The use of beneficial insect habitat to improve insect pest management is of interest to a number of organic growers in the southeastern US. For example, in 2000, a survey of North and South Carolina organic growers found that their number one research need was "insect pests". When growers prioritized research needs for resolving insect pest problems, beneficial insects and beneficial insect habitat were their first and second choices. For the last three years we have addressed grower concerns by conducting farm-scale research with commercial beneficial insect habitats. We also examined habitats we developed based on literature, experience, and grower input. Plants in commercial mixes were not suited to being grown in the southeast. Besides several quality issues with commercial seed, there are serious concerns with supplier recommendations for planting. All habitat types were quickly eliminated or seriously degraded by weed competition in the absence of continual hand weeding. A small proportion of insects attracted to habitat plants were natural enemies that are known contributors to insect management in surrounding crops. A commercial habitat planted around organic tomato fields did not change beneficial or insect pest populations. Mixed results were obtained from habitat planted with cotton, cabbage and sweet potatoes.