Actions to control pests

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The greenhouse is a living environment bringing together plants, fish, bacteria, insects and fungi. Crop density attracts pollinators (bees, bumblebees, butterflies, etc.) so plants can thrive. However, you may also find other, less beneficial insects that can affect crop quality. It is important to manage these populations before they become invasive and your fruit and vegetables are damaged.

In the greenhouse, we recommend biological control against crop pests. The products used must be compatible with all indispensable living organisms, especially the fish and bacteria present in the water.

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Integrated pest management: what is it?

According to the FAO*, integrated pest management (IPM) is “the study of all available pest control techniques and the subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations. IPM emphasizes the growth of healthy crops with as little disturbance as possible to agroecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms.”.

In other words, it is the set of control strategies used to keep pest populations below acceptable damage thresholds. This way, your crops remain productive and provide fruit and vegetables for your consumption.

Integrated pest management includes cultural, physical, chemical and biological control. It is important to take different parameters into account: pests and their biology, monitoring techniques, control tools, data recording, resistance management and weed control.

In short: it means combining environmentally friendly treatments and methods to control crop pest populations.

FAO = Food and Agriculture Organization

Acceptable threshold for pest presence

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Warning

Young plants and weakened plants are more sensitive to pest attacks than mature plants.

Prevent and limit pest development

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MAIN TIP: observe and act from the very first symptoms!

Crop pests may have spent the winter in your greenhouse without you noticing. From March/April onward, outdoor temperatures rise and environmental conditions become favourable for pests to resume growth. In addition, plants recently installed in the greenhouse are still young and sensitive to attacks.

It is recommended to be extra vigilant at the beginning of spring to keep populations below the acceptable threshold.

Without action against the first individuals that appear, pests settle across all your crops and it can be difficult to get rid of them throughout the summer season.

Here are a few actions to put in place to reduce as much as possible the probability of pests establishing themselves in the greenhouse:

1. Greenhouse cleanliness
It is advisable to keep the greenhouse clean by removing dried-out, deficient, diseased and pest-infested plants, and composting them. Pruning and maintenance tools must be cleaned regularly to avoid contamination from one plant to another, especially if one is affected.
These hygiene measures help reduce potential sources of contamination for your crops.

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It is better to remove a plant if it is completely infested with pests rather than apply a treatment!

Keeping pest hotspots inside the greenhouse reduces the effectiveness of integrated pest management actions. Applying a treatment will tend to be less effective than removing the plant completely. In fact, a treatment will require several applications to manage the population. During that time, the pests will spread to other nearby plants.

2. Be observant
The ability to observe interactions between living organisms in the greenhouse allows you to act in time to avoid pest-related problems.
It is advisable to install sticky traps, which are an early detection tool for winged pests.

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Monitor the presence of ants

For example, the presence of ants around plants can be an indicator linked to the presence of aphids. Ants protect these pests by feeding on the honeydew they secrete on the leaves.

If you observe ants, inspect the plant for aphids. If you find any, choose the right treatment for optimal effectiveness.

3. Avoid keeping a plant for more than 2 years
Some pests can survive the winter period in the greenhouse but remain inactive. At the end of winter, as temperatures gradually rise, conditions become favourable for the rapid development of insects and they invade the crops.

4. Diversify the plants grown in the greenhouse
Growing multiple plant species helps avoid the build-up of pests on the same type of crop. Plants provide mutual benefits. To maintain a healthy ecosystem, it is advisable to mix flowering plants, fruiting plants, vegetables, herbs...

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Planting combinations

• On a ZipGrow tower, it is advisable to plant 3 fruiting plants + 1 herb or flower
• Alternate plant species with each crop cycle in the permaculture beds. For example, do one cycle of legumes (beans, peas), then Solanaceae (tomatoes, aubergines), then follow with lettuces or spinach. This helps limit pest pressure because they generally do not attack all plant species.

5. Use beneficial plants
Cultural control also involves using service plants. Installing them around the crops of interest allows rapid management of pest populations.

• Refuge plants: pests settle on them rather than on the target crops in the greenhouse. Example: tansy and nasturtium for aphids.
• Banker plants: beneficial insects develop quickly on them and establish themselves to reduce pest populations. Example: barley, wheat...
• Repellent plants: they drive pests away from the growing area through semiochemical confusion. Example: marigold

6. Do not exceed fertilization recommendations
Excess supplements (fertilizer in bioponics, salts and minerals in aquaponics) make plants more sensitive and more vulnerable to pest attacks.

7. Attract pollinators
Flower strips maintain biodiversity and create habitats for pollinators and beneficial control organisms that regulate pests. There are different types of insect buffet: buckwheat, phacelia, sunflower, borage, lupin, berseem clover, Persian clover, hairy vetch, bird's-foot trefoil, motherwort, dill, and mallow...
It is also recommended to stagger sowing to extend flowering periods as much as possible. This is useful for attracting pollinators into the greenhouse. In addition, it also helps spread out your harvests: win-win!

8. Use bioinsecticides
Once the pest has been identified, it is possible to implement biological control by applying the appropriate treatment and following the recommendations for use.
Certain preparations such as fermented plant extracts and decoctions can have an insecticidal effect when sprayed on leaves.

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Fermented plant extract, decoction and infusion

You can prepare your own fermented plant extract, infusion or decoction. Made from nettle, horsetail, fern or comfrey, these preparations are alternatives to insecticides and are compatible with aquaponics, bioponics and permaculture growing systems.

Nettle infusion effective against aphids

• Bring 1 kg of nettle leaves to the boil in 10 L of cold water
• Let cool, filter and store in a cool place before use
• Dilute 1/10 with water
• Spray the leaves of affected plants