Pest management for the home strawberry patch

Abstract

Minnesotans who grow strawberries at home may have to combat insect pests or diseases to produce a good crop. Previous pest control strategies seeking to eliminate all pests from a garden have been shown to be unsuccessful. Today's approach combines many management methods into an integrated whole, thus the name Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM practices have enabled growers to place an emphasis on non-chemical methods while using pesticides secondarily or as a supplement to these methods while still harvesting quality fruit. The philosophy of IPM is to seek a balance maximizing yield while reducing human and environmental risk. This follows a particular hierarchy that begins with the best practices in cultural management.