Creek Hill Nursery uses beneficials to seek and destroy pest enemies
Greenhouse Magazine covered our Biologicals program in their October issue and they’ve posted the full article online. The writer, Kelli Rodda, does a nice job of capturing the rhythms of natural greenhouse control.
We have been running a biocontrol program for nearly seven years, and more growers should try out these techniques. This article gives you a good feel about the nature of that transition. As we have mentioned before, the switch is not easy; but it can be done. To be successful, you need an altitude change towards bugs and their role in the larger production plan in both the staff and management.
To read the article click here.
Biocontrols Within Volume Production
Bear in mind, we are major production facility with large deadlines to meet. We can’t keep our heads in an ideological cloud - we plant, we grow and we ship. Like other big places, we have costs to control, quality to maintain and zero tolerance for bugs reaching the customer. However, we found that biocontrols do work for large volume operations like ours, so long as they are integrated into the core of pest management control and not treated as an outside process looking in.
“It’s part of our journey of being a better environmental steward, and it’s just more fun.”
Sharing With The Industry
For any of our customers, or competitors, who want to learn more about biocontrols; we are more than happy to share the information. Our growers are available to discuss the program at the trade shows we attend or you can give us a call if you have questions. Of course, the best is a site visit to Leola, PA, on a Thursday where you can see the program in action.
Photos In Action
Sometimes a picture shows more than a thousand words, and the photographer Jeremy Hess did a good job of covering a rather abstract assignment. We’ve included a gallery of his work with captions to explain the nuances of what he is covering.
“We’re still plant geeks, but now we’re also insect geeks”
Compost Tea
is applied weekly.
Banker Plants
provide homes for beneficials.
Joel & Ross
discussing possible pest damage.
Cardboard Shelters
provide another home for beneficials.
Laura
pointing out a strange insect.
Scouting
with Laura and Joel.
Weekly Scouting
provides accurate pest assessment.
Close Inspection
means better identification.
Hanging Shelters
protect wasps from water and wind.
Ross & Kelsey
look over the Heucheras.
Lacewing eggs
ready to hatch.
Healthy Stachys
mean the beneficials are working.
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