Weed Pest Control | Cannabis Pests

Are you struggling with cannabis pests? Are you also looking for ways to fight these pests and enact a weed pest control? If your answer is yes, you came to the right place.

We know that gardeners growing weed have been dealing with this issue for a long time. The struggle continues to this day, with the pest evolving and growing. In this article, we will look at the entire weed pest control system in detail to help you defend your plants better.

What are the best ways to prevent pest attacks?

What are the effects of chemical and synthetic pesticides?

How to choose a pesticide?

Are there any organic alternatives to synthetic weed pest control?

We bet a similar dozen questions are drifting in your mind, especially if you are new to this. Not to worry, as you continue reading, you will be ready to handle these annoying pests and infestations.

Do you want to take care of you plants in the most productive and healthy way? Read about the best nutrients and fertilizers.

Synthetic Vs Organic Weed Pest Control

The debate between organic and synthetic pesticides for pest control has gone almost stale. As the concerns related to the effects of chemicals on plants and its consumer continue to increase. It has led to an advancement in the field of organic pest control, also called natural or biological pest control methods. 

Are you aware of the synthetic pest control method? You can simply call it pesticides, and for weed specifically, these pesticides are called herbicides. It uses a combination of chemicals to fight off your cannabis pests. Noticeably with time, the chemical concussion has gotten stronger as people come up with varieties and types of herbicides. 

However, what can be deadly for insects can also be harmful to you. There is a higher chance of you and the consumers to come in contact with the toxins used in pesticides, especially for weed that you inhale. Hence, the popularity of biological control methods for the pest control prevails. 

So, the use of living organisms to defend your plants is called organic pest control. Thus, you bypass the harmful effects of pesticides in this method by using naturally found organisms like plants and insects. Additionally, they are also super effective, and when used properly, can help promote better health for your cannabis plants.  

Hence, to help you stay on a healthy path, we have discussed effective organic control methods to repel off those nasty pests off your precious plants. 

Natural Pesticides for Weed Plants

Do you think all pesticides are bad? That’s okay, as it is a common misconception many people believe in. As when you think about pesticides, you only think about the ones synthesized in labs. Building on that, the word pesticide means any substance that kills pests’ infestation from your plants.

Here, we will discuss pesticides that use environmentally sound and natural substances. in this case, you only extract the elements for natural pesticides from natural resources like minerals, plants, or other living organisms.

However, there is another common misconception among people that is assuming everything natural is safe. Some natural pesticides are toxic as well, which can be harmful to you, like nicotine. Hence, we have created a list of safe yet effective natural pesticides for you.

Let us dive right into their details. 

Foliar Sprays

One of the basic weed control methods that you can use is spraying pesticides. It works equally great for synthetic and organic herbicides. The difference lies in the content of the spray and the products you use to make the spray. Thus, it is best for controlling as well as eradicating those annoying cannabis pests on your plants.

Since you can use it to perform two important functions, the timing of using it becomes crucial. It requires you to be proactive, but also react to any new situation before it worsens. Thus, the organic pesticides you plan on purchasing or making should depend on the situation at hand.

Moving on, if you are dealing with an infestation, the first step should be to eliminate the pest by terminating them and their growth. Then the second step is to maintain a clean environment for your cannabis plants.

Depending on the type of infestation, you will make your insecticide using natural and organic ingredients. So, we took the liberty to list some of the popular active ingredients for you.

• Tomatoes, tobacco, and potatoes mixture spray. They make a highly effective insecticide to terminate aphids and wasps.
• Coriander mixture spray. If you are struggling with menaces like spider mites, this is the arms for you. Other than terminating the living pest, it also affects the larvae and eggs.
• Garlic extract mixture spray. Can help you overthrow many different cannabis pests, as it is a strong topical pesticide. Additionally, you can spray it right on the infestation for faster results.

Apart from this, you can use an organic spray made from essential oil and teas to help maintain a clean environment. Additionally, you can add minerals to these mixtures, that the plant will absorb through their leaves to improve health. 

Pyrethrin

It is an organic pesticide made from the species of chrysanthemum. The chrysanthemum is flowering plants native to Asian and European areas. These flowers have been for pest control in horticultural areas for centuries, especially in Asia. Thus, it will suit your weed control system well. 

Although, you must remember not to confuse it with permethrin, which is a synthetic pesticide that uses this natural product and other chemicals. Even though it is highly effective, it is toxic, especially for some animals like cats. So, you must pay extra attention when purchasing this product. 

Overall, pyrethrin can protect you from several kinds of pests, like spider mites, scale insects, and other pests that eat leaves. Additionally, you can be mixed with other ingredients like neem oil to level up your defenses.

Pyrethrin is fast at terminating many pests at once without harming your plants or beneficial insects. Yet, we do not recommend you to use this after the flowering phase or before the harvesting phase. As the remains of the products will stay in your weeds, and if smoked or heated, it can become highly toxic for you.

Spinosad

It is found naturally in the environment, and a bacterium called Saccharopolyspora produces it. You can spray Spinosad directly to the affected area, as it is very safe to use for you and your pets alike. However, its effects last only for a day, after which it needs another round of spraying.

Once you spray it over your cannabis plants, any weed pest that comes closer to it dies within a minute of contact. As it attacks the nervous system of insects, making Spinosad highly effective at terminating them. Thus, it makes a great insecticide for a variety of pests and infestations.

Azadirachtin

The Azadirachtin is an extract from neem oil, which makes it an organic substance for pesticides. Whereas, the neem tree provides us with neem oil that is native to India and other tropical areas.

When you aim to be proactive about your plants’ protection, it is best if you use Azadirachtin. As it helps prevent insects from eating your weeds and hinder its growth. Additionally, it also prevents the growth of the infestation by blocking its ability to procreate and increase the population.

Apart from this, we recommend it to you due to its board usage and effectiveness over several insects. You can also increase its effectiveness by mixing it with insecticidal soaps. However, it does not last for long, and you need to apply it again within a few days to keep the effect alive.

Insecticidal Soaps

Did a household soap come to your mind? Well, it is entirely different, and you cannot substitute it with a bar of household soap. Insecticidal soaps are made using organic plants and animal oil containing fatty acids. It attacks the exterior of bugs; hence, are highly effective against insects with a soft body.

Additionally, they are as safe for you as Spinosad, if not more. It doesn’t leave any residue or affect your good bugs. So, you can easily use it to defend your garden. However, it requires you to increase the frequency of the spray. Although mixing it with other pesticides can make it last longer on the surfaces of your cannabis plants. 

Companion Planting

Another great way to increase the defenses of your garden is by using the companion planting method. As the name suggests, it revolves around you building an active ecosystem that helps protect your cannabis plants. So, you systematically plant those species of plant that offers protection to your garden from hazards and pests.

Besides, there are several kinds of plants that you can use as potential repellents. We have created a list so you can choose depending on your preferences. 

• Marigold;
  Produces a pungent smell that helps you fight aphids and nematodes. 
• Garlic;
  Is strong as its extract used in pesticides, and it effectively keeps small mammals away from your garden.
• Geraniums;
  Produces a pungent smell just like marigolds, and that keeps pests that eat leaves away. 
• Flowering Dills;
  Attracts predators like wasps to eat pests off your plants.
• Chilli peppers;
  Highly effective at keeping big menaces like rabbits away from your cannabis plants. 

The list goes on, as many different plants offer a variety of benefits for your garden. So, you can easily choose as per your requirement.

Moreover, we recommend that you use this, especially when your cannabis plants are at its early stages. Besides their proactive protection, companion planting offers other benefits as well. For instance, you can use species like garlic and chrysanthemum to make natural herbicides after harvesting them. Overall, it is a great way to start your kitchen garden.  

Beneficial Insects for Weed Pest Control

Introducing a good bug into your garden ecosystem is called biological control. It is seen as the safest way of weed pest control, as it let nature take on its course to improve your garden’s conditions.

Biological control is a method of restricting and reducing the population of menaces that are attacking your precious cannabis plants. Furthermore, there are many natural mechanisms to introduce biocontrol like predation and parasitism. So, you artificially control the number of natural predators of pests and let nature do its work.

Additionally, this natural and organic method helps not only in controlling pests but also improving compost for your plants. As, when these insects die, they enrich the soil with minerals that your plants later absorb. Thus, when you let nature be nature, you see a positive impact on your garden’s ecosystem.

Ladybugs

We bet your garden already has a small number of ladybugs. As they are the easiest bugs to find; hence, commonly used for biocontrol as well. Ladybugs are carnivores that feed on insects with a soft body. It also puts them in a good position as they will not harm your plants.

Additionally, the larvae of Ladybugs are very active in weed pest control. They have a huge aptitude and can eat hundreds of insects in a year, while a Ladybugs can devour thousands of pests for you. Besides being good at protecting the leaves, they are also highly effective against several menaces. Some of these pests include aphids, mites, fleas, potato beetles, and so on.

Also, to naturally increase the population of ladybugs, you can use a companion planting method and plant species that attract them. For instance, dill, dandelion, fennel, and cilantro are the best companion vegetations to keep these bugs around.

Predator Mites

There is a negative connotation to the word mite, as we commonly use it to refer to pests. These pests’ mites are highly damaging for your cannabis plants as they suck the plant’s sap and rid it off minerals. 

Are you struggling with mites? And are you looking for a safe and organic solution? Well, then Predator mites are the solution to this problem. So, by introducing the predators for these mites, you can let nature handle the cleaning. 

The predator mites act fast and quickly reduce the mites’ population in your cannabis plants. Additionally, they feed on the eggs and larvae of mites as well, which further curbs the growth of these pests. These small guys are also effective against thrips and other small insects.

However, they will not be effective in indoor gardens or garden places in tight areas. They work best in humid places like a greenhouse or outdoors. So, the effectiveness depends on the placement of your garden.  

Overall, Predator Mites will help you fight spider mites, and they breed faster than their prey that enhances your defense by multiple folds. Another benefit of using these is that they come in a variety of species that can help deal with different levels and types of problems. So, you have the option of choosing the one that best fits your garden’s ecosystem and condition.

Predatory Nematodes

Cannabis pests also exist as microorganisms, and the most popular one is Nematodes. These microscopic organisms live on the surface of the soil and often attach to the roots. Hence, they tend to damage your crop from within as they suck minerals and juices from the roots. So, if you do not take prompt action, you will lose yield and your cannabis to these menaces.

Do you know there are many kinds of Nematodes? And do you know how some of them are beneficial and even fight off the bad Nematodes for you? Well, now you know, and to protect your plants you need Predatory Nematodes.

The predatory Nematodes attack the pests to either kill or sterilize them. Thus, it reduces and controls the population of pests. Although they are most effective against pests living in the soil, they also protect you against leeches and slugs.

Additionally, Predatory Nematodes has several species that offering different functions to you. For instance, it can increase nutrients and minerals, which can help your plants grow. So, it gives you an option to choose between the variant species.  

Plant Oil Extracts

Natural pesticides use organic substances in it, and these mostly come from plants. As we previously touched upon this topic, you must be aware of some of the plants we can use to make pesticides like garlic and rosemary.

Plant oil extract offers many benefits to your garden from protection against pests to attracting good bugs. The effectiveness of the extract can be further increased by mixing it with other oil extracts. So, you can mix and match different oils to fit your needs. 

Furthermore, if you use companion planting, using plant oil extract as a weed pest control agent becomes even easier. As you can produce the insecticide at home by harvesting the plants, you grow.

Additionally, as they are organic, their residues have no side effects for whoever consumes your cannabis plants. Thus, we highly recommend using it if you are growing plants for medicinal purposes. Overall, it is a healthy treatment option that keeps your plants free from pests.

Safe Weed Pest Control

Before we start talking about synthetic pesticides, let me warn you it is not easy to identify which one is safe. Also, our priority must be to treat the infestation with an organic option. As there is always a danger that synthetic pesticides can pollute the soil and harm good bugs. 

So how to find a safe pesticide? The answer is pretty easy; make an informed and thoughtful purchase. Before deciding on anything, you need to evaluate the situation and identify the pests. After that, you need to carefully review all options and read the label of the bottle to know it better. Lastly, check reviews online to confirm which product to use. 

Additionally, dilute the pesticide and use proper equipment to spray it. So, to make it easier, we have listed a few pesticides you can choose from depending on your needs.

• Bonide All seasons pest control;
  Is very popular as it works great throughout the year and during all planting phases.
• Permethrin;
  Is driven from pyrethrin that also makes it a strong product. Although you should use it with causation as it can cause rashes.
• Bonide Thuricide;
  Can fight all types of pests without harming the good bugs. However, the strong smell makes it useful only for outdoor gardens.

These were some of the most popular pesticides in the cannabis world. However, the residue of pesticides found in cannabis eventually gets in contact with the consumers’ body. Thus, try to be careful with pesticides, especially during the harvesting and flowering phase. 

Weed Pest Control During Flowering

Are you a few weeks into flowering and noticing pests? No need to worry, this section will help you deal with this problem. Also, the reasons why insects may have found their way to your plant could be due to limited controlling efforts.

So, before flowering starts, you need to make sure you enact all your defenses to prevent any attack. It is not only better for your plant, but also easier to deal with a small number of pests.

Prevention is a pretty simple procedure. All you need to do is check your garden daily for any signs of pests and harm. Then as soon as you see any difference, you react promptly to correct it. Although it is not easy, and often the symptoms start to show when it is too late. So, what then?

You should employ an organic and natural weed pest control methods during the flowering phase. It is not only safe but also effective against cannabis pests. Thus, most of the natural pesticides and biocontrol methods we discussed are all relevant in this case. 

Moreover, remember to carefully match the pests with the type of natural insecticide you use. It is important as the flowering phase determines the taste and yield of your cannabis plants.

Conclusion

Weed pest control is a crucial process for the success of your cannabis plants. Additionally, the variety that exists among both synthetic and organic pest control method makes it even confusing. Although we can agree now that our first choice should be to go for natural products. We hope this was insightful and helps you in all your future endeavors.