Author: Wayne Gresham

Integrated Pest Management or IPM is a method of eliminating pests by using environmentally friendly solutions. It is usually defined as a solution that depends upon human insight and reasoning power. IPM is a program that can be applied in both agricultural and non agricultural environments for pest elimination. For the purposes of this article we will discuss organic solutions and show how it pertains to the homeowner. It is structured by studying the pests’ lifecycle and the way they interact with their surroundings.

Also, it focuses on the modern scientific research and information as well as pest management techniques that are known not to harm humans, animals or property. There are four main steps in the implementation of IPM which include – Intervention, Observing, Monitoring, and Prevention. The goal is to reduce or eliminate the use of chemical pesticides to solve pest related infestations. Instead, it uses an integrated approach involving both human and organic all natural pesticide solutions as long as neither one harms the surrounding environment or beneficial living things.

Let’s discuss each of these steps in detail.

Observation – This is the first step in setting up an integrated pest management program and it requires checking what is going on in the infested area every day. This step allows you to set action steps so that you can tell when an action is necessary or unnecessary. For example, seeing a single pest does not mean that the entire property, person, animal or crop is affected and that a drastic measure needs to be taken. It just may mean that doing a simple task like picking the pest off to eliminate the pest is all that is required. In more infested situations, a more drastic approach may be required.

Monitoring – Monitoring is a vital IPM step involving making the right decision after observing the infested area and identifying the unwanted pests. It is also a serious step in deciding whether or not use of pesticides of any kind is necessary or not. IPM seeks to reduce the possibilities of using chemical pesticides in management of the pest menace. It supports a personal approach such as picking the pest or its egg or larvae with hands, uprooting infested plants, use of all natural, organic insecticides, mulching and so on.

Prevention – This is all about looking for ways to avoid the problem of pests in the future after eradication, if not before. From the home owner’s perspective, it means adopting practices that keep unwanted bugs away. For example you can decide to practice periodic fogging/spraying of your house/property with all natural organic pesticides, grow pest resistant plants or grow trap crops/plants that lure/repel insects away from your other plants. The advantage of these practices is that they are safe and cannot harm property, people, pets, or the soil as compared to chemical insecticides.

Control – If the pest infestation is not eradicated within the first three steps, control is really unavoidable. At this point you must take serious measures to end a problem that has proven unpreventable by the above 3 steps. The IPM approach becomes very necessary in the sense that the homeowner has to consider both the effectiveness and safety of a given pesticide. Generally, when following this approach, you must give more preference to the safety of the method used for pest control. Start with an effective product like Cedar Oil as that provides either zero or less risk to humans, pets, property and the environment. For example, choose organic, all natural chemicals or plants that eradicate the pest, their unborn/un-hatched, prevent their further attempt to reproduce, or repel them completely. If that does not seem to work, you can now use integrated pest management to mitigate their effects on the environment. And remember, always read and follow all “Directions for Use” and “Warnings” on all products prior to use to obtain best results and safety.

DG Cedar Oil has all your Organic, All Natural Integrated Pest Management and Eradication solutions regardless of what’s “bugging” you. Please visit our website for the Organic, All Natural pest control solution that’s right for your pest problem(s).