Pest and Plant Health Management

This unit covers identification, monitoring, and control of insect pests, plant diseases, vertebrate pests, and weeds, while emphasizing pesticide safety and planting practices that reduce pest pressure. It builds on foundational plant science and prepares students to implement integrated pest management and preventative planting strategies in later units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze common insect, disease, weed, and vertebrate pest symptoms in organic garden settings and prioritize threats using diagnostic criteria and monitoring data
• Apply integrated pest management (IPM) principles—incorporating cultural, mechanical, biological, and approved organic chemical controls—and interpret monitoring results to select appropriate interventions
• Demonstrate safe handling, storage, and application procedures for pesticides and organic-approved materials, including accurate reading of labels, selection and use of PPE, and basic equipment calibration
• Evaluate planting techniques (site selection, spacing, timing, cultivar selection, and sanitation) to minimize pest and disease incidence and develop a preventative planting plan for a defined garden scenario