Think IPM is a fringe idea in pest management? One of the largest ornamental producers in the country, Metrolina Greenhouses, practices integrated pest management to maintain crop health and sustainability.

Dr. Mark Yelanich, director of research at Metrolina, emphasizes the importance of monitoring the major insect pests, such as thrips, white fly, fungus gnats, shore fly, spider mites, and aphids. At Metrolina, they do weekly 24-hour counts with sticky cards, which enable the growers to find hot spots in the more than 200 acres of greenhouses.

“We want to avoid simply scheduling chemical sprays without understanding the pest pressures,” Dr. Yelanich says. “And over time, our pesticide usage is going down, so we’re heading in the right direction.”

Metrolina employees are trained in scouting for insects and recording pest counts through a phone app. Each 50-acre range, as well as each greenhouse, has a manager, and these managers identify problem areas and determine necessary actions to address potential threats. The growers also scout for root and foliar diseases and are trained to water at the right amount to prevent plant stress.

Metrolina also is MPS-certified, and through the program, tracks pesticide usage with the goal of moving toward safer chemistries. Even so, some varieties still require conventional treatments, like preventative fungicide drenches for poinsettias.

Beyond scouting, Metrolina has introduced natural predators across various sections of its operations. For plugs, which require extra attention, Metrolina has introduced predatory mites. Sachets with beneficial mites go in the hanging overhead baskets to provide extra pest control. There are banker plants in 10 acres of the operation to help establish beneficial insects.

“IPM is really a core part of operations – you have to do it,” says Dr. Yelanich. “And it’s the right thing to do.”

Learn More About Sustainability at Metrolina Greenhouses View the Full Integrated Pest Management Guide

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