Im all Organic as i dont want my medicine having all those chemicals and killing my beneficial microbes.So my Question is…What do you all use Outdoors for pretreating or deterring future pests or insects…I mixed into my supersoil some Coast of Maine Lobster Compost which contains Chitin because i heard it does deter pests and resist diseases so what do you all think?..Should i spray with anything?..Just dont want the hassle i had last year with spider mites and Bud worms…Ughh
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Neem oil is a good go to. I’ve used it, (watered down with a little mild dish soap) on my outdoor plants and haven’t had a problem yet.
I think Safers “end all 2” and serenade are also suitable for organic, but I’ve never used them.
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DE works great. Dust the ground and the plants. Take care as to not get it on the buds. They will need to be washed off if you do.
@garrigan62 has a great Tobacco spice recipe
Here are some idea’s from our boss;
During the first two months, as you are watering and paying attention to the myriad other problems that might be hindering growth, make sure that pests are kept under control. The insects that you’ll want to pay the most attention to are slugs, snails, caterpillars, leaf-eating insects, and beetles. There are a few different means by which you can control these pests, using natural and artificial pesticides and repellents. Obviously, since you are going to be smoking the flowers of these plants later, you want to pay special attention to the chemicals with which you treat them.
Organic insecticides
Organic Insecticides Cannabis
Today you can easily find both nonorganic and organic insecticides because of the success of the organic movement. How do organic insecticides work if they don’t contain chemicals? They function through copying the effects of a plant’s natural pesticides. They are more effective than the plant simply because they are far more concentrated.
Because of its superior strength, pyrethrum is extremely popular amongst growers who use organic insecticides. It can work against a large variety of different pests. Some store-bought insecticides need to be diluted with water while others do not; be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
Even though organic insecticides don’t contain chemicals, they still can kill beneficial insects and mammals along with the harmful ones. They could even kill those predators that you have been using to keep the pests away! Therefore, you have to remember to use any kind of pesticide, organic or no, as little as possible.
Unless your outdoor cannabis plants are being completely destroyed by pests, you shouldn’t use much at all. You should also be decreasing your use of pesticides as time goes on; the more mature your plant is, the more effective its own natural defenses are, so you shouldn’t need to use any pesticides at all once they are fully mature.
Homemade remedies
Home Remedies- Cannabis Pest Control
You can go one more step back from organic insecticides and use remedies that you make yourself at home to protect your young cannabis plants from harmful pests. Try diluting two tablespoons of soap in a gallon of water and misting your plants with it. It should be evenly applied to your entire plant. Make sure that you let it sit for a couple minutes and then spray the entire plant with normal water to wash off the soap since it could damage the plant if left there for too long.
Download my free marijuana grow guide for more outdoor pest control
This isn’t the only home remedy that can be commonly used by growers. You can find many more recipes online, especially on homeopathic gardening sites. Garlic mixtures, for instance, have beetle repelling properties, while adding alcohol to the above soapy water solution keeps snails and slugs away.
Be careful with these recipes, however; alcohol can strip your plant of its beneficial resin production. Make sure you follow the home remedy instructions exactly, paying special attention to the quantity you put on the plant, how long it should remain on the plant, what exactly the purpose of it is, and how much you should dilute it. More tips and tricks to control pests in the article Marijuana pest control
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Companion planting
Companion weed plants insects
Most plants that are able to grow in the wild have evolved to have a toxin-producing ability that repels many pests. You can use other types of plants with this same ability to control pests. It is an effective way to accomplish the same thing while avoiding the use of insecticides completely.
Mints, cabbages, and odorous plants such as onions are all examples of types of plants that repel many different kinds of aphids and beetles. Onions have the additional quality of repelling rabbits and deer. As for leaf-eating insects and insects that bore (such as worms or beetles), try geraniums and marigolds.
This type of gardening is called “companion planting.” It is not only useful for repelling pests, but also for camouflaging your cannabis growing area. The companion plants need to be planted close to your cannabis, but not so close that they cause competition for water and nutrients. They can also be mixed right in with your cannabis for full effectiveness.
These companion plants add an extra element of gardening, as you will have to learn how to grow them and maintain their health effectively. Be sure you have a complete understanding of how to grow these other plants, and make sure you choose ones that would naturally grow in the area anyway.
If you do that, your companion plants will have a better chance of survival and camouflage, and they will do a better job of repelling pesky insects. You should be able to find this information online, at a nursery, or from the same source where you buy your marijuana seeds from.
Thanks for reading. Please leave comments or questions below and don’t forget to download my free grow bible.
Robert
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Also dr earth has a good organic spray
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I like spinosad
It is omri listed for organic growing
I also do super soil @1BigFella turned me on to spinosad and it really works
DE is good but I found that the spinosad was a better preventative Just be sure to follow the directions for application
I also added a product called sm-90 to the spinosad foliar spray helped with absorption also sm-90 was originally designed as a spider mite control but later re-listed as a wetting agent it works great
I also added sm-90 to my foliar feedings as well and is just a great product
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Thank you all…im very happy trying new things…trial and error is how i learned to grow pretty well…this subject is one of my most important here in Massachusetts…lots of problems arise between too humid to rain to pests…ugh…never win!..thanks again😊@Growit…Spinasoad is in Captain jacks but i didnt know u could use as preventative…Thank you and i will read more into it😊