Integrated crop management (biological control)
For more than 10 years, Les Serres FJC Lavoie has integrated biological control to eliminate undesirable plants by limiting the use of pesticides.
As we are working very hard to be more and more eco-responsible, we use biological control, which is a tangent taken everywhere in the horticultural world. This is necessary to grow plants in an ecological way, preserving our planet, your health and ours.
In the text below, you will find all the information you need to recognize the (plant friends) auxiliaries that can be found at in the plants that you adopt at Lavoie Greenhouses. This way, you will be reassured if you find an intruder in a plant that comes from us.
It is therefore important to check whether what you have found in your plant is a beneficiary (plant friendly predator) or an undesirable (plant enemy). It is also important not to remove the plant from its production soil when you buy it. Avoid preventive treatments when our plants arrive at your home, so you will have our little soldiers still in action.
1. Neoseiulus cucumeris (friends of plants)
The Neoseiuluscucumeris is a predatory mite that devours several enemies in their early stages of development. It feeds mainly on thrips larvae as well as the two-spotted spider mite. ttwo-spottedspider mite.
It is easily confused with the red spider as it is about the same colour and size.
2. Chrysoperlacarnea (friends of plants)
The Chrysoperlacarnea is a predator that devours several pests in their early stages of development as well as in the adult stage.
Thelacewing larva will eat the eggs and larvae of undesirable insects. It mainly attacks aphid eggs/larvae, whiteflies (white flies) and the cmealy bug.
The chrysope adult will devour aphids, whiteflies and adult mealybugs.
When thelacewing eats the enemy, it leaves the body of the enemy for dead (exoskeleton). So don't be afraid if, after introducing lacewings, you find a mealy bug. It is most likely lifeless.
3. Phytoseiuluspersimilis (plant friends)
The Phytoseiuluspersimilis is a predatory mite that devours the larva, as well as the adult two-spottedspider mite, and the thrips larva.
It looks very similar to the red spider mite, so they are regularly confused.
4. Stratiolaelapsscimitus (friends of plants, also called Hypoaspismiles)
The Stratiolaelapsscimitus or Hypoaspismiles is a predatory mite that eats sciarides (potting flies), the thrips and root scales.
Don't forget to work in a mini ecosystem inside your home, in order to recreate the living environments of your different plants. The challenge of indoor gardening is to recreate a natural living environment and to provide the appropriate care for each of its plants.