Do you have a nutrient deficiency or bugs?

[Glomus]

During my first couple seasons I spent a lot of time on forums like trying to diagnose a nutrient deficiency I thought I had when really I had a bug problem. I'm mostly an outdoor grower and didn't tend to pay attention to identifying the different bugs that are common pests for cannabis growers, Anyone have a similar experience?

 

[N1ghtL1ght]

About 20-30% of symptoms are misdiagnostised for malnutrition, when it's in fact pathogens like bacteria, viroids or fungi that cause the apparent problems.
This is out of the foreword of a bachelor-standard manual on phytomedication.

 

[Peat_Phreak]

About 20-30% of symptoms are misdiagnostised for malnutrition, when it's in fact pathogens like bacteria, viroids or fungi that cause the apparent problems.
This is out of the foreword of a bachelor-standard manual on phytomedication.

That's why I like to grow with sanitized media. Kill bad microbes and insects before planting. Then add good microbes.

 

[mysticepipedon]

During my first couple seasons I spent a lot of time on forums like trying to diagnose a nutrient deficiency I thought I had when really I had a bug problem. I'm mostly an outdoor grower and didn't tend to pay attention to identifying the different bugs that are common pests for cannabis growers, Anyone have a similar experience?

I do tend to ignore issues on outdoor plants, because hey, they're outdoors! A few thrips and grass hoppers are expected, along with losses from munching mammals. But if the issue is bad, like bud worms, I notice.

 

[TSD]

Bugs are a fact of life outside, I preventative spray to keep from getting a full blown infestation, and plant herbs and stuff that they don't like. Aphids are the worst because they're almost impossible to get rid of completely, they get in all the nooks and crannies... easier to deter them from setting up shop than to evict them. I do neem a couple times in veg, then alternate lost coast plant therapy for aphids and PM and Monterey BT for caterpillars, grasshoppers and other munchers, once in flower I try to avoid the buds as much as possible and cut back to like once a week sprays and no longer use neem. I wash my harvest as well.... but yeah, there's a ton of microscopic pests than can cause various issues. Some bugs carry bacteria or fungi that can infect the plant, some bugs are beneficial cause they eat the bad bugs, same with microorganisms in the soil... it's a whole song and dance lol.

 

[Glomus]

That's why I like to grow with sanitized media. Kill bad microbes and insects before planting. Then add good microbes.

Certain inoculant products essentially do that for you, beneficial bacteria in some of those products outcompetes existing microbes by using anti fungal and anti bacterial properties allowing the desired Mycorrhizae/bacteria to have a better chance to establish and dominate the soil media.

 

[Glomus]

Bugs are a fact of life outside, I preventative spray to keep from getting a full blown infestation, and plant herbs and stuff that they don't like. Aphids are the worst because they're almost impossible to get rid of completely, they get in all the nooks and crannies... easier to deter them from setting up shop than to evict them. I do neem a couple times in veg, then alternate lost coast plant therapy for aphids and PM and Monterey BT for caterpillars, grasshoppers and other munchers, once in flower I try to avoid the buds as much as possible and cut back to like once a week sprays and no longer use neem. I wash my harvest as well.... but yeah, there's a ton of microscopic pests than can cause various issues. Some bugs carry bacteria or fungi that can infect the plant, some bugs are beneficial cause they eat the bad bugs, same with microorganisms in the soil... it's a whole song and dance lol.

I've never had problems with aphids really but definitely with white flies and spider mites, probably from the backdoor nurseries I would sometimes get my clones from lol. not to hate on the traditional market nurseries, but when I want really strong or specific genetics I usually seek them form a dispensary or the source for dispensaries. For white flies I will spray with a soap solution and for spider mites I used to use Azamax for a long time thinking it was just a neem oil extract but later have come to find that it has some kind of systemic properties in it. No wonder it worked so well. https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/Pesticides/Documents/2018Advisories/AzaMax.pdf

Sometimes I will amend the top soil with a bit of Neem meal as a preventative and it has seemed to work well, but I don't over do it for fear of it messing with the soil too much. I try to avoid spraying anything if I can and let nature deal with it by allowing a diversity of bugs live in my garden, spraying I feel like deters all bugs including the predators of the bugs i want gone. I have also noticed when I add sweeteners and sugars to the feed it attracts more bad bugs possibly. I've tried sticky traps for white flies outdoors, they work ok. I won't spray buds past like week 2. I will spray the soil and stems of the plant during flowering for spider mites. But, thats interesting that you wash your harvest, I've heard of people dunking the branches of buds in a H202 diluted in water mix before hanging to dry and they say it completely gets rid of the PM. And Deer, fucking Deer. I shot a deer one season that I caught eating one of my gorilla gardens, it kept coming back day after day once it found the patch and destroying more and more. But the worst pest problem I've ever had, which most people don't seem to have to deal with, is Voles. They live underground in mole holes and when it gets really hot the eat and strip the bark off the stock of the plants and ring the whole cambium layer, the plant will completely die after a few days.

Bugs can cause all kinds fo disease so I would imagine some kind of compost tea or beneficial bacteria product could help a bit for damage to the plant from bugs after the fact. But when it comes to disease and bugs in general, I've noticed seeds are so much more superior than clones out doors.

 

[TSD]

Bugs can cause all kinds fo disease so I would imagine some kind of compost tea or beneficial bacteria product could help a bit for damage to the plant from bugs after the fact. But when it comes to disease and bugs in general, I've noticed seeds are so much more superior than clones out doors.

Oh for sure, send plants are more hearty and vigorous in my experience.

 

[SchwiftyGrower]

I’ve learned the hard way. This is my first time outdoors and still move her inside at night, but yeah had a bug issue. I kept looking and looking and couldn’t find it. Finally got it under control, but damn what a learning experience. I really thought for a bit it was my feeding levels but nope, stupid pests. Some good ol’ diatomaceous earth saves the day!

 

[Glomus]

I’ve learned the hard way. This is my first time outdoors and still move her inside at night, but yeah had a bug issue. I kept looking and looking and couldn’t find it. Finally got it under control, but damn what a learning experience. I really thought for a bit it was my feeding levels but nope, stupid pests. Some good ol’ diatomaceous earth saves the day!

Great strain.