Cannabis plants are subject to a variety of pests and diseases. These can affect the yield, health, and potency of the plant.
Prevention is the best way to prevent pests from invading your grow space. By implementing good sanitation and monitoring for pests, you can prevent infestations and reduce the use of toxic chemicals.
Insects
The cannabis grower must be constantly on the lookout for pests and diseases that can wreak havoc on the crop. These pests can affect a number of different parts of the plant, including leaves, flowers, stems and roots.
Once a cannabis plant is invaded, the insect infestation can spread quickly and can become a costly problem for the cultivator. There are a variety of ways to effectively control these insects, and it is important to know how to identify the specific type of insect that is attacking your crop.
There are many insecticides that can be used to kill the insects infesting a cannabis garden. These insecticides can be applied directly to the infested plants, or they can be sprayed on the soil around the base of the plant.
Neem oil and other horticultural oils are also effective in killing certain insects. They also help the plant build up a protective coating that helps it resist fungal infections and other disease.
Some other methods of controlling these insects include introducing predators such as ladybugs and lacewings, and spraying with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Bt can be applied to the soil or at the base of the cannabis early in the season to limit caterpillar populations.
Another common pest is the leaf miner. These are tiny insects that feed on plant sap and eat leaf tissue. They leave long white lines on the leaves that can help you spot the presence of these pests.
These pests are a nuisance and they can cause distorted leaves, stunted growth, and reduced yields. They also can produce a sticky waste material known as honeydew on your plants.
The most important thing to remember when dealing with insects is that prevention is always better than cure. Regularly checking your plants for signs of infestation will help prevent them from spreading to your other plants.
One of the most difficult pests to get rid of is fungus gnats. These little gnats are attracted to moist environments and can often be found in the top inch of your soil and in the root system of your cannabis plants.
Mites
Spider mites are an important pest of cannabis and can cause severe damage to plant life. They feed on chlorophyll and interfere with the plants’ ability to grow. They also produce webbing that can cause the plants to die if not treated quickly and effectively.
If they are spotted in an early stage, you can easily remove them with a strong water spray, neem oil, or a soap spray. However, once they are established in your grow room they can be hard to get rid of.
Red spider mites thrive in warm, dry conditions and reproduce quickly. These mites are most common in indoor grows, but can be found in greenhouses and outdoor growing areas as well.
Eggs are laid on the underside of the leaves, and take around 2 – 7 days to hatch. Once eggs have hatched the mites will begin to crawl up plant leaves, sucking out the plant’s juices.
The best way to effectively control thrips is with natural predators such as Orius and Amblyseius cucumeris. These mites kill the first and second instar thrips by feeding on them, and reduce their numbers by up to 80%.
Another effective control method is to use sticky traps to catch the pests as they fly by. These traps work on a variety of pests and are a great time-saving solution in identifying which bugs need to be removed.
In addition to using traps, it is important to regularly scout your facility. This involves examining all foliage and checking for signs of pests. You can either do this yourself or hire a scout to do it for you.
Scouts are trained to identify which insects and diseases are present in a facility, how big they are, where they are located, and if there are any beneficial insects or mites that help keep them under control. The scout will then fill out a report that you can use to decide how to attack the problem.
It is best to have a good pest scout at your facility regularly, so that you can make sure that any problems are addressed before they become an expensive, time-consuming issue. Once you have a good scout and quality equipment, you can implement an integrated pest management (IPM) program that will protect your grow from most pests.
Diseases
In a cannabis grow, there are many potential diseases that can threaten the health and production of your crops. Diseases can cause the leaves to turn yellow, curl or even rot and kill your plants before they are ready for harvesting. They can also be difficult to diagnose, so knowing how to recognize these symptoms and acting quickly is important.
Powdery mildew is a common problem that affects marijuana indoors and can be a difficult disease to control. Despite the difficulty in finding effective fungicides for the disease, there are a few biological and physical approaches that can be used to help manage it.
Bacillus based products have been shown to reduce mildew infection on cannabis and prevent spread of the pathogen. These products may also be beneficial for other crops as they can inhibit mycelial growth and development of spores, thus improving the overall health and quality of your crop.
These fungicides can be applied to the entire plant or only at the base of each leaf and can be effective when combined with other control measures such as spraying the canopy with neem oil (a natural herbicide) or other natural treatments. Other methods to effectively control powdery mildew include increasing air flow in the canopy, reducing humidity and using UVA/UVB supplemental lighting.
Another method to effectively control mold is to keep your growing area clean and disinfected with bleach and water. Then, make sure to remove all contaminated materials from the area as soon as possible.
Several other treatments can be effective against mold, including neem oil and a systemic fungicide called Luna Privilege SC 500 (fluopyram). These products have been shown to be effective on other crops and could be an effective alternative to chemical sprays when controlling powdery mildew infections.
Some of the most common problems that can occur in a cannabis grow include root rot, stem rot and white mold. These diseases can have a devastating impact on the crop and are often hard to treat or even identify, so keeping an eye out for these problems is key to successful plant production.
Birds
Birds can be very beneficial to your crop at times but they can also be a serious threat, especially if they steal seeds or defecate on your cannabis plant. There are a few things you can do to effectively control birds in your garden.
One of the easiest ways to protect your crops from birds is by placing scarecrows near them. These can be as simple as tin cans or disposable pie pans, but you should place them in different locations around the grow site. You can also use shiny objects such as cans or CDs to help deter birds.
Another method that works well to keep birds away from your plants is to set up a bird feeder. You should fill it with rye, barley, or oat seeds and place it near your garden. This will make sure that the birds don’t get any access to your cannabis crop.
You should also spray your marijuana plants with a pesticide to keep them safe from birds and other pests. A good option is a solution made with garlic or potassium soap. You could also try using a tobacco or neem oil spray.
In many cases, the presence of bird faeces is a reliable indicator that birds have been visiting your grow. Check the underside of your leaves and buds for these clumps, and remove any that you find.
Caterpillars can be tricky to spot, but their droppings are a sign that they have settled in your crop. This is where your hands come in handy; search every corner of your plants, the leaves and buds, using your gloves.
Once you’ve removed the caterpillars, don’t forget to wipe down your plants thoroughly. This is a very important step to ensure that all the eggs and larvae stay away from your crop. You can also try to use a strong organic pesticide, such as garlic or neem oil.
As California’s legal cannabis scene grows, scientists are increasingly concerned about the impact of pot farms on wildlife. In recent years, researchers have found tainted corpses of songbirds, grey foxes and coyotes in the backwoods. Some of the toxins are remnants from illegal pot operations. This poison, called a “witch’s brew,” will persist in the environment long after illegal growers are stamped out.
