We put our pumpkin patches to rest this past weekend by burning the fields. There are a few reasons to burn a field after a crop. One of the most important reasons for us is to kill the squash bugs that like to overwinter down in the soil. We choose to use as few chemicals on our fields as possible (pesticides, herbicides, etc), but when it comes to squash bugs, there is no great organic solution that has been offered to us to control the nasty bugs over acres of pumpkin fields. We use field rotation in an attempt to “outrun” the insects, guinea hens to eat the live bugs, and field burning to kill the overwintering insects. Despite these efforts, there are times when we need to spray, but these measures do help. If anyone has any suggestions on efficient and effective squash bug control PLEASE let us know!
We didn’t even have to call the fire department this time.
Johnstown Farm 