PlumberSoCal
Well-Known Member
From aphids to spider mites to slugs/snails to mice/rats to moth larvae to PM and fungus rot, growing outside can become a smorgasbord for pests and leave us with little to show for our time and effort.
We must be careful what we use to control pests as most of us plan to ingest parts of the plant by smoking/vaping, eating or extracting and combining with food or drink so it is very important to use pesticides that won't hurt us in the process.
With all the bugs and fungus that regularly attack our plants I've found a regular regime of prophylactic sprays has helped control the bugs and helped me realize fuller harvests. Here's what I use:
Neem Oil
I spray this weekly on all seedlings and plants in veg and up to 4 weeks after flip. Never use on plants close to harvest as it will affect the taste but as a pesticide and fungicide it's hard to beat.
Spinosad. A bacteria grown specifically for use controlling bugs. This will even kill ants if sprayed directly on them but there is no residual action. When combating aphids and scale, ants are almost always present protecting and milking the insects for their sweet extract so controlling the ants is also important when trying to control these pests. I use this on plants in flower up to a day before harvest. I do give the plants a wash with water from the hose and then a spray of bottled water.
Bt
Another bacteria grown for pest control of moth larvae. Jack's Dead Bug also works on some species of larvae but Bt works better than any other organic spray to control butterfly and moth larvae. All plants in flower past 4 weeks get sprayed weekly up to one day before harvest. Plants are sprayed with water before harvest.
Fungus control
I used the Growers Ally (Citric acid active ingredient) but it doesn't seem to protect plants for more than a day so I switched to another bacteria that works very well controlling PM and Botrytis. With all the wet wether we've delt with the past few months I lost 4 plants to boteytis. First time I've ever had to deal with the problem and now use this Bacillus amyloliquefaciens to control all fungus including PM up to a day before harvest.
Slugs/snails
Bait is the only pesticide I've found that works. I've buried containers in the yard filled with stale beer that did not work. Copper barriers will keep them away but I have far to many plants to use copper pipe or tape. I use a handful of bait the first of the month in my sm greenhouse, which is 6' x 9' and a couple handfuls in my lg greenhouse, 8' x 16' and in my garden as needed. I also add more after a rain. Slugs and snails have wiped out my seedlings several times through the years.
Mice and rats
While it's true I want them DEAD. Their families DEAD that bastards are smart and difficult to control their numbers. While I do set traps to rid as many as possible when you raise chickens and compost kitchen scraps you'll have mice and rats. This device actually works by emitting a high frequency sound that the pests hate and keeps them from setting up shop in my greenhouses. I purchase them 4 at a time so when they do stop working I've got a replacement although it usually takes an attack to alert me the device needs replacing.
While most pests will attack weakened plants keeping them healthy is very important. This stuff
Is a game changer. I used it for many years when planting new seeds or transplanting I've started using it twice a month to keep plants healthy.
This is basicly my current Integrated Pest Management system. I'm always researching and trying new products as needed to keep my plants healthy and producing quality bud for ME, and not for the bugs
We must be careful what we use to control pests as most of us plan to ingest parts of the plant by smoking/vaping, eating or extracting and combining with food or drink so it is very important to use pesticides that won't hurt us in the process.
With all the bugs and fungus that regularly attack our plants I've found a regular regime of prophylactic sprays has helped control the bugs and helped me realize fuller harvests. Here's what I use:
Neem Oil
I spray this weekly on all seedlings and plants in veg and up to 4 weeks after flip. Never use on plants close to harvest as it will affect the taste but as a pesticide and fungicide it's hard to beat.
Spinosad. A bacteria grown specifically for use controlling bugs. This will even kill ants if sprayed directly on them but there is no residual action. When combating aphids and scale, ants are almost always present protecting and milking the insects for their sweet extract so controlling the ants is also important when trying to control these pests. I use this on plants in flower up to a day before harvest. I do give the plants a wash with water from the hose and then a spray of bottled water.
Bt
Another bacteria grown for pest control of moth larvae. Jack's Dead Bug also works on some species of larvae but Bt works better than any other organic spray to control butterfly and moth larvae. All plants in flower past 4 weeks get sprayed weekly up to one day before harvest. Plants are sprayed with water before harvest.
Fungus control
I used the Growers Ally (Citric acid active ingredient) but it doesn't seem to protect plants for more than a day so I switched to another bacteria that works very well controlling PM and Botrytis. With all the wet wether we've delt with the past few months I lost 4 plants to boteytis. First time I've ever had to deal with the problem and now use this Bacillus amyloliquefaciens to control all fungus including PM up to a day before harvest.
Slugs/snails
Bait is the only pesticide I've found that works. I've buried containers in the yard filled with stale beer that did not work. Copper barriers will keep them away but I have far to many plants to use copper pipe or tape. I use a handful of bait the first of the month in my sm greenhouse, which is 6' x 9' and a couple handfuls in my lg greenhouse, 8' x 16' and in my garden as needed. I also add more after a rain. Slugs and snails have wiped out my seedlings several times through the years.
Mice and rats
While it's true I want them DEAD. Their families DEAD that bastards are smart and difficult to control their numbers. While I do set traps to rid as many as possible when you raise chickens and compost kitchen scraps you'll have mice and rats. This device actually works by emitting a high frequency sound that the pests hate and keeps them from setting up shop in my greenhouses. I purchase them 4 at a time so when they do stop working I've got a replacement although it usually takes an attack to alert me the device needs replacing.
While most pests will attack weakened plants keeping them healthy is very important. This stuff
Is a game changer. I used it for many years when planting new seeds or transplanting I've started using it twice a month to keep plants healthy.
This is basicly my current Integrated Pest Management system. I'm always researching and trying new products as needed to keep my plants healthy and producing quality bud for ME, and not for the bugs
.
