How Greenhouse Growers Are Establishing Targeted Biological Management Programs
December 31, 2025 
The greenhouse floriculture industry has elevated its use of biological controls to the point where many integrated pest management programs are now targeted based on either crop or pest. An article in Meister Media Worldwide’s recent Global Insight Series on “Integrating Biologicals” offers three examples of this — one from a growing operation, one from a researcher, and one from an industry supplier.
The first example comes from D.S. Cole Growers in Loudon, NH, which grows a wide range of young and finished plants and has been a long-time advocate of using biological controls. “We grow so many different varieties here that it’s important for us to stay clean throughout the facility,” says Chris Schlegel, Head Grower at D.S. Cole Growers.
The second example focuses on Lewis mites (Eotetranychus lewisi), which used to be more of a cyclical pest but has been consistently troublesome in poinsettia the last few years. “As regular Lewis mite infestations now seem to be the new normal in poinsettia, we’re approaching the time for growers to start thinking about their pest control plan for Lewis mite,” says Sarah Jandricic, Greenhouse Floriculture IPM Specialist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness.
Finally, the article offers insights from Griffin Greenhouse Supplies, based in Tewksbury, MA, and one of the leading greenhouse and nursery suppliers in the U.S. Griffin focuses heavily on grower education, especially when it comes to pest management strategies, through its GGSPro division.
The “Integrating Biologicals” report also features articles on:
- Proving ROI in Biologicals: Growers aren’t asking for miracles. They want math that holds up in the field, programs that fit their spray schedules, and results that show up at harvest.
- Beyond Chemistry: As global agriculture faces mounting pressure to become more sustainable, biologicals are emerging as critical tools in the modern grower’s toolkit.
- 3 Questions on Biologicals Innovations: Biological products innovation is taking place at increasing speed, and it can be difficult to keep up with the latest developments. We asked a few industry thought leaders to share their perspectives on what is happening in different segments of the biologicals market, including biocontrol, biostimulants, and value-added fertilizer.
You can find the complete report here.
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