by Joe Lamp’l (also known as joe gardener), Joe is a nationally known spokesman for gardening, especially the greener kind.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach to pest control that uses a combination of treatments. The idea is to start with the least toxic steps first. By identifying a pest and understanding it’s life cycle and habits, non-chemical, preventative strategies can effectively be used in the initial stages with good results.
When IPM practices are employed, the positive results are many, including healthier plants, less application of potentially toxic chemicals, less runoff of chemicals, higher survival rates for beneficial insects and pollinators, and better long-term control of pests populations.
It’s important to understand that IPM considers that a certain amount of pest damage is acceptable, and it is up to the individual gardener to make this determination. Consequently, a more extreme approach to treatment may not take place until this threshold of tolerance has been crossed. In many ways, IPM appears similar to organic gardening. The biggest difference is that with IPM, synthetic pesticides are an acceptable method of treatment in severe cases and as a last resort.
Steps to IPM
The first is to properly identify the pest. Next, understand their life cycle and behavioral patterns so the most appropriate treatment method may be applied first. Third, monitor the activity. Is the pest population isolated to a small area or certain crop, or are they taking over? Is the damage getting worse? Is the damage within an acceptable tolerance level? Are there any beneficial insect populations currently? The fourth step in IPM is to determine your acceptable threshold level; how much damage are you willing to accept before control measures are required which is the fifth step.
Options for controlling pest problems
Cultural: Plant the right plant in the right location and use varieties that do well in your growing area. Create an inhospitable environment for pests. Don’t give pests a reason to stick around. Crop rotation is a good example of this, by removing their food source from one season to the next.
Physical: This includes creating barriers to prevent pests from getting to your plants. Row covers are an example. Another would be the use of collars around the stems of tender seedlings to protect from cutworms.
