December 23, 2024

VIDEO: Buying Biology: Beneficial Organisms for Disease & Pest Control with Dr. Richard McDonald


Keeping our plants healthy means engaging living biological agents that might not occur naturally on our landscapes. We need to cultivate and sometimes, buy this biology. How do we know the best sources of these living inputs? What parameters are ideal in order to insure this beneficial biology thrives and has the impact we desire? What other ramifications will the release of these imported life forms have on the surrounding ecology of our farm, gardens and landscapes? Award winning entomologist, Dr. Richard McDonald, together with Patryk Battle will focus on how to incorporate beneficial biological introductions and match them with preventative measures as our first line of defense against insect and disease pressure. Farms-caping, multi-species cover crops (ideally inoculated with rhizobia and mycorrhizae), minimal soil disturbance, and proper mineral availability are some of the many ways growers create conditions that bring insects into balance and support healthy plants.

17 thoughts on “VIDEO: Buying Biology: Beneficial Organisms for Disease & Pest Control with Dr. Richard McDonald

  1. I'm blown away that this only has 469 views at this time. This is phenomenal information! Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this! Living Web has so much information available. Please keep posting, this is a huge help to those of us utilizing this valuable tool.

  2. Excellent video ! just ran to the store to buy BT instead of using an all purpose fruit tree spray for my Gypsy Moth infestation.
    Parts of Mass had them really bad last year. Thanks for the info !

  3. Thank you so much guys!
    I'm a blind veg garderner in South Africa.
    I Love bees and insects.
    I am expecting avids on my kale soon.
    Sorry, English is not my first language.
    I want to get bugs to take care of the avids.
    Thank you thank you thank you from me too.

  4. I see a number of books on the table there in the presentation. Anyone have any suggestions on other resources and books on this subject? My family lives in North Carolina near Asheville area. Thanks!!

  5. Found you through Art & Bri ! And so glad they posted a link to this video ! So much valuable information, I had to subscribe ! Thank you so much for your insightful videos !

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