Beyond scarecrows and toxic brews: Using UC pest strategies in the autumnal garden – Stockton Record

Kathy Grant| What's Growing On

As the weather remains warm and our garden continues to surprise us with vigorous growth, you have probably also been plagued by the healthy insects and birds invading your tender greens.What to do is a challenge, especially if you are concerned about the residual effects of chemical sprays, either to yourself, or to your nearest waterway.

Theres hope!Hold back on heading to the store to buy what strikes your fancy, rather, spend a little time researching and reading about your options, then perhaps head to the store, or shop online, buying only what is safe and effective, or better yet, get to work to prevent problems prevent problems from happening in the first place.

Begin your fall gardening season with an IPM resolution to better garden housekeeping. Study the links below, and bookmark them below for easy reference.They also make a handy library if you have access to a printer.

This autumn, pest control in the landscape and veggie garden can include a little more than just a scarecrow and a garden shelf full of various sprays and pest control brews to keep your garden pest free.

So, what is Integrated Pest Control,(IPM), you ask?Check out the UCs IPM website for a fuller understanding: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/.But, basically, With IPM, you take actions to keep pests from becoming a problem, such as by growing a healthy crop that can withstand pest attacks, using disease-resistant plants, or caulking cracks to keep insects or rodents from entering a building. Rather than simply eliminating the pests you see right now, using IPM means you'll look at environmental factors that affect the pest and its ability to thrive. Armed with this information, you can create conditions that are unfavorable for the pest.

In other words, IPM acts at times like much like preventative medicine.

To properly adapt an integrated pest management (IPM) approach in your landscape gardening, it is best not to wait till you have problems in the garden.The University of California has created a wonderful regional checklist of monthly chores we should all be doing in the garden.

Start by going to the University of California Agriculture and Natural ResourcesIPM website, http://ipm.ucanr.edu/, and find the link to the Home, garden, turf, and landscape pests,then the Quick Link to the Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist.

Choose the region and month you want to study, say San Joaquin,and November,then click to find a printable list of garden chores for you to work through for the month.Simple suggestions include pruning mistletoe from branches, or applying organic mulch below trees where soil is exposed, etc.

More long term goals are also stressed, which is key to IPMs effectiveness: Create an attractive landscape that reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers, avoids runoff, and conserves water.An environmentally friendly landscape includes porous materials for walkways and other unplanted areas, good plant choices, proper site preparation, and smart irrigation equipment.A little study and small gardening changes can in the long run make your garden more sustainable.

To drill down to specific problems in certain plants, the UC IPM Plant Diagnostic Tool is a good resource to figure out solutions to specific pests in your garden.Find the tool athttps://www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/diagnostics/.

Subscribe to monthly blogs.https://ucanr.edu/blogs is a treasure trove of short, readable blog posts which keep you informed of the latest research and background to help you understand what are perceived as pests in the urban environment.

Finally, how do you control the birds, moths or squirrels in the garden, who love to nip at your veggie tender greens?The UC also has a series of Pest Notes, though a careful reading is required, since pests seasonal activities varies, as does their management. For the imported cabbage moths, Biological control and sprays of Bacillus thuringiensis and the Entrust formulation of spinosad are organically acceptable management tools,as reported in the UC ANR Publication 3442.As for the birds in the garden, a floating row cover is the simplest solution, or of course, a scarecrow, which is fun, and works for a while, until the birds figure out, its not you out there gardening!

For gardening-related questions, call the UC Master Gardener office at (209) 953-6112, or visit ourwebsite at ucanr.edu/sjmg.

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Beyond scarecrows and toxic brews: Using UC pest strategies in the autumnal garden - Stockton Record