Staying Focused on Scouting and Sanitation in Spring
April 28, 2026 In a recent e-Gro Alert, Beth Scheckelhoff of The Ohio State University looks at cost-effective steps to prevent problems in your growing operation through proper scouting and sanitation during this spring. Here’s some of the advice she has to offer:
Best Practices for Pest Identification, Prevention, and Management in Spring
Scouting, when paired with cultural and sanitation practices, can help reduce or prevent future problems that greenhouse and nursery operations face, and in turn, retailers and consumers. Scheckelhoff states that “Preventing issues today can greatly reduce future headaches and expenses needed to resolve the issues,” and offers the following guidelines to create the most stress-free production season possible.
Be Aware of Hitchhiking Pests
Scheckelhoff notes that many pests can essentially hitchhike their way into a grower’s operation by climbing into or embedding themselves within certain equipment and materials that are transported inside, including:
- Containers
- Foliage, flowers, and other plant parts
- Growing media substrates
Therefore, it’s important to first quarantine and then inspect new containers and plant material. Additionally, there is also a risk of this happening with old containers. as some pests can overwinter under the right conditions.
The Importance of Sanitizing Hard Surfaces
Lingering organic debris can be highly attractive to pests (and with them diseases) and weeds, including:
- Plant waste
- Potting soil
- Standing water
Therefore, keeping any and all hard surfaces clean is an important preventative measure of greenhouse management.
Why Damp Areas Draw in Certain Pests
Once pests get into a greenhouse through one means or another, it’s important to find and manage them through comprehensive scouting methods. Damp and nutrient-rich environments, often found in greenhouses due to the combination of irrigation, shading, and the many nooks and crannies created by an abundance of stationary equipment, are a very appealing area for many outside invaders, such as liverworts and mosses.
For additional information on greenhouse scouting and sanitation practices to pursue, including a detailed look at liverwort identification and management, please read the full e-Gro (Electronic Grower Resources Online) alert “Stay Focused on Scouting and Sanitation This Spring.“
Additional and current e-Gro alert pieces from Volume 15 (2026) can be found online.
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