Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 101
Most synthetic pesticides (and even many non-synthetic pesticides) are super bad for our environment. They can wreck ecosystems, pollute soil and groundwater and harm our precious animal friends. However, pests (think: aphids, beetles, bunnies, deer...) can be a major problem in agriculture. If farmers don't protect their plants against pests, their crops will be destroyed before they make it to your plate. This where Integrated Pest Management (IPM) comes in.
IPM basically just entails using existing ecosystem processes to fight pests rather than introducing synthetic pesticides to the ecosystem. IPM is a set of methods for driving pests away from crops, sans pesticides. Some potential IPM methods include building a fence around crops, planting a wider variety of crops in a given area, using less desirable plants as pest deterrents or introducing a new predator species to the area. All these methods and more can help control pests without relying on narsty pesticides.
Some people think farmers practicing IPM can use minimally harmful pesticides like boric acid or non-lethal bait, but others think IPM should exclude all pesticides. The definition of IPM doesn't have clear boundaries, but the goal of all IPM is to reduce the environmental damage caused by farming and gardening.
IPM in Agriculture
Many farmers (even non-organic pesticide-using farmers) use some IPM methods to deter pests because doing so can save them money on pesticides. For example, crop rotation is one super common IPM method. By rotating which crops are in which fields each year, farmers can avoid any pests getting too comfortable in one location.
Currently, there is no way for consumers to know which produce has been grown using IPM methods and which has relied solely on pesticides. This is mostly because IPM doesn't have a strict definition. The best way to find out if your produce was grown using IPM is to buy your produce from local farmers and simply ask them about their farming practices.
IPM at Home
IPM isn't just reserved for fancy farmers. Home gardens can make really good use of IPM methods using these steps:
Raised beds are an A+ way to keep out some small critters
Determine if you have a pest problem
The first step in IPM is determining if you have a pest problem. Not all gardens or agricultural systems have pest problems. If a few of your plants have been nibbled by a garden guest but the plants are still mostly thriving, you probably don't need to control the pests. If your plants' leaves are lacy and the plants aren't yielding, then you will likely need to start managing the pests.
Identify the Pests
The next step to any pest problem is identifying which pests are attacking your plants. Identifying your pests is the only way to know which IPM methods will work best for your garden. To identify your pests, you might simply need to walk around your garden and inspect the plants. If you see a colony of beetles on your lacy basil leaves, those beetles are likely your pest. Larger pests might be harder to catch in the act. For example, if your blueberries go missing right when they ripen but you can’t catch the thief, birds might be the culprit. If your tomato leaves have been eaten but there are no pests in sight, rabbits might be to blame.
Choose an IPM method
After you've identified your pest, the next step is to choose an IPM method. If your pest is a larger animal, like a bird, rabbit, deer or dog, you could simply slice up some chicken wire to enclose your plants. Some gardens (and even the Farmers Almanac) claim that planting certain flowers or bushes, like marigolds, around plants can also solve animal pest problems. But others say that this planting method won't steer away Mr. Cottontail, so the jury is still out on that one.
If your pests are insects, things get a little trickier because each insect responds differently to different IPM methods. My best advice for insect pests is to simply search "[your pest] IPM" on the web, or consult the Farmers Almanac. The solutions for insect pests will range from planting deterrent plants to attracting the pest's natural predators to simply removing the pests and relocating them. Whatever method you use, most pest problems in home gardens can be solved without pesticides which is most def something to celebrate.