Gardenfaerie Auto Fem - CFL to Greenhouse

Hey Gardenfaerie! I am late in dropping into your grow. I don't want to interject something that doesn't necessariliy apply to this grow right now but my friend Mcloadies fight against worms caught my attention. Here is one of the solutiions that i use in alot of my crops that are targeted by a specific insect problem. So if you know that you are having a problem with a pest do some homework on your enemy. Find out where he likes to over winter, where does it like to lay eggs , what does he like to eatand finally what is the weakest link in his life cycle. For instance I battle cucmber beetles every year on the farm in melons. But these pests are even more atracted by zuchini plants than melon plants. So I plant zuchini plants a little earlier than my melons in two rows one on each side of my melon patches. Then I spray the heck out of the zuchini. This knocks down the population without having to apply spray to my melons. I then pull the zuchini plant and burn them. In the case of worms often times they are the larval form of a moth. Find out what the moth is attracted to, plant it and control them at that point. Plant refuse is often used by insects to over winter in, you are both spot on in tilling or composting your refuse and using cover crops. And mcloadie I too spend and inordinate amount of time picking insects but the problem is they don't clock in and out. They work round the clock. Again I appologize for butting in on your grow but I thought I would pass that on. Best of luck GF!
 
mcloadie said:
Thanks gf, I'm a thousand miles from last summers work...LOL......we have em here too, but in very limited numbers. Good idea planting hosts for the bugs.........pheromone traps have been suggested too, maybe I'll do a little of both and see what works best. Good thing about where I'm at now, I ask for something and I get it!
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Pheromone traps attract the insects! Don't use those. I ran very large greenhouse operations and can tell you do not use pheromone traps! hahaha. Catch crops provides their favorite host, sending them away from your crops. It really only works if you have a relatively nice stand of a mono crop, which ever you decide to grow. It is so effective I find it hard to believe when people don't use it! Finding the native species in your area is even better. That is truly what Intergrated Pest Management is. IPM, so it was coined back in the 80s.
 
uptheholler said:
Hey Gardenfaerie! I am late in dropping into your grow. I don't want to interject something that doesn't necessariliy apply to this grow right now but my friend Mcloadies fight against worms caught my attention. Here is one of the solutiions that i use in alot of my crops that are targeted by a specific insect problem. So if you know that you are having a problem with a pest do some homework on your enemy. Find out where he likes to over winter, where does it like to lay eggs , what does he like to eatand finally what is the weakest link in his life cycle. For instance I battle cucmber beetles every year on the farm in melons. But these pests are even more atracted by zuchini plants than melon plants. So I plant zuchini plants a little earlier than my melons in two rows one on each side of my melon patches. Then I spray the heck out of the zuchini. This knocks down the population without having to apply spray to my melons. I then pull the zuchini plant and burn them. In the case of worms often times they are the larval form of a moth. Find out what the moth is attracted to, plant it and control them at that point. Plant refuse is often used by insects to over winter in, you are both spot on in tilling or composting your refuse and using cover crops. And mcloadie I too spend and inordinate amount of time picking insects but the problem is they don't clock in and out. They work round the clock. Again I apologize for butting in on your grow but I thought I would pass that on. Best of luck GF!
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Thank you. I welcome any and all butting in! :) We're all in this together, so if you say something, anything about growing, I learn. I welcome any banter here. No worries. Hijack away.
 
One thing I should add about recommending an azadirachtin product for mites. I'm against using this stuff without thinking about it. I'm convinced there is little danger to consumers of the end product. I am against disturbing the greater ecosystem - it kills good stuff too. Our MJ crop is a VERY high value crop compared to most other plants. You have to weigh the pros and cons. When I found a mass of spider mites on a large marjoram plant in my greenhouse recently I azomaxed all the plants in the greenhouse EXCEPT the cannabis since I saw no sign of mites on the weed. I decided I didn't want to risk a mite infestation on the cannabis so I wiped them buggers out.

I'm sure it didn't do my population of happy jumping spiders any good, but I've been seeing more and more of them lately.
 
Hey Gardenfaerie, I am totally with you on pheromone traps. That's more like tryuing to draw more of the pest to your location. Where I prefer to think of trap crops as funneling in the natural directin that you want them to go. Trap crops do work in smaller ecale plantings especially over time I grow about 30-35 acres of produce each year from orchards to small fruit and vegetables. because we have to rotate both our production scehdules and ground use plans we grow smaller patches interspersed. What I have found is that this causes the insects to search more for what they prefer and then as they begin to feed their own natural pheremones and language communicate where they are at in a field. I know it sounds hokey but I am convinced of it. I too manage a fairly large production greenhouse op for froced vegetable production. It is a pleasure speaking with anyone that is involved in horticulture.
 
uptheholler said:
Hey Gardenfaerie, I am totally with you on pheromone traps. That's more like tryuing to draw more of the pest to your location. Where I prefer to think of trap crops as funneling in the natural directin that you want them to go. Trap crops do work in smaller ecale plantings especially over time I grow about 30-35 acres of produce each year from orchards to small fruit and vegetables. because we have to rotate both our production scehdules and ground use plans we grow smaller patches interspersed. What I have found is that this causes the insects to search more for what they prefer and then as they begin to feed their own natural pheremones and language communicate where they are at in a field. I know it sounds hokey but I am convinced of it. I too manage a fairly large production greenhouse op for froced vegetable production. It is a pleasure speaking with anyone that is involved in horticulture.
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Of course it works, but it is easier even for small farms to use a chemical. Sadly or fortunately, Monsanto and Dow Elanco are embroiled in so much controversy, we may one day see an end to it. Wishful thinking, sure. I remember the days when people said no WAY would diazinon be illegal to use and here we are, it's gone. Of course they have Dursban now, but...eh. Sickens me.

The way you are using your land is the way it always used to be. Small farms, able to rotate crops so soils had time to rest while supplying something with other requirements to fruit and produce. Orchards are different, but IMP all around it is perfectly effective. If Gallo Vinyards can grow all their grapes organically and still be a huge corporation, so can everyone.

We force feed our factory meat with food the animal would never eat, then we eat them. We are slowly turning into the DNA of corn. So, I really am trying, but it's very hard.
 
I am a total carnavore and by the way the internship that I had for 2 years was with Elanco. However, that was back in their plantscience days now they are totally vet and animal based research. I must say that even then they were looking into more natural ways to handle pest control. I worked primarily with growth regulators
 
gardenfaerie said:
...and by the way, no offense to anybody, but euchhh to eating meat.
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I'm half-way your soul brother. If it doesn't fly or swim I haven't eaten it in over 25 yrs. My daughter doesn't even know what pork taste like. She's actually converted some of her little girl friends because when they stay the night with her they can't believe how many ways we do bird & fish and how good it taste. I can't tell you how many people say they hate fish but leave my place talking about "what's the recipe to that".
 
Hi G.F (and all). Wow, so much info :) I guess that's one big advantage of "stealth grows"......we rarely suffer uninvited guests :0 That said, I did notice a fly chilling out (or getting a warm lol) in my new little room today :)
 
I have no problems with people who eat meat. It is my preference.

Growth inhibitors, the scourge of bedding plants, designed to keep them tight and in bud-n-bloom, but when they retard so badly they can't break out of it, not so good. One time we had such a major failure from Bonsai application to the wrong thing (plug trays after germination) we were forced to throw away 50,000 flats of annuals. The plug division failed to switch the tanks and we not only lost all the soil, trays, packs, pots, seeds and plants, half the staff lost their jobs instantly. I wish they never invented this stuff because we'd have to go back to the old way; timing. I'm pretty radical, so please don't take anything I say personally. It is nothing personal.
 
gardenfaerie said:
What is this natural spray? I wondered if the plants in flower can also be sprayed? I don't want the fatty acids in the insecticidal soap to melt the trichs off. What is this spray you are talking about? Right now I just spray everything off with water and it definitely cuts them down fast.
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you can look it up, but I've always had success in killing disease and pests with things like garlic, white vinegar, hot peppers, etc. you just make it into a spray. always use the real raw stuff like minced garlic cloves, not garlic powder.

plants look great. since they do look a little hungry it wouldn't hurt to feed them once.

I did a google search and here's what I found:

"Mites and other insects:
Mix two tablespoons of hot pepper sauce or cayenne pepper with a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Let stand overnight, then stir and pour into a spray bottle and apply as above. Shake container frequently during application."
 
gardenfaerie said:
I have no problems with people who eat meat. It is my preference.

Growth inhibitors, the scourge of bedding plants, designed to keep them tight and in bud-n-bloom, but when they retard so badly they can't break out of it, not so good. One time we had such a major failure from Bonsai application to the wrong thing (plug trays after germination) we were forced to throw away 50,000 flats of annuals. The plug division failed to switch the tanks and we not only lost all the soil, trays, packs, pots, seeds and plants, half the staff lost their jobs instantly. I wish they never invented this stuff because we'd have to go back to the old way; timing. I'm pretty radical, so please don't take anything I say personally. It is nothing personal.
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No offense I have worked 27 years now to minimize all chem use in our operation mainly though because of the input cost basis. Growth regulators in greenhouses in the old days was mainly for poinsettia and easter lilly production. I was an intern on growth regulators in turf grasses for golf course, cemetary and roadside applications
 
b.real said:
you can look it up, but I've always had success in killing disease and pests with things like garlic, white vinegar, hot peppers, etc. you just make it into a spray. always use the real raw stuff like minced garlic cloves, not garlic powder.

plants look great. since they do look a little hungry it wouldn't hurt to feed them once.

I did a google search and here's what I found:

"Mites and other insects:
Mix two tablespoons of hot pepper sauce or cayenne pepper with a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Let stand overnight, then stir and pour into a spray bottle and apply as above. Shake container frequently during application."
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Yes, okay, how could I forget! Garlic/pepper tea. I used to make that all the time. Truth be told, normally I don't bother killing insects. My yard has a balance after being organic for the entire 15 years I've lived here. Because this is cannabis and I'm going to smoke it, and because I have liver disease which can kill me, I was being cautious.

I did fertilize all the plants today. Since all are now in differing stages of flowering, I gave them some HastaGro. 6-12-6 which should be enough N. I'll check in a few days. If not, I'll add some worm casting tea.

I personally know J. Howard Garrett from Dallas. He has an organic gardening radio show on WBAP on Sat. and Sun. morning. I imagine he streams it. If any of you guys want to listen to a wonderful organic gardening radio show, my friend John Dromgoole who's been doing the show for 30 years, is current to a fault on organic methods. He also owns one of the premier garden centers in the United States and is award winning. ABOUT US

If you look around on the website you'll find a link to his garden show. I highly recommend it for anywhere in the country, although it is geared toward one region. Generally, the same organic methods work everywhere the same with different schedules for temperatures.

I'm rambling so...because I did NOT GET MY SEEDS AGAIN! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
 
b.real said:
you can look it up, but I've always had success in killing disease and pests with things like garlic, white vinegar, hot peppers, etc. you just make it into a spray. always use the real raw stuff like minced garlic cloves, not garlic powder.

plants look great. since they do look a little hungry it wouldn't hurt to feed them once.

I did a google search and here's what I found:

"Mites and other insects:
Mix two tablespoons of hot pepper sauce or cayenne pepper with a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Let stand overnight, then stir and pour into a spray bottle and apply as above. Shake container frequently during application."
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Have you done that with weed, B-Real? I suppose a little would be ok. If you have to apply frequently that cayenne could make for some hot smoke!
 
PeeJay said:
Have you done that with weed, B-Real? I suppose a little would be ok. If you have to apply frequently that cayenne could make for some hot smoke!
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PJ, you know that period in the greenhouse between warm out and cold/warm out with constant fluctuation of temperature and humidity. There is not the same control outside as there in in the grow room/closet/tent. I prefer outside until I get one of those Godlights LA has. Holy cow. That thing is sexy!

So, it's this time period where insects show up due to the plant stress from temperature differentials. I try to keep it even with cooler at night, but it's not always that easy with a home greenhouse. My next house will be polycarb with auto vents, propane, and shade cloth.
 
Yeah, I see crazy fluctuations right now. If I don't vent and run a fan on sunny days it will hit the high 90's. In the mornings 38-45. Most of the stuff out there full time is stuff that bugs don't like - lavender, citronella, rosemary, thyme, agastache, salvias. The stuff with soft leaves - early lettuce, dianthus marjoram - they are gnat heaven lately.
 
PeeJay said:
Have you done that with weed, B-Real? I suppose a little would be ok. If you have to apply frequently that cayenne could make for some hot smoke!
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I've fed one of my plants garlic water for 2 weeks because it had a virus.
 
Morning update: Fertilized plants yesterday and they are greened up a bit. One more feeding and it should fix the sitch. Now, three of my plants have begun flowering. I can't stress enough that these autos I'm growing are misbehaved, weak, don't like anything, and are only a last resort. These have been growing since Dec. 16 and they are not ready yet. Hmmm. It is probably me, the grower, but too fussy for me. I like to fuss, pinch, prune, tie down, etc. No sucha with autos. Here's a photo update with the new flowers and what the older plants have:

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It is cold (40 high all day) and very grey. I just want these plants FINISHED ALREADY. I did remove a popcorn bud to smoke and see. I better get high after all this shit!
 
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