Biological Control/Organic Information
When using organic methods for greenhouse crops, growing media, fertilizers and pest management techniques may differ from conventional greenhouse production.
The greenhouse environment is very effective at promoting rapid plant growth, as well as insects and diseases in a short time period. Greenhouse crops are grown in small volume containers and they are irrigated frequently with large volumes of water. The combination of rapid plant growth, limited root volume, and frequent leaching make organic fertility management a challenge.
Greenhouses provide a suitable environment for using biological control to manage pests. Many useful biological control agents, also called natural enemies are commercially produced and can often be incorporated in existing greenhouse integrated pest management (IPM) programs. The following information on biological control and organic production is available from UMass Extension.
Natural Enemies for Greenhouse Pests
- Biological Control in Greenhouses: Preparing for Spring Crops
- Biological Control: Pesticide Compatibility and Checking Quality
- Biological Control: Greenhouse Pests and Their Natural Enemies
- Western Flower Thrips Control in Spring Bedding Plants: Which Formulation of Mites is Best?
- A Grower's Guide to Using Biological Control for Silverleaf Whitefly on Poinsettias in the N.E. United States
- Massachusetts Grower Achieves Whitefly Control on Poinsettia with Biological Control at $0.10 a Plant
- Links to Pest Management Fact Sheets
- New England Greenhouse Floriculture Guide: A Management Guide for Insects, Diseases, Weeds and Growth Regulators
Timely messages and photos posted about pest management in greenhouses. Use search tool
New England Greenhouse Update
Organic Greenhouse Production
- Resources for Growing Organic Greenhouse Crops
- Organic Growing Media and Fertilizers for Greenhouses
- Tables - Organic Pest Management for Vegetable Bedding Plants
Other Sites
Useful links from Cornell University
Biological Control in North America
Useful commercial sites containing information on choosing and using natural enemies to manage pests in greenhouses.
Biobest
Koppert
Green Methods
IPM Laboratories
Applied Bio-nomics LTD
