UF/IFAS
Okeechobee County Extension Service
458 Highway 98 North
Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578
Phone: (863) 763-6469
E- mail: dfculbert@ifas.ufl.edu
September 19, 2007
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Feature Article - for release the week of September 23, 2007
Angela Sachson & Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture staff
IPM De-Mystified
Sometimes when we talk about the environment or about landscaping, some of us throw out terms and acronyms as though they were part of everyday normal-people conversation. An example is IPM, which stands for Integrated Pest Management--and that is sure not an explanation!
Integrated Pest Management is just a fancy term for taking a gradual but planned approach to dealing with garden and house pests. Begin with practices with the lowest impact on the environment, (like squishing bugs and pulling weeds) and then use more extreme measures as each situation requires.
This approach evolved in response to concerns about the toxicity of many chemicals we used to employ in home and commercial settings. I can remember my dad holding a DDT dusting gun over his prize roses. Many of these chemicals have now been outlawed and, of those left, most have some environmental impact.
Visitors often ask: “Will Malathion kill those bugs on my plant?” My response is sometimes a bit unorthodox: “Well yes, it will do the job, but it’s like using an atomic bomb to kill one terrorist walking down a street. It will do the job, but let’s see if we can use something that doesn’t have such serious side effects.”
In other words, use the methods with the least impact as first steps and save the stronger interventions for when we really need them.
Use of IPM practices promotes healthy plants, which better withstand damage from pests and reduces excessive or unnecessary pesticide applications. It promotes clean water. If water leaving your home contains pesticides and herbicides, these can pollute streams, groundwater, or coastal regions. Typically, IPM looks for long-term management of pests, as opposed to more conventional short-term control treatments. Many times, it can cost less to use IPM control methods, especially if you consider how much it may cost to fix any environmental problems.
Here are six important aspects of IPM:
1. Scout: that’s a horticulture term for looking at your landscape periodically to see if anything looks suspicious. Early intervention is usually easiest.
2. Cultural Control: Start by planting plants that are adapted to your growing conditions, planting them in the right place, and giving proper attention to their water and nutritional needs. Strong plants resist diseases, outgrow weeds and are less likely to succumb to insects. Remove debris from around plants, mulch to discourage weeds.
3.
Natural Enemies: Nearly every pest has a
predator. Ladybugs and praying mantis are well known
examples. It is for this reason that we don’t
suggest blanket spraying of many insecticides—some
chemical pesticides kill the good guys too. Note
that the predators don’t always show up right away—but
they do show up.
4. Physical methods: Some pests can be picked off the plant, some weeds can be pulled, and holding back water and nutrients may scare some pests away. Sometimes a steady stream from the hose will wash off pests. If the pest is on one small part of a plant, clip off the branch, bag it, seal it and throw it away.
5.
Decide how much to Tolerate: Some
people believe they need a weed-free lawn, while others
think that if it’s green, its lawn. Sometimes the
damage from the caterpillar is worth it for the
butterflies. Develop an action level that seems
right for you. There are many ways to count the
number of bugs you have—including sticky paper tied on
the plant, and the soapy-water test for chinch bugs.
Contact our Extension office for more methods.
6. Use Chemicals Sparingly: And, whenever possible, use those chemicals which are least harmful, like insecticidal soap, Bacillus thuringiensis (“Bt”), Horticultural Oil, or Neem Oil. These products are called bio-rationals - that means they target specific pests but have minimal effect on other beings. Make sure you treat only the infested plants—no need to spray the whole Florida Yard.
The Pennsylvania State IPM Program has developed a short list of common insect pests and a least-harmful control. Look for these products at your garden supplier: Safer, Sunspray, BioNeem. And check other packages for the contents. If you cannot find IPM-compatible products, ask your supplier to carry them. If we use them, the stores will want to sell them.
|
IPM products for the Florida Friendly Landscape |
|
|
Pest |
Bio-rational pesticide |
|
Aphids,
scales, mites, leafhoppers, mealybugs and powdery
mildew |
Horticultural
oil
(dormant oil for winter season, summer oils for
growing season) |
|
Aphids,
ants, scales, mites, mealybugs, small caterpillars,
and other soft-bodied insects, weeds |
|
|
Aphids,
whiteflies, mites, black spot, powdery mildew, rust,
anthracnose, grubs and more |
Neem
oil |
|
Aphids,
spider mites, thrips, whiteflies and others |
Hot
pepper insect repellent |
|
Mosquitoes,
aphids, ants, leafhoppers, thrips, whiteflies |
Garlic
(use concentrated garlic 'clips' to attach to plants
OR Garlic oil sprays) |
|
Mosquitoes
(kills larvae in standing water for use in ponds,
large puddles) |
Bt
mosquito dunks (Small, doughnut-shaped, floating
disks) |
|
Powdery
mildew, black spot, rust, scab, damping-off fungi |
Sulfur
fungicide |
|
Snails
& slugs |
1.Snail & slug bait 2.Snail
& slug barrier 3.Diatomaceous
earth |
|
Weeds |
1.Herbicidal
(insecticidal) soap 2.Corn
gluten meal 3.Vinegar
spray 4.
Pelargonic acid herbicide |
|
White
grubs |
Imidacloprid Also
see Neem above |
|
Yellow
jackets and other flying insects |
Mint
oil |
We would be happy to get you a copy of the IPM control list (above) – it and lots more information is available on our Okeechobee web page, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu. If you need additional information on “Intelligent Pest Management”, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469. Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons. Go Gators!
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Trade names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida. Larry A. Arrington, Dean. Last update: 09/20/2007. This page is maintained by Dan Culbert
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