Started your own veggie patch? Wondering how to keep pests away from pumpkins? If you are growing pumpkins, you know that some pests exist that will threaten their overall quality. Interested to know how to keep pests away from your harvest? Read more below…
Common Pests Attracted to Pumpkins and How to Eradicate Them
Snails and Slugs
For these critters, the flesh of a young pumpkin is like a gold mine of food. Because a young pumpkin’s skin is soft, snails and slugs can quickly eat it. To prevent these critters from eating pumpkin flesh, put a ring of salt or sand around the pumpkin.
Squash Bugs
These bugs destroy leaves and stems that can lead to a pumpkin’s unhealthy growth. The most effective method of eradicating squash bugs is to find a pesticide that will not destroy your pumpkins.
Beetles
One of the most common pests that can threaten your pumpkin, beetles, can be eradicated by spraying mild insecticide.
Aphids
Do you grow pumpkin as a market produce? If you do, you need to be watchful for aphids. When in large numbers, aphids can spread diseases that will reduce the overall quality of your pumpkins. One telltale of aphids on your pumpkin plants is yellow stains on the leaves and a sticky substance called honeydew.
Don’t let these bugs scare you from having a healthy and bountiful harvest. Take preventive measures and enjoy a bowl of warm pumpkin soup. And what better way to do that than to get your property inspected by the best pest control experts in the area? Contact us at Picton Pest Control today!
