Integrated Pest Management: Part 1

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Suzanne Wainwright-Evans

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Carefully inspect a plant for any pests before buying it. This means checking the roots, too!

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a term that’s been added to many gardeners’ vocabulary over the past few years. But exactly what is IPM? Many people think it means you purchase “good” insects, like ladybugs, and release them in your garden. Many also think that by doing this, they won’t need to spray anymore. Well, that’s not exactly true…

IPM is the practice of long-term prevention and suppression of pests. Several methods are commonly used, including inspecting plants for pests, growing pest-resistant plant varieties and implementing good cultural practices in the garden. When enforcing IPM, pesticides are only used as a last resort when pest levels reach a level that you’re uncomfortable with. And if you do decide to treat with a pesticide, spray products that are considered “soft,” such as horticultural soaps and oils, are used.

One of the key components of IPM is scouting – inspecting plants for pests. (It’s helpful to carry a magnifying lens or loupe with you.) You’re probably already scouting and don’t even realize it: It’s basically looking around the garden and making observations. If you want to take an extra step, you can keep a notebook and write down what you see. (It’s important to keep dates along with your observations.) By keeping notes, you’ll eventually start to see patterns and learn when to start looking for particular pests before they attack.

Preventing the Problems

It’s well-known that when a plant is grown in optimal conditions, it’s less likely to have insect and disease problems. But why? (Because everyone says so, right?)

Let’s look at an example: Meet Amy. She likes to garden and loves roses. While at the local garden center, Amy finds two rosebushes that she must have for opposite sides of her driveway. She wisely inspects the plants for any apparent pest and disease problems. After determining that they’re clean, she goes ahead with her purchase.

Tips

Keeping detailed notes on the pests that you find in your garden will help you see overall patterns in pest problems and give you an idea of when a particular pest is likely to show up in your landscape.

Definitions

Photosynthesize: The process by which plants take light and convert it into energy.
Cultural practices: A modification to the environment, making it less favorable to pests. (Examples include watering properly or pulling weeds.)

Faqs

Q: If I see an insect on my plant, doesn’t that mean I should spray?
A: No! Very few insects are actually pests – most are harmless or even beneficial. Just because they’re on the plant doesn’t mean they’re causing damage.

Tools

When scouting your garden for pests, it’s best to carry around a loupe – a special magnifying glass that’s small enough to fit in your pocket – with a lens that has 10X magnification.

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Next Steps

Articles

Integrated Pest Management: Part 2
Part of practicing good integrated pest management is knowing how do properly deal with a particular pest problem. Use the following options as a guide in ridding your garden of insect pests.
Attracting the Good Guys to Your Garden
Attracting native beneficial insects to your yard not only helps rid your garden of pest insects, it reduces the need for pesticide use. Learn how to attract these beneficials to your landscape.
Easy Integrated Pest Management
Insects can bug you in the garden, but don’t reach for the chemicals yet. Remember, some creatures actually help you out! Help keep beneficial insects in your garden – and reduce populations of the pesky ones – by learning and practicing the seven steps of integrated pest management (IPM).

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