Integrated pest management systems

Jonathan Garner pushes a pest aside.

- Jonathan Garner pushes a pest aside.

I hope you had a good winter and this chat provides you with a better understanding of alternative ways to manage pests and disease within your landscape asset. How good would something like this read on your company profile?

'AAAA Gardens' policy is to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control pests safely and sustainably. This combines monitoring, biological controls and low-toxicity treatments that protect your garden, family, and the environment'.

Preemptive

Integrated Pest Management is a holistic approach to managing pests in the most environmentally friendly way possible. The goal isn't to eliminate every pest. The aim is to keep major pest outbreaks in check and from causing considerable harm while minimising the risks to staff, public, pets, and the environment.

Essentially, the system flips our approach from being reactive to proactive – by this I mean having measures in place to prevent pest outbreaks rather than having to deal with it once the outbreak occurs.

No nuking needed

If you haven't set up preventative measures initially, it's likely you'll be faced with an outbreak and will need chemicals to eliminate or reduce the pest pressure. After numbers are down, you'd follow up by introducing natural controls such as beneficial insects and improving the cultural practices: correct watering, feeding, and if the pest pressure is continual and opportunities are available, removing and replacing the specimen with the right plant for the right place.

Before we jump into an IPM example. The universal task you need to undertake is getting to know the pest. There's plenty of information online or in books, but the process basically goes:
1. Identify it