Pesticides and Pest Management

Controlling pests is an important part of growing plants in greenhouses. Cornell Greenhouses encourage using an integrated pest management (IPM) Program for pest management including biological, chemical and cultural control methods. The development of an IPM program can reduce the need for pesticides. Greenhouse staff should be trained to accurately identify insects, diseases, and weeds, and to monitor insect populations. Records should be maintained, and used in planning future management strategies.

More information can be found in the Pesticide Storage section of the Best Management Practices document

Pesticides

More information on policies, certification and regulations can be found on the CALS OEH Pesticides page. 

Record keeping logs, forms and checklists that have been prepared for Cornell Greenhouses can be found on the Pesticides and Pest Management sub-page Record Keeping and Tools.

Insects and Pathogens

More information can be found in the Pest Control section of the Best Management Practices document

Weed Control

Weeds (unwanted plants) can harbor pests that have the potential to spread to greenhouse crops.  It is important to remove weeds within and in the immediate exterior greenhouse environment.  Appropriate use of cultural, mechanical and physical controls will reduce the need to apply chemical controls, thus minimizing potential runoff of pesticides to surface and ground waters.  

More information can be found in the Interior and Exterior Weed Control section of the Best Management Practices document

Greenhouses documents intended for use by the Cornell Greenhouse community in New York State are provided as resource information on training, control methods and herbicides can be found on the Pesticides and Pest Management sub-page Record Keeping and Tools.