They provide many ways to reduce the amount of pesticides used in the home and garden. Remove and destroy overwintering or breeding sites of pests. Cut turfgrass at the correct mowing height. Use the appropriate amount of water for irrigation of flowers, trees, shrubs, and turfgrass. Mulch landscape-planting areas.
Mulches can be very useful for the suppression of weeds, insect pests, and some plant diseases.
If heavy enough, mulch can also conserve water and prevent germination of many annual weed seeds. Although some of these methods may not always be practical on a large scale, they can generally be used in small or localized situations. Biological management Biological control is the use of living organisms such as parasites, predators, or pathogens. They may occur naturally or be applied. Biological control results when naturally occurring enemies maintain pests at a lower level than would occur without them.