Gardening Smart!
Smart Gardening Using
Integrated Pest Management
Gardening Smart!
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Healthy, productive plants use their
natural defense systems to resist
environmental stresses
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How to use IPM for your home
gardens – from ornamentals to
vegetables and everything in between
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Open questions
Today’s Smart Gardener
The sensible approach to pest control is
to create a natural balance of
organisms in your yard or garden. In a
diverse ecosystem, pest populations
are naturally regulated. Development
of this balance at your home relies on
using products that minimize harm to
beneficial organisms.
Plant Health

OLD: Commonly accepted to keep plants
healthy was a broad application of chemicals
to control pests – prescription pest control.
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NOW: Though pesticides play a role in plant
health, they also have limitations. In
addition to environmental and health
concerns, pesticides may give only limited
and temporary control if other control
measures and practices are not integrated
into the overall management or maintenance
program.
Practical Procedure for Plant Health
 Planning
and Site Placement
 Site
Preparation and
Establishment
 Selecting
 Proper
Appropriate Plants
Cultural Practices
Planning and Site Placement
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Sun
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Direction, speed,
occurrence
Soil
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Sand, loam, clay
pH
Nutrient analysis
Water
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Irrigated or not
Hardscapes
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Wind
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Full Sun
Part Shade
Deep Shade
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House, driveway, fences,
etc.
Maintenance
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Low, Medium, “Magazine”
Site Preparation & Establishment
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Correct drainage or
erosion problems
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Amending and preparing
the soil

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Raised beds
Contour landscape
Soil pH 6-7
Organic matter
Altering light conditions
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Removing tree limbs
Thinning trees
Selecting Appropriate Plants

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Grow the right plant in
the right place!
Know the requirements
of a plant before you
buy it
Select disease resistant
varieties or cultivars
Select high quality
plant material
Proper Cultural Practices
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Planting Techniques
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Moisture Management
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Prepare the hole
B&B preparation
Planting depth
Water Management
Maintenance
Staking
Establishment vs. Maintenance
Fertility Management

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Fertilization Frequency
Fertilization Timing
Plant Health Care

Healthy,
productive plants
can use their
natural defense
systems to resist
environmental
stresses.

As a result, they need
less chemical input
for survival and
productive long-term
growth. An
especially important
concept is the plant
health care attempts
to manage plant
health rather than
just control pest
problems.
Integrated Pest Management: IPM
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Uses multiple tools
Uses chemicals when necessary
Requires knowledge and planning
Protect garden and landscape from pests
Maintain beneficial organisms
Effective pest management with least
negative impact to the environment
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
Other Beneficial Organisms
IPM
IPM
Purple loosestrife is an
exotic invasive species
that out competes native
habitats.
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
Turf

According to NASA's Ames
Research Center:
 50, 000 square miles of the
continental US is covered by
lawn
 There is 3 times as much
irrigated grass as irrigated
corn.
 Turf is the most widespread
irrigated crop.
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
IPM
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IPM
What general group
of plants rarely, if
ever, need fertilizer,
pesticides, irrigation
or any other special
care after initial
establishment?
NATIVE
PLANTS !
Questions ?