Rutgers U article on FARMSCAPING

[applestar]

https://www.extension.org/pages/18573/farmscaping:-making-use-of-natures-pest-management-services

I suppose ultimately, this discussion might belong in Organic Gardening or Organic Pest and Disease Management forum, but I wanted to share the concept with everyone and see what you all thought. So I'm posting here.

I felt that I'm already practicing a lot of the individual elements, but still more at the the "Chocolate Box" level, and realized I have a whole another vista of research and learning to do.

https://www.cog.ca/documents/Farmscaping.pdf - 3 pages
https://www.sare.org/content/download/29704/413134/A_Whole-Farm_Approach_to_Managing_Pests.pdf - 20 pages long but REALLY informative and good read.

[rainbowgardener]

Nice article and it's really nice that farmers are being encouraged to get out of the monoculture crop mind set. They might have mentioned a few of the other arguments against big monoculture fields such as it attracts every disease and pest of the crop to that area, helps spread them around, very easy for the whole crop to get wiped out (not only by insects and diseases, but by conditions such as drought) etc.

On the idea of choosing specific plants to intercrop with to attract specific beneficial insects, it would have been really nice if they had provided an example of working through their process. Like Farmer A grows corn and has had trouble with European corn borers and grasshoppers. What would he or she plant with, near, among the corn to help reduce these problems? Go through the process of figuring that out.

I think Integrated Pest Management approaches with insecticides as the last resort rather than the first and emphasis on biologicals/ organic pesticides are getting more common. I don't have any idea what's being taught in ag schools, but hopefully IPM methods are at least mentioned. I still see lots of articles like this though:

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/rowcrops/a834w.htm

from N Dak state u "basics of corn production." With lists of different GMO varieties and the "traits" built in to them (traits being mainly what herbicides and insecticides they can be used with), synthetic fertilizer usage, charts of herbicides, insecticides. Nothing about IPM or any organic alternatives. I find this stuff scary.

[GardenRN]

Good article! I was hoping they were going to get to naming some of the more beneficial types of plants since they kept saying that "chocolate box" planting was more likely to fail. I'll have to start planting Fennel!!

Thanks apple! This was going to be part of my 2013 goal. 2012's was to stop over planting/crowding and do better about thinning. I did do a lot better. 2013 will be about companion planting and planting flowers to attract beneficial insects. I already have Dill every year. I guess I'll have to let some of my carrots winter over and add some fennel and sweet alyssum next year.

[Tonio]

good article Apple, agree -wish they could get deeper into the plants involved to attract bene's. I've tried in my chocolcate box just by bringing in a few herbs, salvia's, but seems hit and miss when the plants are blooming. Suppose much has to do with what is appliacable in your area. More learning /researching and application trials for sure

[Tonio]

Jeff,
I tried fennel this year. ONly 2 plants and bloomed well, and now are setting seeds. IMO, not sure they helped much , possibly due to not growing too close to other plants for being allelopathic (SP?).

I had better attraction from bolted cilantro, and flowering basil.

[GardenRN]

Jeff,
I tried fennel this year. ONly 2 plants and bloomed well, and now are setting seeds. IMO, not sure they helped much , possibly due to not growing too close to other plants for being allelopathic (SP?).

I had better attraction from bolted cilantro, and flowering basil.

Are you judging whether or not they helped based on the number of sighting of the bene's that were supposed to be attracted to them? Or the presence of pests that should have been predated by the bene's?

For instance, you may not have seen many ladybugs, but would the absence of aphids be considered a success? Or luck.