As a gardener, nothing is more frustrating than seeing your beautiful beach morning glory plant suddenly start to wilt and die. Upon closer inspection, you realize the culprit is borers – those pesky little insects that bore into plant stems and roots. If left unchecked, borers can completely destroy a beach morning glory plant. But don’t despair! With some knowledge and persistence, you can get rid of borers and restore the health of your plant.
Identifying Borer Infestation
The first step is confirming that borers are in fact attacking your plant. Look for these telltale signs:
- Wilting or yellowing leaves and stems
- Small holes in stems or roots with sawdust-like “frass” around them
- Sudden dying back of shoots and branches
- Stunted growth
If you see these symptoms, use a knife to slice open affected areas. You’ll likely find small worm-like larvae tunneling inside. These are the juvenile borers responsible for the damage.
Accurately identifying the pest is crucial for choosing the best treatment method. Common beach morning glory borer species include squash vine borers, corn borers, and various root borers. Their appearance and damage patterns differ slightly.
Remove Infested Plant Material
Once borers are confirmed, prune out all visibly infested stems, branches, and roots Use clean, sterilized pruners to remove material several inches below borer damage Destroy this material – don’t compost it.
For root borers, consider removing the entire plant to eliminate all infested root material. You can replant in the same spot after treating the soil (see below)
Apply Beneficial Nematodes
After pruning away obvious borer damage, water the surrounding soil with beneficial nematodes. These microscopic roundworms seek out and kill borer larvae underground.
Nematodes are safe for plants and earthworms. They come in easy-to-use formulations – just mix with water and apply via watering can or hose sprayer. Apply nematodes every 2-4 weeks until borers are under control.
Use Neem Oil Sprays
Neem oil is extracted from the seeds of the neem tree. It’s an organic pesticide that disrupts borer larvae development and deters adults from laying eggs.
Mix neem oil concentrate with water according to package directions. Use a spray bottle to coat the entire beach morning glory plant – stems, leaves, and soil. Reapply after rain or every 7-14 days during peak borer season.
Apply Beneficial Fungi
Some beneficial fungi like Beauveria bassiana can help control borers. When applied to soil, the fungi grow to produce compounds that are toxic to larvae. The fungi can also infect adult borers.
Sprinkle fungal products like BotaniGard around the base of the plant. Reapply every 7-14 days according to product instructions. The fungi persist in soil to provide ongoing protection against borers.
Check for Damaged Roots
Root borers can burrow deep into roots out of sight. After treating the soil surface, check for damage underground by gently digging around roots. Use a small trowel or digging fork so you don’t harm healthy roots.
Remove and destroy any roots showing borer holes or rot. Prune off damaged root sections if possible, treating cut surfaces with garden sulfur powder to prevent infection.
Boost Plant Health
Strong, vigorous plants are more resistant to borers than stressed weak plants. Boost your beach morning glory’s health with good care:
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Water deeply 1-2 times per week
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Fertilize monthly with a balanced organic product
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Ensure at least 6 hours of direct sun
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Remove any dead leaves/debris
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Prune lightly for air circulation
Good cultural care makes plants less inviting to pests like borers. But avoid excess fertilizer, which causes rapid tender growth that attracts borers.
Use Pheromone Traps
Traps baited with borer pheromones lure adults into a sticky trap. For beach morning glories, target squash vine borer traps near susceptible plants.
Place traps before first borer sightings in spring, moving them to different areas of the garden every few weeks. Use enough traps to monitor a wide area.
Time Summer Plantings
In regions with one generation per year, plant beach morning glories as late as possible in early summer. This allows them to mature when borer adults are no longer active and laying eggs. Preventive spraying may still be needed.
Where multiple borer generations occur, plant timing provides little control. Focus instead on thorough removal of crop debris after harvest to eliminate overwintering sites.
Row Covers
Floating row covers act as a physical barrier against adult borers laying eggs on plants. Drape covers over plants in spring before borer activity begins. Leave covers on until flowers open for pollination.
Use hoops to keep the fabric from directly touching plants. Check plants under covers frequently for any pests. Row covers also boost growth and early yields.
Crop Rotation
Rotating beach morning glory plant locations annually disrupts borer life cycles. Move them to a different garden bed each year to prevent carryover of larvae in soil.
Ideally, wait at least 3 years before replanting in the same spot. Also rotate with unrelated crops like corn, beans, or onions – not other vine crops.
Clean Up Debris
After harvest, promptly remove all vine debris and roots from the garden. Destroy this plant material – do not compost it. This eliminates sites for borers to overwinter as pupae.
For severe infestations, consider solarizing soil in summer to kill larvae and eggs. Cover garden beds tightly with clear plastic for 4-6 weeks. Remove plastic in fall for new plantings.
Consider Biological Insecticides
As a last resort, certain biological insecticides can control severe borer infestations when organic methods fall short. Spinosad-based products are derived from natural soil microbes and leave no toxic residues.
However, avoid overusing these powerful chemicals. They should be reserved for rescue treatments only, after trying safer organic options first. Always follow label precautions when using insecticides around edible plants.
Beach morning glory vines add wonderful beauty to gardens, but borers can cut the show short. Stay vigilant for early signs of borer damage. At the first sign, prune away visibly infested parts. Protect remaining plants with sprays, beneficials and good care. With persistence, you can get rid of borers and enjoy thriving, productive plants.
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Q&A – How do I get rid of this morning glory so I can plant bulbs? I have sprayed and it returned.
FAQ
What repels vine borers?
How do you get rid of borers naturally?
Do coffee grounds repel squash vine borers?
What kills stem borers?
How do you get rid of Morning Glory?
This is how my husband and I safely eradicated a morning glory infestation from our property. For the least labor-intensive solution, you can use the Green Gobbler, which is a broad-leaf weed killer distilled from corn. I have used this weed killer in garden patches where I don’t have any other plants I want to save.
How do you grow beach morning glories?
To establish beach morning glories in gardens, take a cutting and set it into moistened sand. The internodes will shortly send out roots. Set them 3 feet (1 m.) apart and keep plants moist for the first few months. Gardeners growing beach morning glories can breathe a sigh of relief.
How do you get rid of Morning Glory Hollies?
Answer: If the morning glory is the problem then getting rid of them should help save the hollies. But you could have another cause as well. If you decide to use a chemical solution, cut the plant close to the ground and then paint the leaves with the solution.
Do morning glories eat insects?
Here’s how it works . Morning glories are beautiful, fragrant flowers that wake up with the sun and add vibrant color to your garden. Morning glories are hardy plants and are normally healthy, but sometimes insects on morning glory vines harm the health of the plant.