Cucumber beetles killing everything

[CrealCritter]

Cucumber beetles have been really bad around here for a few seasons. The last time I had them, I used Neem. That worked better than anything else I had tried.
Years ago, a guy on this forum (can't remember his name!!) suggested I use strong Dawn and water mixture for squash bugs. I wonder if this would work for you. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then hose off the plants really well so it doesn't die as well. Unfortunately, I don't remember anything mentioned about the ratio of Dawn/water. I never got around to using it as my squash plants were toast the next day.

Anyone else remember this?

IDK about dawn but Palmolive ORIGINAL green works well for squash bugs.

 

[Marianne]

I never had a great squash harvest out here. Never. And you know that usually there's a bumper crop of zucchini every year. That's interesting about Palmolive, I wish I would have known that back then.
Although I now buy Dropps for laundry, I still have a jug of homemade and use that as well. I found the Palmolive Oxy works better in that than the Dawn for general grass and oil/grease pre-treating.

 

[CrealCritter]

I never had a great squash harvest out here. Never. And you know that usually there's a bumper crop of zucchini every year. That's interesting about Palmolive, I wish I would have known that back then.
Although I now buy Dropps for laundry, I still have a jug of homemade and use that as well. I found the Palmolive Oxy works better in that than the Dawn for general grass and oil/grease pre-treating.

the only safe thing, I found that works of squash bugs is Palmolive original green. Its must be original and green though, the other Palmolive types do not work. I also use Palmolive original green as a blade lube while running my sawmill, to find gas leaks, like holes in tires, gas pipes, etc. It also puts a hurting on wasps and will kill aphids and fleas (I wash our dogs with Palmolive original green). Full strength it works great for squeaky door hinges and also a lube for screws in the wood shop.

I don't know exactly what's in Palmolive Original Green but I do know its made with palm and olive oils and that's what seems to kill off the bugs.

 

[Marianne]

Dawn also makes a mean wasp killer. Regardless of which soap you use, if you don't have enough in the water, you're just washing 'em. Spray the wasps and they'll drop fast. I think the soap (detergent?) basically suffocates them. They die really fast.
I used DE on my dogs for fleas. Borax sprinkled all over the fenced in yard was a great bug repellant and works for 2-3 years before you need to repeat it.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I still have a jug of homemade and use that as well. I found the Palmolive Oxy works better in that than the Dawn for general grass and oil/grease pre-treating.

Are you saying that you put palmolive oxy in your laundry detergent? Share your recipe?

 

[Marianne]

Are you saying that you put palmolive oxy in your laundry detergent? Share your recipe?

Yes. I'm going to start a couple new threads this afternoon. I hope others share what they do/use/make.