On-Farm
Research

On-Farm Demonstrations

Row Covers & Control of Squash Bug and Cucumber Beetle in Winter Squash Varieties

Montour & Lycoming Counties, 2007

Ron Hoover, On-Farm Research Coordinator
Tom Murphy, Penn State Cooperative Extension Educator
Shelby Fleischer, Penn State Entomologist
Elsa Sanchez, Penn State Horticulturalist
Leah & Johnny Tewksbury, Tewksbury Grace Farm
Cathy & Kit Kelley, White Frost Farm
Michele Gauger, On-Farm Research Assistant/PASA

Summary

Tewksbury Grace Farm

Leah & Johnny Tewksbury operate an approximately 2 acre mixed vegetable farm, focusing on heirloom and rare varieties. Their main markets are a local farmers’ market, a few area restaurants and special accounts. The Tewksburys’ production methods are unique, in that located on a hillside with very little topsoil, they have adopted the “lasagna gardening” method developed by Patricia Lanza. In this method, raised beds are created by alternating layers of organic materials, such as cardboard, newspaper, compost, grass clippings, apple mash from an area processor, leaves, etc. The beds are then mulched with straw.

In the winter of 2006, we reached out to the Tewksburys to gauge their interest in participating in an on-farm research project with PASA and Penn State and to potentially apply for a SARE Farmer/Grower grant. Their initial interest in research on their farm was in learning how to more effectively use cover crops in their raised bed system. However this interest quickly turned to a more pressing need to control squash bugs and cucumber beetles on their farm. In 2006 their cucumber, summer squash and winter squash crops were hit hard by the insects.

With the help of Penn State faculty, Elsa Sanchez (horticulture) and Shelby Fleischer (entomology) and area Extension educator Tom Murphy (Lycoming County) we discussed several options with the Tewksburys to control the insects. Although the cucurbit crops are not a main cash crop on the farm, their interest was to find an organic control method that required minimal maintenance. One of the complications with attempting to trial 2-3 different control methods is the short length of their raised beds (the longest is 75 ft.) and also the 5-6 different varieties of squash being grown.

Several recommendations included using row covers and transplants to give the cucurbit plants a head-start against the insects. The Tewksburys are already utilizing both of those methods, but would have to remove the row cover when blossoms appeared to allow pollinators access to the flowers. The demonstration on their farm will actually place pollinators under the row cover. The only time the row cover will be removed will be to access the bees and to harvest the crop.

This demonstration is utilizing a 75 ft. bed planted in differing varieties of winter squash. The squash were started in a greenhouse and set out as transplants during the last week of May 21. At this time the transplants were also covered with the row cover. Because the row cover was going to remain on the plants all summer, we were concerned with the heat build up, so at the end of row the grower constructed two screened frames to fit the end and allow for air flow.

To accommodate the vining tendencies of the winter squash, a second row of hoops was aligned parallel to the existing bed. A 16 ft. piece of Agribon AG-15 row cover will be used to cover the existing bed and the area where the plants will vine. For pollination under the row cover, we obtained bumblebee colonies from Kopert Biological systems. These bumblebee hives are commonly used in greenhouse settings. The bees were placed under the row cover on June 14, 2007.

We plan to follow this demonstration over the next several weeks as the pollinators do their work and as the vines grow.

White Frost Farm

Kit & Cathy Kelley own and operate White Frost Farm, a mixed vegetable and poultry operation in Washingtonville, PA. Their main markets for their products are local farmers’ markets and a few independent grocers and restaurants.

We contacted the Kelleys in the fall of 2006 to see if they would have an interest in participating in the on-farm research program and potentially apply for a SARE Farmer/Grower grant. Coincidently in the spring of 2007 they also had interests similar to the Tewksburys to experiment with control methods for squash bugs and cucumber beetles.

The Kelleys also had a mass loss of cucurbit crops in 2006 on their farm and are looking to try different methods to contain the pests. It was decided to replicate similar methods being attempted at the Tewksbury farm utilizing row cover and placing the pollinators, in this case bumblebee hives, under the row covers.

The field design and methods at this farm include using black plastic to create raised beds and help control weeds. For this project, 4 rows of raised beds using black plastic will be created that are 300 ft. long and approximately 3 ft. wide. Kit in the past has direct seeded his cucurbits so we will set up a demonstration design to compare transplants versus direct seeded plant survival as well.

Design:
Row 1 – first 150 ft. transplants (covered with row cover), second 150 ft. (uncovered)
Row 2 – first 150 ft. transplants (uncovered), second 150 ft. (covered with row cover)

Row 3 – first 150 ft. direct seeded (covered), second 150 ft. (uncovered)
Row 4 – first 150 ft. direct seeded (uncovered), second 150 ft. (covered)

Kit also had interest in planting white clover between the raised beds to decrease weeds.

In another area of the field we will also attempt to use a trap crop of Blue Hubbard squash around a small planting of delicata squash.