Home Garden Trends

Pest management encompasses all activities for reducing damage and losses caused by insects, plant diseases, weeds, and nematodes. It is an attitude about pest and pest control in the garden that reflects as understanding of then interrelationships of factors in the environment. As experienced gardeners know, it’s impractical to eradicate every pest.

Many factors determine the number of pests and the damage they will cause. The aim of pest management is to use gardening techniques that will reduce their numbers. This way, loss and inconvenience are limited, while yield and enjoyment are increased.

Pest management helps to prevent and cure insect and disease problems. Often, the preventive portion of the program is the most important. But sometimes early detection of problems is just as critical. A regular inspection of the garden and yard is the surest way to discover a problem in time to try effective controls. Know what to look for, when specific problems may appear, and how to recognize signs of damage. Consider alternatives and evaluate consequences.

Many of the problems attributed to insects or diseases are not caused by them at all. Yellowing, discoloration, wilting, stunting, and curling or deformation of the plant foliage may be symptoms of another common problem, such as nutrient deficiency: toxic chemicals (air pollution, some pesticides, salts, or too much fertilizer); lack of water or too much water; too much sunlight or not enough; or frost damage. Of course, there is no response to usual pest treatment. Some can be corrected (with more water, for example), but others can’t. Yield may be reduced or the garden ruined.

Pest management activities can be divided into chemical and non chemical categories. Some people interpret past management to mean “pesticide elimination.” Although one goal of a home garden pest management program is to reduce the use of pesticides as much as possible, insecticides and fungicides will likely remain part of nay pest management system.

Non-chemical Pest & Insect Control

Non-chemical control (both prevention and cure) includes cultural, biological, and mechanical activities. Cultural control involves our manipulation of the plants’ environment to reduce the chance of pests surviving and reproducing. It also means limiting the amount of damage caused by their attack. First, though, cultural control requires maintaining good plant health and vigor. Plant health is dependent on many factors. Moisture (proper watering conservation techniques, such as mulching) and available soil nutrients (proper fertilization) are under our control.

Selection of proper plant varieties can reduce pest problems. Plant only species and varieties adapted to your area, climate, and soil type. Where possible, choose varieties labeled as resistant to insect and disease attack. When buying plants for transplanting, carefully inspect for insects and diseases. Look for certified disease free seeds and plants.

Other gardening activities can influence pest populations, too. For example, plant rotation is an important way to prevent buildup of insects and disease organisms. In most cases, allow three years between plantings of a certain vegetable in any one spot.

Sanitation and weed control can influence pest numbers. Many insects survive on weeds and tall grasses in and around the garden, then attack the growing crops. Garden residues, such as stems, leaves, or unusable fruit, may harbor insects or disease and should be plowed under, composted, or burned as soon as the harvest is complete. If they’ve been treated with insecticide, burn the refuse or bag it for garbage pickup.

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One frustration of raising a home garden is damage, loss, and annoyance caused by insects and plant diseases. It is a normal part of the intricate world of living communities that plants are attacked by insects and plant diseases. There are thousands of insects and diseases that may attack growing things. But it is unlikely the home gardener will encounter more than a few of them during a season.

The yard and garden have the same cycles and changes experienced in all of nature. The plants, insects, and diseases all are all influenced by each other and by other factors, such as rainfall, humidity, temperatures, parasites, and pathogens. One of the major determinants in garden production and pest problems is our own activity. Often, we can be our garden’s worst enemy by inadvertently limiting the health and vigor of our plants or by promoting pests through the wrong practices. However, we can also work with nature and manage the garden ecosystem for a successful harvest.

One of the first lessons is not to panic at the sight of pests. Many of us have a low tolerance for pest (especially insects) and will take hasty - and often inappropriate -actions. The loss of a portion of the leaf or root system does not usually kill the plant and will probably not significantly reduce the harvest. Gardeners with a wise attitude about insect pest and diseases adopt the philosophy of “planting a little extra for the bugs!”