The lavender plant above is a part of the Peace Farm Organics model, provided by Parks Brothers Farm. Photos: Leigh Ann Parks
In the early 2000s, Parks Brothers Farm (considered one of Greenhouse Grower’s 2022 Top 100 Growers) started to get loads of requests for licensed natural herbs and greens. Among the vast majority of our firm, the imaginative and prescient for natural manufacturing was not current. But with insistent encouragement from our Texas gross sales consultant, we obtained our USDA natural certification in 2014 and created the Peace Farm Organics model.
Crop safety has been probably the most difficult obstacles to beat. Through a lot trial and error, and sadly crop loss, we’ve developed a recipe that works for us. Here is the information we’ve gained by way of private experimentation.
Our two major points have been aphids and thrips. Azadirachtin is significantly efficient for worm eradication however has not confirmed to be the remedy of alternative for different pests. Pyrethrins are an in depth runner-up however nonetheless not a broad-spectrum type of biocontrol. Steinernema could be very efficient for fungus gnats. Isaria fumosorosea was a complete fail for us. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens works effectively on our basil. I’ve tried aphidoletes, praying mantis, and lacewings. Of these three, the lacewings are our favourite and whereas they don’t seem to be 100% efficient, they do the perfect job of conserving aphids and thrips at bay. The draw back of lacewings is how a lot the ants love them. When it will get chilly outdoors, the ants wish to transfer their celebration contained in the greenhouse and may wipe out all of our lacewing eggs in a single day. This 12 months, we’ve used a low pH hypochlorous (HCIO) product from Gardener’s Touch that has been very efficient on aphids and fungus gnats. We are simply stepping into the thrip season so I’m not certain if will probably be 100% efficient on these.
