Question
The squash vine borer has invaded my garden.  I had to pull out one of my acorn squash vines.  Will the immature squash ripen in a sunny windowsill?  Anything I can do to protect the remaining squash plants?

Answer
Squash borers are very common pests for all members of the squash family. These pests bore into the base of the vine, and eventually spread a disease that causes the plant to slowly wilt near the base, and eventually die. Depending on how far it has traveled within the stem, it is not always easy to locate them. Unfortunately, once the borer does its damage, there is little chance for the plant to survive. The good news is that the fruit that has already set will continue to ripen and can be harvested. As you suggested, they will ripen in a sunny window.

There are a couple of preventive measures you can take in the future. The first is to cover the plants with reemay while they are just seedlings. Reemay is a lightweight, spun-woven fabric that lets in air, water, and sunshine, but keeps out insects and pests. It is commonly sold at garden centers as floating row covers. Just be sure to remove the covering once the plant begins to flower to enable access by bees for pollination. The second option is to wrap your stem with aluminum foil. Many gardeners do this routinely with much success. I would personally recommend covering the plants when young, and then wrapping the stem once the plant begins blooming.

Attached is a website that will give you additional information on the squash borer.

http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/hyg-fact/2000/2153.html

I hope this information proves beneficial. Good luck, and please write again if I can ever provide assistance.

Regards,

Mike