Gardeners have had to deal with pest control of their cannabis plants for centuries. Pests' could possibly be either one of the following: birds, insects, mammals, or even other humans, cultivated plants seem to have a targeted.
Certain pests seem to like the taste of the cannabis plants. If the cannabis plants are left unchecked you could end up with an infestation and this can ruin your crop.
The use of harsh chemical products to repel the pests from your cannabis plants can be harmful in the latter.
By avoiding all of this we have compiled a list with some safe and effective repellents along with other safety precautions that will guide you with the best possible ways to keep bugs off your cannabis plants.
The use of Sterilized Soil And Fertilizer
Unsterilized soil can contain the eggs or even larvae of some common cannabis pests. By growing your cannabis plan in unsterilized soil you will be surprised by the larvae and eggs hatching or the larvae will start to grow. This would be bad for indoor growers due to the fact that there are no natural predators inside your house.
It is simple and fairly easy to sterilize your own soil. You can do this by cooking your soil in the oven, where it will reach an internal temperature of around 171 degrees to – 82 degrees. By doing this, you will kill all moulds, pests, weeds, and seeds. The length of time that you will need to bake your soil will be dependent on the quantity of soil you require. This process would be around 30 to 45 minutes to reach 82 degrees. Do not exceed temperatures of 87 degrees nothing good will come from this.
For a large amount of soil, you can use 2,5 tablespoon of 3% peroxide per kg of soil. Do not forget to use a fertilizer when you have sterilized your soil.
Cannabis Companion Plants
By intermingling, naturally, repellent plants in your cannabis garden is certainly a good way to prevent bugs insect infestations. Your cannabis plant produces THC which acts as a natural repellent although it is often not strong enough to repel all insects and bugs particularly in the early stages of life.
Pungent plants like geraniums and marigolds will keep leaf-eating insects and worms at bay. If you are trying to ward off bigger pests such as rabbits or small buck you can plant onions.
Types of companion plants' your cannabis plant will love:
Basil
This herb has a strong scent and is perfect for keeping beetles, aphids, and flies away. Many growers claim that it will also increase the oil production and flavour of your cannabis plant.
Beans
If nitrogen deficiency is a concern by planting beans may be a remedy. As the beans grow they absorb nitrogen from the air and thus depositing it as nitrites into the soil. Cannabis plants thrive on nitrites.
Garlic
Garlic is a popular option as they protect the cannabis plant against moulds and pests. Garlic is a natural fungicide that will protect your cannabis plants from these deadly diseases. You are able to make a spray solution that you can use as a spot treatment.
Marigolds
Marigolds are known to many growers as the “beautiful distraction because many cannabis-loving animals and pests will opt for the marigold.
Mint
Many garden pests hate the smell of mint and avoid going near it, therefore, making this an ideal companion plant.
Peppers
Chili pepper plants is a great way to keep large pests such as mice, rabbits, and buck. The chili pepper plant root system gives off a chemical that protects your cannabis plants from rotting.
The Use of Natural Predators
By growing your cannabis plant outdoors you can make use of a few pest predators. The Ladybug are beneficial to have around your outdoor cannabis plants, the ladybug preys on the larvae and other potential pests.
Encouraging birds to nest in the area, is a good idea as they often like to eat some cannabis pests. You can encourage them by putting out some birdhouses and a bird feeder to get birds to come around. Ensure you don’t attract the birds during the germination process, birds love the taste of the cannabis seed.
Building A Fence
If the pests are larger animals are a problem that might need to try building a fence around your cannabis plants.
Create A Repellent
By using a permethrin-based repellent, you can keep insects and pests away from your plants without using synthetic sprays on your cannabis plants. Spray a ring on the ground about 1,8m away from your cannabis plant. The bugs that come into contact with this permethrin repellent will either vacate the area or die.
There are also many organic repellents that you can make at home. This is one of my favourite organic repellents:
Oil Spray is a mixture of vegetable oil and soap, both ingredients are insecticides, these will kill insects such as aphids, mites, and beetles.
Other natural ingredients, such as neem oil, garlic, and chili powder can be added to the oil or soap solution.
Here are some recipes :
Oil-Based Insecticide
An oil spray insecticide can be made from mild soap and vegetable oil. This is an easy but effective spray that will kill insects such as aphids and mites by blocking their pores thus leading to suffocation.
You can mix up your own solution by using, mix 1 cup of oil with 1 Tbl of soap. Mix it up well then dilute 2 teaspoons of it in 1 quart of water.
Soap-Based Insecticide
Soap insecticide spray is similar to the oil spray. This spray also kills insects but is useful for whiteflies, mites, and beetles. This spray can be used at any time but is best applied early morning and early evening.
To make a soap-based insecticide mix 1 ½ tsp of mild soap with a quart of water. Spray it directly on our plants.
Neem Oil Insecticide
The Neem Tree has a natural defence system It is a hormone disrupter that keeps insect predators away. Neem Tree oil is safe for everything except insects and is also a power fungicide. Neem oil insecticide will drive away and prevent insects and other fungal infections. You can create your own neem oil insecticide mixture by combining 1 tsp of liquid soap with 2 tsp of neem oil in 1 quart of water.
Chili-based Insecticide
Chili pepper may be more insect repellent than anything else, you can still use it in your garden. Create homemade chili spray out of fresh chili peppers. Puree ½ cup of peppers in a cup of water, add a quart of water and bring to a boil. Leave the mixture to cool down, strain out the peppers, and add a few drops of soap to the liquid. This homemade spray is safe to spray directly on your plants.
Diatomaceous Earth
Fossilized algae buried deep in our earth is a natural resource and makes a good insecticide, the diatomaceous earth does not poison or suffocate insects, the diatomaceous earth dehydrates these pests. You can simply dust the area around your plants and on the plants. This will keep insects away along with snails and slugs.
Various cannabis plant strains might have different reactions to any homemade organic repellents. You should test the repellents on an inconspicuous section of the plant to make sure it does not harm the cannabis plant.
It may seem as if controlling outdoor pests is easier however it is actually more difficult to control pests indoors. When these pests are indoors they can ravage your entire garden up until late in the vegetative state.
Once you have these pests indoors it’s hard to get them away from your cannabis plants therefore prevention is better than cure.