From the Ground Up: Manage garden pests naturally

Pesky pests plague every garden beginning mid-June and lasting throughout the season. Fortunately, there are some alternatives to chemical treatments. The best is called Integrated Pest Management, a holistic approach to pest control that combines good gardening practices with knowledge about pests and problems, careful monitoring and a commitment to fewer toxic pest controls.

How do you use this method in your garden? Start by building a healthy garden. Use compost and appropriate fertilizers. Plant, water and mulch properly. Choose plants well-adapted to our area and place them where they thrive. Plus, get rid of weeds and unhealthy plants.

Next, recognize that not all bugs are bad bugs: Only one in 10 are pests. Hundreds of good insects and spiders help control bad bugs. Ladybugs eat aphids. Assassin bugs eat Japanese beetles. Beyond that are all our precious pollinators - hard at work. How do you attract beneficial insects and pollinators? Create a diverse habitat by planting different types of plants for food, cover and nesting sites. Provide water in shallow containers. Reduce use of pesticides or stop using them altogether. Switch to insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils and Bt products (Bacillus thuringiensis).

Why limit the use of chemicals? Because they don't discriminate between the good insect and the pesky pest, and consequently, their use has been instrumental in the breakdown of pollinator habitats. They poison all insects which come in contact with them. One class in particular, neonicotinoids, is incorporated into many home garden products.

One of the most important parts of integrated pest management is checking your garden closely at least once a week. Become a plant detective. Do the plants look healthy? Has there been any damage through mowing? Is the plant placed in the best spot for its needs? Over half of all plant problems are caused by environment, not pests.

When you identify a problem, how do you manage it with Integrated Pest Management? First, put up with some damage. Be patient. Wait for the good guys to control the bad guys.

Finally, know your treatment options: remove, do nothing or treat. Doing nothing can also be a good choice if the plant will recover on its own or is at the end of its life span. For example, lilacs will sprout healthy powdery mildew-free leaves next year, as will the crabapple tree.

Integrated pest management advocates the least toxic treatments. Use a stream of water from a hose to knock aphids off roses. Handpick and destroy bagworms, Japanese beetles and tomato hornworms. Prune out damaged areas in trees and shrubs. Try pest barriers such as floating row covers. Use pesticides as a last resort, selectively and only as a spot treatment.

Integrated pest management promotes watching carefully, knowing plants and pests, and responding in a way that is kindest to the environment. It is responsible gardening at its best.

' Becki Lynch is a Linn County Master Gardener. Call the Linn County Master Gardener Hortline at (319) 447-0647. Hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday, Friday 9 a.m. to noon.