutworms ’ favorite food , and they ’ll beeline for them alternatively of your Cucurbita pepo .
8. Loopers
measuring worm are n’t typically known as pumpkin pests , since they gravitate towards brassicas such as cabbage , kale , etc . That say , they ’ll happily crawl over to feast on cucurbit foliage if it ’s within easy orbit .
Like the other Caterpillar on this list , they can be piece off and drown or usage as chicken snack . Alternatively , you may discourage them with Allium such as garlic and onions , or make a homemade insecticidal atomiser with water supply , mint Castilla liquid ecstasy , mince or pureed ail , and cayenne peppercorn .
9. Slugs and Snails
bullet and escargot are scarcely the big problem you ’ll face . They can cause serious legal injury to untried plants , but old plants can handle a little chomping . Our guidecan serve you compute out how to deal with them .
Animal Interlopers
If you ’d care to cultivate pumpkin vine successfully , your best bet is to grow them within a fenced enclosure . This should keep most animals from down them , but critter can be outstandingly innovative .
10. Squirrels
These sweet little critter are vastly fond of pumpkins and can do more terms than you’re able to imagine if forget unchecked . They ’ll rip baby pumpkins off the vine and draw off with them or chew through maturing rind to get at the sweet flesh and tasty come .
The good news is that squirrel do n’t wish spicy flavors . Get yourself a bottleful of Big Daddy ’s Ass Burn red-hot sauce , and rain buckets about a one-half cupful of that into a spraying bottle with one cup of body of water and one tablespoon dish goop .
Shake it up , wear boxing glove and middle protective cover , and spray your pumpkins with this intermixture . Reapply after rain .
Alternatively , you’re able to offer them a nutrient source they ’d prefer for your Cucurbita pepo . cling a squirrel feeder about 40 feet away and keep it well stocked , and you should do fine . Alternatively , flora junky and yield trees on the opposite end of your property .
12. Groundhogs
Also bang as prairie dogs , these adorable mammalian are n’t just pumpkin pests : they ’ll fete on whatever ’s available in your garden . If you choose to enclose your pumpkin spell , be sure to drop the fencing at least a substructure deep with the telegram turned outwards to scotch animate being from fag in beneath it .
mark that these hombre do n’t like hard , pungent aroma .
If you notice significant groundhog action around your garden , sprinkle chopped ail and cayenne Madagascar pepper around the circumference . you may even hose down your plants down with the hot sauce spray mention above .
12. Rabbits
I love rabbits . My domestic hare is my sweetest companion in the existence , but I also know that he would whole obliterate my garden if left to it . If you have wild rabbits around , sleep assured that they ’ll consider your garden a buffet unless you fend them off .
Like groundhogs , they can be deterred by a high fence that ’s also sunk into the ground . strewing predator urine or BM around the area , and plant plenty of genus Allium around to keep them at true laurel .
If they ’re really pernicious , audile repellant can push back them away quite effectively . These high - pitched frequency auto will also rebuff mouse , rats , green goddess , and other animals that can hear that frequence .
Just note that if you have favorite gnawer , lagomorphs , etc . , this relative frequency will also hurt or even kill them if they ca n’t get out from it .
13. Mice
Wild shiner tend to prefer green pumpkins that they can gnaw into easily . As a result , you may protect baby punkins by enclose them within a protective barrier when they ’re still small . We use large plastic strawberry container for this aim .
Melt or cut a divot in one side so you wo n’t vanquish the radical when you conclude the container around your sister pumpkin .
This container should protect it from a keen batch of fauna and dirt ball body process , while still let airflow through so the fruit does n’t molder . Remove it when the yield start to push it open from the interior .
Alternatively , mice ( as well as other belittled rodents , lagomorphs , and large herbivorous pumpkin gadfly ) are spooky about possible predators . Scatter used Caterpillar litter around the orbit and they ’ll keep away .
14. Deer
Not only will deer devour every part of your Cucurbita pepo from foliage to seed , they ’ll also trample the entire patch in the process as they look for the tasty bit to sink their tooth into .
This often involves them breaking the pumpkins open with their hooves until they Goldilocks their manner to the one that ’s juuuuuust correct .
Like other herbivores , they can be daunt off with predator scents . We ’re favorable enough to have a wildlife reserve nearby , and can get coyote , wolf , and bobcat feces to scatter around our belongings . If you go this path , weary a masque and recollect where you ’ve scattered it . intrust me on this .
15. Moose
See deer above , only larger . Muchlarger .
16. Opossums
Opossums are opportunistic pumpkin pests , as they ’ll mostly eat up the debris that others have left behind . That said , they may help themselves to new , child pumpkin and thus destruct them before they can senesce .
We do n’t want to hurt or ostracize opossums since they ’re amazing for controlling the tick population ( and they ’re endearing brute in general ) , so just endeavor to fend them off your pumpkin with hot sauce spray .
Fencing wo n’t do work for these guy rope unless it ’s also enclosed from above : they ’re great climber and can scale most fencing with ease .
17. Raccoons
speak of social climber , raccoons are on par with opossums and squirrels when it arrive to shin over our pithy attempts to keep them at bay .
They ’ll taste everything that ’s on the menu , and will allow pumpkin carnage in their wake . vulture dejection aid to deter them , as will a fence that arches sharply outwards at the top .
Since their sense of smell is so potent , you may also advance them away by sprinkle garlic , curry gunpowder , and cayenne pepper common pepper around your plants . Then use leftover spiciness to make a striking curried pumpkin soup once your fruit mature .
18. Porcupines
Have you ever watched a video recording of a porcupine eating a Cucurbita pepo ? They utterly have intercourse them . In fact , they make the most adorable noises while they deplete , you might not even bear in mind them devouring your crop .
Of of course , if you have to keep your pumpkins away from these cuties , your practiced stakes is to put up some sturdy fencing material . They ’re not well deterred by marauder scents ( because quill feather ) , and they might actually delight the raging sauce spray .
19. Goats
If you raise goat , keep them well away from your Cucurbita pepo plot of land . While you might never think of goat as being pumpkin pests precisely , they sure enough appreciate pumpkin snacks whenever potential . They ’ll break them reach the same way deer do and gobble their fashion through it . Keep them away with inflexible , high fence and predator dookie .
20. Sheep
See goats mentioned above , only withslightlyless craziness .
21. Foxes
I have to admit , when I started to look into various pumpkin pestis , I didnotexpect to find foxes on the leaning . Of course , they are canids , and every dog I ’ve had has loved to eat Cucurbita pepo , so I theorize that makes sense .
fence will keep these puckish thieves away , especially if you sink the fencing at least a substructure mysterious . Wolf and coyote dirt will also ferment , as foxes are intimidated by their larger canid cousin . If you have dog protect your belongings , they can also assist to dog off foxes as involve .
22. Bears
If you hold up in bear land , you might end up with them steal a few of your pumpkin .
These guys get a pass when it total to pumpkin pests because : bears . They can tear decent through fencing , probably do n’t care about spicy sapidity , and tend to be the apex predators in most surface area .
Black bear are easier to shoo off away , but if y’ all see a Ursus horribilis or Kodiak chomping on your prizedBlue Doll heirloom pumpkin , let him enjoy it .
From a safe distance .
23. Birds
Several bird species make love pumpkin flesh and also eagerly eat the toothsome ejaculate held within them . Since it ’s unmanageable for minuscule songbirds to break up through the rinds , they usually wait for large species to crack through them and then take their turning .
Ravens and crows use their strong beaks to break through pumpkin shells , and specie range from jay and cardinals to sparrows hide the insides .
Since bird do n’t taste or unconscious process spice up the way mammals do , the live sauce atomizer wo n’t be effective against them . veiling will keep them off .
domesticated volaille and crazy turkeys will also eat your Cucurbita pepo if the chance demo itself . Fence them out , if potential .
Was this article helpful?
What went wrong?
This article contains incorrect information
This article does not have the information I am front for
How can we improve it?
We appreciate your helpful feedback!
Your answer will be used to improve our content . The more feedback you give us , the better our pages can be .
