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if the plants are inside a greenhouse, i think this is a major barrier to most pests.
by proee 10y ago
if the plants are inside a greenhouse, i think this is a major barrier to most pests.
- cmrdporcupine 10y agoGreenhouses can amplify pest problems as they are a closed system where things can get crazy very quickly with no natural checks and balances. They are some of the biggest consumers of pesticides.
- jrapdx3 10y agoGrowing tomatoes one time under cover had a huge problem with white fly, not an unusual infestation, but a very stubborn one. While using the natural kinds may be better, pesticides are often a necessity in that situation. Your comment was completely on target for many commercial producers.
- niftich 10y agoThis may turn out to be a silly question, but how does a pest infest a closed system in the first place? Do they arrive in the soil? Do they fly in the door? Could there be ways to mitigate or prevent the mechanism of infestation in the first place?
- ldp01 10y agoI imagine it boils down to a question of expense. Pests can probably arrive through: - People's boots/clothes. - The water. - The soil/fertiliser. - The air. Each of those inputs would need to be filtered. And the cost of filtration (or the entry/exit protocols for the workers) would need to be balanced against the cost of losing a crop.
- cmrdporcupine 10y agoFungal spores are everywhere. And in hot humid high CO2 environment where there are no other kinds of fungal spores to compete with, and a big giant buffet of the kind of food they like... Nom nom nom nom. Same thing goes for insects. Nature is constant warfare. Farming is like picking a side and arming it.
- rmason 10y agoYou also must contend with diseases. Mono cropping something like tomatoes is a good way to amplify them.
- Scarblac 10y agoThat's a problem if you re-use the same land again and again, but probably not so much when planting in regularly replaced coconut husks.