ARE BED BUGS HERE TO STAY?

Ten years ago few homeowners worried about bedbugs believing them to be a pest from the past.  The recent resurgence of these biting insects may be attributed to an increase in international travel, the elimination of highly effective pesticides from the market, the insects’ resistance to newer pesticides and the environmentally friendly way pest control companies now apply chemicals.

Controlling bedbugs is difficult.  They multiple quickly and often go unnoticed until they begin to bite.  They hide in items such as clothing, mattresses and luggage in which owners would rather not have treated with pesticides.  No single pesticide treatment will control a home infested with bedbugs.  Rather, a control program consisting of a combination of heat, steam, sterilization and pesticide treatments will be needed.

IPM, Inc. offers sterilization of luggage and clothing for owners returning from trips but prior to them bringing these items into their home; home inspections with monitoring devices for owners who want to assure themselves that their home does not have bedbugs; and a combination of heat, steam and pesticide treatments for infested homes.

Zero tolerance of the insect by homeowners makes it a challenging problem for the pest control industry.  Although the industry will continue to devise ways to control the insect, don’t expect bedbugs to go away anytime soon.

IPM, Inc. is a full service pest control company.  We can be reached at 278-9071.

COLD DAMAGE RECOVERY

The recent winter temperatures were low enough to cause cold injury to our annual flowers and coconut and royal palms.  The following information will help produce a more favorable environment for these damaged plants and help aid in their rapid recovery.

Flowers:

Flowers damaged by the cold weather should be sheared to a point below which the damage occurred. After shearing, irrigation is essential to prevent excessive water stress and leaf desiccation.  Your irrigation clock should be turned on and set in accordance with County water restrictions.  Since weakened or injured plants are more susceptible to disease attack, a preventive fungicide program should be implemented.  Two applications of fertilizer/fungicide treatment at 14 day intervals are recommended.  Please call us at 278-9071 to receive a quote for these services.

Palms:

Day after day of cool weather imposes excessive stress on palms which makes their roots incapable of providing nutrients to their buds.  Plants are thus rendered vulnerable to disease invasion, which may cause bud collapse when warmer, spring weather arrives.  After a cold spell, even those palms which appear undamaged should be sprayed with a micronutrient/fungicide combination.  The foliar application of micronutrients can provide nourishment that cold roots cannot, while the fungicide helps fend off potentially lethal secondary infestations.  Two applications should be applied at 14 day intervals.  To give your palms maximum protection, call use today at 278-9071.

Planting Tip:Plumbagos

Plumbagos are evergreen shrubs known for their prolific light blue flowers. Althouth they are becoming one of the most widely used flowering shrubs in Palm Beach County, they are high maintenance and short lived (3-5 years).

Plumbagos do not like our hot, rainy weather and typically have yellowing leaves, loss of flowers and a weedy look toward the end of summer. They also decline from being over watered and are subject to attack by insects and diseases. Their interior canopy which is twiggy and devoid of leaves make them sensitive to pruning. It is not uncommon for mature plants to dieback and not recover after  being pruned. This is especially true when they are placed in a tier landscape design where they must be kept to a certain height and width.

It is our recommendation that their use be limited to areas where they do not have to maintained as a sheared hedge. Unless you are willing to replace these plants every few years, as existing ones decline they should be replaced with another plant species.