Growing cannabis might be easy and simple, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t going to encounter any problems along the way. Just like with any other cultivation, there are certain problems you might face, and one of the most common ones are pests. If you want to know more about the most common cannabis pests, then you are at the right spot.
Cannabis pests are problems you are most likely to encounter in your cannabis growing journey. Thankfully they are highly preventable as long as you are properly equipped with the right knowledge and materials to counter these nasty beings. If you want to learn more about these cannabis pests and how to deal with them, read further than below.
List of Common Cannabis Pests
Here are the known cannabis pests that you need to be aware of to prevent damaging your plants:
Aphids
Aphids are tiny and pale-looking creatures that are pretty common among cannabis plants. They are quick to proliferate in such a small area. They are commonly found under the leaves of cannabis plants. What is annoying with them is how they reproduce. They lay eggs as often as twelve hours a day. They kill cannabis plants by sucking the nutrients out of the leaves, leaving plants with deformations, discolorations, and other symptoms.
Aphids are also vectors of diseases as they are known to introduce the virus to other plants that will eventually contract the disease and further stun their growth and slow their production.
How to deal with them?
Mother nature has a good way of limiting these nasty creatures in the form of ladybugs, wasps, and other small organisms. The best way to prevent or deal with them is the tomato or garlic combined with mineral oil. Soak the combination for a day or two and sprinkle these within the cannabis leaves.
Fungus Gnats
They are mosquito-like flies that are quite smaller but longer in appearance. Fungus gnats thrive on wet soils and warm temperatures. These nasty creatures aren’t the culprit as to why cannabis plants are dying; it’s their larvae. Once fungus gnats lay their eggs, they will then munch on tender roots and drain out all the nutrients after the eggs hatch. Gnats aren’t known to eat leaves or flowers. When a cannabis plant is infested with fungus gnats, they lose all the nutrients leaving them wilted and leaves are curling or even dying.
How to deal with them?
Luckily, these are highly preventable. As long as you don’t overwater your plants and give plenty of airflow throughout the grow, the soil will dry quickly, and they can’t proliferate within the top layer of the soil. Another treatment for this is to sprinkle a little bit of neem oil within the infected regions; they will die quickly when sprayed.
Spider Mites
Spider mites take the form of a very small spider-like fly. They deal with their damage by nibbling the plant’s chlorophyll, leaving them with yellow or white spots. Luckily, they can be easily detected as they spun their webs to protect their offspring. When these annoying creatures feed on chlorophyll, plants would likely die as they need chlorophyll for their growth.
Also, their webs are quite nasty. It is very hard to remove and reduce your harvest’s overall quality when there are plenty of webs within the buds, flowers, and leaves.
How to deal with them?
The best way to prevent spider mites from infesting your growth, especially indoor cultivation, is to have all your equipment, growing medium, and other items to be well-sanitized. Also, never allow pets to go in your grow room as these mites tend to cling onto animals. When an infestation has already begun, spraying Neem oil is the best way to go about it, proven effective and safe.
Caterpillars
When you see caterpillars grow, it is a very horrible sight to see as these gentle creatures have a voracious appetite. They can simply munch your cannabis throughout the day, leaving your plants with big spots. Caterpillars are very much attracted to cannabis due to their scent. Another bad thing for your cannabis plants is to look out for borer caterpillars. They will burrow inside of your plant and munch their way out.
How to deal with them?
Just like with Aphids, you have mother nature to rely on as well. Parasitic wasps are the primary predators of caterpillars. Once they sense that there are caterpillars, they quickly go for the kill. One of the most popular treatments for caterpillar and other pests is the Bug Blaster, tested and proven to get the job done.
Grasshoppers and Crickets
They are one of the most popular outdoor pests all over the world. Not only do these creatures have the potential to wreak havoc within your plant, but with the entire grow as well. Just like caterpillars, they too have voracious appetites and can simply munch your plants until they’re gone. These pests are likely to occur when you are growing outdoors and are rarely witnessed on indoor grows.
How to deal with them?
They are more popular when you are growing outdoors. The best way to avoid these creatures is to set up a grow tent that sunlight is still visible. In this way, they are likely to go looking elsewhere as they aren’t able to enter your crops. Also, try mixing a gallon of water and a few tablespoons of dishwashing agents.
Leaf Miners
As their name suggests, they will mine your cannabis plant’s leaves and dig through everything they come across, eventually damaging the plant by draining all the important nutrients and minerals. They look like your typical house fly, but these small creatures can wreak havoc in no time. Once they lay eggs underneath the plant’s leaves, these larvae hatch and feed onto the plant and burrow inside.
They are very easy to determine as they leave a trail of lines which is brown or white in color. These patterns are visible on top of the leaves, making it clear to determine who the culprit is. Thankfully, compared to others, they don’t pose much of a threat to the plant’s overall health as their numbers are always at a minimum, and they injure your plants minimally.
How to deal with them?
Pesticides aren’t a possibility with these creatures. When treating leaf miners, you are doing more harm than good. The best way to eradicate leaf miners is to bring some parasitic wasps into your grow. These creatures love to feed on these organisms. If you see a burrowed miner, just simply squish them. In this way, they are instantly killed.
Thrips
Although they are very small in nature, don’t mess with this creature as they prefer the cannabis flower to the leaves. When thrips infest your cultivars, they won’t be properly mature as this creature is feeding on the flower, and most likely will affect the quality of your outcome once harvest season is over.
They are also known as vectors of diseases. Thrips can easily spread infection from plant to plant, which may cause additional damage to an already damaged crop.
How to deal with them?
The best way to deal with them is to prevent them from entering your grow room. Use a high-quality compost and ensure that your growing environment is clean and well-sanitized.
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Conclusion
Cannabis pests are inevitable problems. Almost all growers try to avoid it. Luckily, these annoying cannabis pests can be dealt with or even prevented before it takes over your crop. So, be sure to read everything to know how to deal with these nasty little creatures once it affects your cultivation.
Finally, there is no smooth-sailing cannabis growing journey. It is your duty as a grower to protect your cultivars to a higher degree. Besides, once you’ve showered them the love, affection, and time, they will reward you in so many ways.