Homeowners often are quick to resort to over-the-counter pesticides when dealing with unknown pests in their landscapes and gardens. Pesticides are often used by this group unnecessarily. Homeowners need science-based IPM information to address their pest identification and pest management questions.

Master Gardeners are trained over 14 weeks in all aspects of IPM including pest identification, IPM techniques and safe pesticide use. After finishing the course, the participants volunteer 40 hours to receive their “Master Gardener Certificate.” Several of these certified Master Gardeners work with the Vermont public answering IPM questions. The homeowners can access the trained volunteers by calling a toll free Helpline and get pest management questions answered based on scientific IPM principles.

In the 2006 growing season, the Master Gardener Helpline received 3,400 phone calls with 90% directly pertaining to IPM basics and principles including pest identification, pest management using cultural methods and pest management using a pesticide. A subset of these home gardeners (50 people) were contacted at the end of the season and asked whether they learned about IPM at the time of the call and how had they managed the pest about which they requested information from the Helpline. All respondents (100%) said they learned about IPM practices at the time of the call. Eighty percent indicated they had used only a cultural practice to manage the pest; 5% indicated they had used a pesticide to control the pest; and 15% indicated they had used a combination of a pesticide and a cultural practice as a result of the IPM information supplied by the Helpline staff.