Hi, just wondering if anyone knows of a way to feed cannabis so that the plant itself becomes toxic to pests like spider mites. Or any other pests. I saw someone somewhere mention that possibility but I have not found any info on it yet. Does anyone know anything about this?
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Wonder if that change would make our consumption even more hazardous to us as well? Be interesting to see what gets turned up here.
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I’m not aware of any product that would do that and be safe to consume.
People ask about pests all the time in their grows. Indoors is a simple matter of maintaining cleanliness. Outdoor growers tend to ask about products to kill pests but I’ve always felt it better to keep them off before they cause problems. Plant protector fabric does that well and will not affect plant growth. Couple that with a product like Captain Jack’s Deadbug or Safer Caterpillar Killer and you should be good.
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Thank you, that was my main concern as well. I believe the info I saw was in reference to non-cannabis plants. I used Captain Jacks Deadbug and their Neem oil spray as well (when safe). But I am looking to be as hardcore as I can be for future grows. Cleaned and sanitized, repainted the floors, scrubbed every item and piece of equipment multiple times, every nook and cranny. I just don’t want to ever have to go through it again. I fought spider mites as hard as I could and still they devastated my last harvest. It was disheartening.
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Silica can help your plant be resistant to some pest…but not toxic. Some products like Dr. Zymes lowers the PH of the surface making it uninviting for some pests…but this is applied and not fed…It is basically organically derived citric acid.
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I would strongly suggest performing a peroxide bud wash at harvest. I don’t have pests in my grow space but I always do a bud wash.
That’s one plant washed from an indoor grow. Skin cells, smoke, pet dander, dust, environmental crap etc. and won’t harm the plant or affect potency.
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Interesting. I have no idea but spider mites is my biggest villian when growing outdoors. Mites 3, T-ray 0. I moved indoors and haven’t looked back.
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Thank you, I will look into all these awesome suggestions! Plant protector fabric, silica, Dr Zymes, etc. I also just ordered some Growers Ally sprays to test. I appreciate all this help! And the peroxide wash as well, I did do that after harvest. I actually did the wash plus a significant hose down in the shower of each branch. Seemed to work, I didn’t see a single mite on them anywhere during drying. Nothing climbed to the top etc. I think I will be washing all my bud from now on, just hopefully won’t require anything as intensive as this last. 
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So a very experienced and respected gromie of mine, whom no longer uses the site, @CurrDogg420 used to swear by using neem meal. It’s sold as an organic nitrogen amendment that can kill grubs in the soil and nats. He played w it a lot.
He claimed it would systemically enter the roots of his veggies and cannabis to prevent pest. Especially spider mites. It was one of his go to tip dresses.
But, not have the taste problems that sprays of neem leave behind. Or even concentrated root drench neem extracted products. Just the plain neem meal as part of the soil mix from the start.
I have never played w this myself. But I never forgot it. The only studies that I could find saying it is systemic was from 1995 with aspen trees. But it claims that it sure is.
Maybe worth a shot @doublerdiner
Sorry I do not have first hand feed back, but I totally trust that gromie.
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Good tip worth trying. Can’t see how it would affect the end product detrimentally either.
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To naturally deter spider mites, consider planting aromatic herbs like mint, rosemary, basil, chives, dill, and garlic, as well as flowers like marigolds and chrysanthemums.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
Herbs:
Mint: Its strong fragrance can repel spider mites and other pests.
Rosemary: Known for its pest-repelling properties, rosemary can help keep spider mites at bay.
Basil: Basil can deter aphids and spider mites, making it a good companion plant for tomatoes and peppers.
Chives: Chives are an edible herb that repels aphids, nematodes, and spider mites.
Dill: Dill can deter aphids, squash bugs, and spider mites.
Garlic: Garlic’s strong odor can deter spider mites.
Lemon balm: Can repel aphids and spider mites, and attracts beneficial insects.
Flowers:
Marigolds:
Contain pyrethrum, a natural insecticide that repels mosquitoes, tomato hornworms, and other insects.
Chrysanthemums:
Contain pyrethrins, which are commonly used in insecticides and can also repel spider mites.
Lavender:
Can help repel pests like aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites that commonly affect tomato and pepper plants.
From Google
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I keep chives and rosemary in my flower room!
You can see the chives are flowering at bottom of pic.
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Wow! These are all such great tips! Thank you everyone for all this help, I’m gonna add all these to my arsenal. You guys are awesome, I appreciate it!
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