Master Gardener Training Series: An introduction to Integrated Pest Management for Home Gardeners
Thriving Raised Bed Vegetable Garden
📷 Picture this: You've spent countless hours meticulously tending to your garden, nurturing each plant with care and devotion. But just as your flowers begin to bloom and your vegetables start to flourish, disaster strikes. Unseen invaders ravage your prized blooms, leaving behind a trail of destruction in their wake. It's a gardener's worst nightmare—a battle against pests that threatens to undo all your hard work and passion.
Duck Tape works for mechanically controlling squash bugs. Image Source
🙋♀️Has this ever happened to you? I bet everyone reading this is raising their hand or nodding yes. It happens to the best of us. For me, it’s Japanese beetles and squash bugs. I fight them every year. I’ve actually gone so far as to say that I will never grow squash again because of those little boogers. Serious props to the farmers who grow squash organically…they are knights and knight-ettes of the garden going into battle daily for those golden, delicious vegetables (what do you call a female knight anyway? 🤔).
So how do we take care of these pests when they happen? Or as an organic gardener do we just leave them alone and give into nature’s fury? Well, it depends. You, as the gardener, have a choice. We all have a tolerance threshold for pests. For example, aphids do not bother me at all. I may spray them with the water hose, but I’d never put chemicals on them. They just aren’t that big of deal to me, but to you their almost glowing green and orange bodies may burn holes in your eyes and you need to do something about them.
But fear not, fellow gardeners, for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) offers a beacon of hope—a sustainable approach that empowers us to protect our plants while preserving the delicate balance of our ecosystems.
I thought I’d outline some ways to help manage pests in our gardens. This will likely be my last post in my Master Gardener Training Series. Thank you for joining me on this journey. And if you are new to my blog, welcome! The training with the Hanover Master Gardeners Association and the Virginia Extension Master Gardeners focused heavily on pest management and I think you may find some of my past posts beneficial as well.
First, let’s answer, what is a pest?
A pest is anything that causes a nuisance, blight, or annoyance. Pests can be beneficial or non-beneficial insects, diseases, viruses, nematodes, birds, weeds, etc.
REMEMBER: Pests are somewhat in the eye of the beholder.
Examples of Common Pests (or not)
Examples of Common Pests:
Insects: Aphids, Japanese Beetles, Emerald Ash Borer, Wasps, and other bees
Diseases: Powdery Mildew, Late Blight
Viruses: Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV), Rose Rosette Virus
Nematodes: Root-Knot Nematodes, Hosta Leaf Nematodes
Birds and Wildlife: Sparrows, Mockingbirds, Cowbirds, Woodpeckers, Racoons, Squirrels
Weeds and Invasive Plants: Virginia Creeper, Dandelions, Chinese Wisteria, Kutzu Vine, Stilt Grass
Understanding the Landscape of Pest Control:
In the realm of pest management, a diverse arsenal of tools and tactics awaits. From pesticides and fungicides to herbicides and insecticides, the options can seem overwhelming at first glance. However, IPM is here to guide us through the maze of choices, helping us select the most effective and environmentally friendly solutions for our gardening challenges.
The Foundation of IPM:
Life Cycle of a Lady Bug- 3 of the 4 phases could be mistaken for pests. Image Source
At the heart of Integrated Pest Management lies a simple yet profound principle: prevention is key. Before you can apply the principles of IPM, you must identify your pest. IPM does not help with pest identification and is completely ineffective if you do not know what is plaguing you first. Use a hand lens to see if you can find any pests (insects or frass present, fungal spores, etc.) If you are still stumped, utilize your local extension office to help you identify your problem before applying any control measures. By accurately identifying pests and understanding their life cycles and habits, we can nip potential problems in the bud before they spiral out of control. Or realize that sometimes, the culprit may not be a pest at all—rather, a beneficial organism mistaken for an adversary in the case of the ladybug shown here.
Navigating the World of Pest Control:
When it comes to pest management, one size does not fit all. Whether we're battling diseases, insects, weeds, or even birds, our goals remain the same: prevention, suppression, and reduction to an acceptable level (not eradication). In our quest to protect our plants, we must tread lightly, doing as little harm as possible to everything except the pest.
IPM Tactics:
Integrated Pest Management Tactic Deployment Pyramid. Image Source
From host resistance and biological controls to cultural practices and mechanical interventions, IPM offers a rich tapestry of strategies to choose from. By harnessing the power of nature and working in harmony with our environment, we can create resilient and thriving gardens that are less susceptible to pest pressures. Here are some additional tactics.
Grow healthy plants. Make sure you’re meeting your plant’s needs for light, water, and food. Pests identify and attack unhealthy plants. The healthier your soil is the less susceptible to pest pressure your plants will be. This is also why people prefer natives. They are more adapted to our conditions so they will be healthier and therefore more pest resistant.
Clean your tools. Keeping the garden sanitary will help prevent the spread of viruses and diseases. This is a great example of a cultural control measure. Other cultural controls include crop rotation, trap crops, and mulching.
Cover the berries. This is an example of a mechanical control measure. Use bird netting to keep the birds out of your berry patch. Other mechanical controls include deer fencing, handpicking weeds and bugs (Japanese Bettle and Squash Bugs), traps (like beer traps), egg shells on top of the bed (slugs), water pressure sprays (aphids) or even a bug vacuum!
Natural Pest Control Remedies. And honestly this is my second to last resort, proceed with caution and read the instructions. These include Diatomecaus Earth, Horticultural Oils (not for heat of summer), insecticidal soaps. For more information click here.
Release ladybugs in the garden. This is a type of biological control. There are all kinds of beneficial insects that you can purchase and release. Huge success has been achieved with this type of pest management, however, it’s not super accessible for the home gardener and is utilized mostly in greenhouse production. If you buy bugs on Amazon, and release them, ask yourself these questions, what am I doing to keep these ladybugs on my property? Do I have enough food supply for them? Are all the plants they need to complete their life cycle on my property and in close proximity to where I’ll be releasing them?
The Role of Pesticides:
While pesticides can be valuable tools in our pest management toolbox, they must be used judiciously and responsibly. These should be the last resort that home gardeners utilize. There are cases, like a pest destroying your great grandmother’s roses where you have zero tolerance for the pest and go straight for the chemicals, but in general, try and utilize one of the many strategies listed here and more available in a well-rounded IPM program. Should you need to use a pesticide or herbicide, please utilize the Pest Management Guide which is updated annually with laboratory-tested, effective control measures. This is a huge, and overwhelming document. The Hanover County Extension Office Help Desk or your local extension office would be more than happy to help you navigate this document and provide more resources when appropriate.
Environmental Considerations:
As stewards of the land, it is our responsibility to protect and preserve our natural resources. Every action we take has a ripple effect on the world around us. Let us embrace the principles of sustainability, stewardship, and respect for nature. By working together and sharing our knowledge and experiences, we can create gardens that not only thrive but also serve as havens of beauty, biodiversity, and inspiration for generations to come.
Keep Blooming,
Nicole Dillon, Breemar Flower Farm
