This term might make the concept a bit more approachable for the average vegetable gardener. Adjusting attitudes is what IPM is all about, according to master gardener Cynthia Hain. Nature includes bugs of all kinds, and they have their place. Knowing bugs is part of understanding nature. Hain describes IPM as an approach to bug control that uses chemicals only as a last resort.
Many pesticides are highly toxic to the applicator, family pets or wildlife around the garden area.
Plus, the beneficial bugs are killed along with the pests. For those seeking non-chemical control of bugs, there are many options to use. A variety of control techniques may be necessary to have a healthy garden. Least-toxic chemical controls are used as a last resort. That's a long, detailed definition, and some specific examples of non-chemical approaches are in order.