The Season to Pick Out the Perfect Poinsettia is Approaching
At Koppert we believe that a perfect Poinsettia starts when the plant is barely sticking out of the soil. The soil blankets the roots which are used as a highway for nutrients to the plant to help promote strength and growth of the plant. To make a prize winning Poinsettia, Koppert Biological System has a variety of tools to help ensure the perfect poinsettia every time.
We start with developing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that starts from the roots, works its way to the foliage, and helps to monitor for invasive pests throughout the growing cycle. There are many definitions that explain what Integrated Pest Management is. Most important is its aim: use biological control when you can, chemical control when you must. The toolbox that brings us there has many different instruments. This makes the work of the IPM consultant so versatile, interesting and sometimes complicated.
The importance of a well balanced IPM program has become increasingly more importnat over the years. This is due in part because many large retail chains such as, Kroger, Home Depot, and Lowe's, have created policies that eliminate the use of neonictinoids on these plants. Neonictinoids are harsh chemicals that growers spray on their plants to terminate pests that feed on the plant and cause great harm. These chemicals have been banned in many countries because of the harm they inflict on people, the planet, and many types of pollinators, including bumblebees and butterflies.
Advantages of using an IPM program
Finish with a clean, healthy plant.
- Significantly reduced insecticide use - No Neonics required!
- Biological pest control agents, penetrate deep into the canopy where sprays and fogs don’t go
- Biological agents don’t care about pesticide - resistant pest populations
- Significantly less REI’s in your crop equals better work efficiency
- Beneficial insect introductions are designed to be simple – quicker than insecticide apps!
- Many compatible pesticides can be used in certain scenarios – this is not an “All or Nothing” approach
- Many growers report a crop that grows and finishes faster – less stunting from repeated insecticide apps.
- Easy cleanup – the cards can be removed at shipping simply by removing the stake.