Organic Pest Control for Cannabis Home Growers

Pests of any variety can quickly become a mountain of stress for any home grower. Whether you grow indoors, outdoors, or in a greenhouse, these unwelcome guests will inevitably find a way to ruin your crop if they manage to get in. While solutions such as synthetic pesticides and inert growing mediums can play a role in mitigating pest damage for those who choose to use them, for the organic grower these remedies simply will not do.

Fortunately, there are a variety of available solutions for organic growers to use in order to minimize damage and prevent pests from taking over a grow space. By incorporating organic systems into a gardening schedule, you can minimize the damage that pests can cause by controlling their populations down to a manageable degree, all without worrying about causing damage to your cannabis plants.

Common Cannabis Pests
The most common cannabis pests include thrips, whitefly, spider mites, leaf miners, aphids, and cabbage loopers, among others. In the ganja community, the inchworm-like looper caterpillars are also referred to as “bud worms”. If you aren’t familiar with all these insects, consider browsing this article about common garden pest identification too. Finally, powdery mildew and fungal diseases can also be an issue for cannabis.

Use Sterilized Soil And Fertilizer

The problem with unsterilized soil is that it can contain the eggs or even larvae of some common marijuana pests. If you grow your marijuana in that soil, you will be in for a rude surprise when those eggs hatch or those larvae start to grow up. This is particularly bad for indoor growers because there are no natural predators inside your house.

CORIANDER TEA SPRAY

Coriander spray will take care of any aphid or spider mite infestations. It addresses the infestation directly and also affects the viability of the next generation already in eggs. Simply boil 250g of shredded coriander leaves in a litre of water. Strain and set to cool. In a separate container, mix ½ teaspoon of dish soap with another litre of water. Combine the two and spray directly on infestations.

Neem Oil

Use neem oil to keep pests awayNeem oil is another organic way to keep pests out of the garden. Pressed from the seeds and fruit of the neem tree, this oil is excellent for killing or repelling all kinds of insects and mites. Aphids, whiteflies, snails, mealy bugs, worms, flies, and more hate the bitter taste of neem and will stay far away from plants treated with it. It is also excellent at controlling fungus and mold.

Pyrethrins

Pyrethrins are a natural derivative from chrysanthemums. This organic compound has been used in horticulture for many years due to its low toxicity to humans and animals. Pyrethrins are extremely toxic to insects and can be used to eradicate a wide variety of pest insects. The concentration of pyrethrins can vary greatly from product to product so following the manufacturer’s guidelines is extremely important.

Spinosad

Spinosad is an organic compound based on the bacteria species Saccharopolyspora spinosa. This bacterium disrupts the nervous system of the pest insects. Spinosad is most effective at treating the larvae stage of pest insects.

Securing Your Grow Space

Building a secure marijuana grow tent is imperative to protecting your crop from pests. A well-built cannabis grow tent will provide a impenetrable barrier between your plants and the outside world.

If your grow room is successfully sealed from the outside environment, the only thing that can contaminate the space is what you bring into the room. Pests are experts when it comes to attaching to clothing and traveling with their host. For this reason, keeping yourself and your equipment sanitized is crucial to pest control.

Many growers will change their clothes before entering their garden. Keep a pair of pants, shoes, and shirt in a closet next to your room to reduce the risk of any pests hitching a ride into the garden with you.

Sterilize your garden tools with a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. A few minutes spent preparing your equipment can go a long way in preventing contamination.