This is a practitioner interview with H. Curtis Mann. Mr. Mann works for Initial Tropical Plants, Philadelphia branch, as their warehouse supervisor and has held this position for the past five years. He has been in the business working for the above named company (under varied names such as Rentokil) and has been using beneficials for the past fifteen years. Mr. Mann hasn’t looked back since.
Interview
The headings below are our questions; the blockquotes that follow are H. Curtis Mann’s responses.
How did you get started as a biocontrol practitioner?
“This branch [Philadelphia] started using beneficials after articles were read by some of the people in the company. We started doing more large atriums the needed controls for insects on 25ft plant material.”
What sort of challenges have you experienced?
“The biggest challenges were convincing the clients and the owner of the company that this approach would work and be a safe way to do control. The second problem was to have a way to release the beneficials close to the insects [pests].”
What was the biggest failure?
“Our biggest failure was trying to use beneficial on individual 6" or 8" material. Small individual plants can be treated easier by replacing the plant.”
What was the biggest success?
“Our greatest success was controlling insect in five or six large atriums with 20 to 25' plant material and keeping it in check over three years.”
What advice would you offer other just getting started?
“To new people starting in the use of beneficials, use good monitoring techniques and keep the beneficial population going. Plant cleaning is also important to due on a regular schedule and re applying beneficials after cleanings should be done.”
Thank you, Mr. Mann. If you’re interested in being interviewed and have something to bring to the table, please contact us.
Mike Cherim responds:
Posted: October 30th, 2007 at 1:37 am →
Regarding not bothering treating small plants (6 to 8 inch) when you reflected on a failure, that’s good information to share. I suppose fungus gnat treatments would still be fine, though maybe you can clarify.
Thanks again for the interview.
H Curtis Mann responds:
Posted: October 30th, 2007 at 7:51 am →
We have found that treating individual 6 or 8″ plant material with beneficals is not as affective as on larger material. Sometimes it is more cost affective to replace individual small plants them treat them with anything.
This does not apply to bed plantings of 6-8″ material, in these situations beneficials are used.