Cannabis plants are susceptible to various pests and diseases, including mold, mites, and aphids. The key to preventing these pests is to maintain airflow, avoid over-watering, monitor your other house plants and check daily for any spots on the leaves, webbing or other signs of stress in your plant. Here are some common pests that affect cannabis, along with treatments and preventative measures:
Mold (Botrytis, Powdery Mildew, etc.):
Prevention: Ensure proper air circulation and ventilation by your plant, maintain optimal humidity levels (ideally below 50% during flowering).
Treatment: Prune affected leaves, increase air circulation, and reduce humidity levels. A number of treatments exist. One of the easiest methods is to spray the plants with hydrogen peroxide. Purchase hydrogen peroxide at your local pharmacy and then dilute it 1 cup hydrogen peroxide plus 3 cups of water. This treatment can be used through the entire lifecycle of the plant. Other treatment options include organic fungicides such as neem oil, potassium bicarbonate, or sulfur-based products, but these should not be used later in the plant life cycle when the plant is close to harvest. Commercial fungicides specifically formulated for cannabis may also be used.
Spider Mites:
Prevention: Regularly inspect plants for signs of infestation, maintain a clean grow space, and avoid introducing infested plants or equipment. Use biological controls like predatory mites (e.g., Phytoseiulus persimilis) as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy.
Treatment: The first step is to physically remove the webbing present on the plant. This can be done using a small brush and alcohol. Apply insecticidal soaps, neem oil, or horticultural oils to suffocate and disrupt mite populations. Pyrethrin-based insecticides or insecticidal miticides can also be effective. However, some applying oils or pyrethins can carry health risks, so please follow all the directions on the labeling.
Aphids:
Prevention: Monitor plants regularly for aphid infestations, particularly on new growth and underneath leaves. Introduce natural predators such as ladybugs or lacewings.
Treatment: Blast aphids off plants with a strong stream of water, prune heavily infested parts, or manually remove aphids with a damp cloth or brush. Apply insecticidal soap, neem oil, or pyrethrin-based insecticides to control aphid populations. However, some applying oils or pyrethins can carry health risks, so please follow all the directions on the labeling.
Thrips:
Prevention: Quarantine new plants before introducing them to the grow space, maintain good hygiene practices, and monitor plants closely for signs of thrips infestation.
Treatment: Use sticky traps to monitor and capture adult thrips. Apply insecticidal soap, neem oil, or spinosad-based products to control thrips at various life stages. Repeat applications may be necessary to eradicate the population. However, some applying oils and pyrethins can carry health risks, so please follow all the directions on the labeling.
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