Help me sort out a pesticide usage schedule?

[CosmoGrows]

i have to keep my grow room door open too in order to keep the temperature down as well. I have a few ideas, some based on what I do and some for your dogs. I don’t have dogs but indoor cats. They stay out of my grow room because I line the doorway with elemental sulfur. They must not like the smell.

Dogs:
A soapy bath for your dogs is the best way to kill pests that hitchhiked a ride on them. I would increase frequency of doggy baths more during the summer. You can dust elemental sulfur on your dogs when they go outside. It is perfectly safe to do so. I would still put a baby gate up to keep them out of he room.

Grow room:
Elemental sulfur is my favorite preventative. I dust the the floor of my grow tents, the top of my grow medium, the outside of my pots, the edges of my walls in the grow room. Sometimes I’ll mixed DE with the sulfur.

Increase airflow inside the tent. Most pests (insects and mild/mildew) can’t get established on the plants if it’s too windy but not so windy that you give your plants wind burn. I have 5 small fans in the 5’x5’ flower tent.

Spraying Plants:
These are all organic options: I like green cleaner(insecticidal soap), azamax, captain jacks dead bug (spinosad), azera, DE, elemental sulfur. I would also pick a horticultural oil like neem to add to your arsenal. Azamax can also be used as a soil drench to kill prevent certain soil pests. I would also consider some biologicals that have btk or bs. They aren’t that expensive, not like grandevo, botanigard 22wp, pfr97.

As a preventative, I would spray every 5-7 days with a different active ingredient during vegetative growth.

During flower, increase airflow and keep humidity down. Dust stems, grow medium, pots, tent floor, any surfaces with DE and sulfur. Try to keep the dogs out!

During the summer or whenever outdoor pests are most active for you, you’ll want to treat any plants next to your house. Don’t grow anything outdoors that attract major pests. I’ve had to pull out plants bordering the foundation of my house because they were attracting pine mites.

Thank you @Seraphine, exactly what i was asking for. this is full of info.

i have to keep my grow room door open too in order to keep the temperature down as well. I have a few ideas, some based on what I do and some for your dogs. I don’t have dogs but indoor cats. They stay out of my grow room because I line the doorway with elemental sulfur. They must not like the smell.

So, lets say i was to baby gate my grow room, because that is possible. And i was to line the inside frame of my door with ES? (Elemental Sulfur) Would bugs still hop you think? I mean, im sure its possible. But probably cuts its possibilities down?

Grow room:
Elemental sulfur is my favorite preventative. I dust the the floor of my grow tents, the top of my grow medium, the outside of my pots, the edges of my walls in the grow room. Sometimes I’ll mixed DE with the sulfur.

Increase airflow inside the tent. Most pests (insects and mild/mildew) can’t get established on the plants if it’s too windy but not so windy that you give your plants wind burn. I have 5 small fans in the 5’x5’ flower tent.

Okay, i took a picture of the sulfur i have, I am honestly, going to pick up on some of these habits right away, if i can prevent the bugs from coming first, ill be better off.
Just let me know if its the correct one?

I will be ordering Jacks Bug Dead here in a little bit, and i need to restock on nuke em. I also ordered another fan for my 4x4, ill feel more comfortable.

I sanitize my room between grows, before soil goes in i spray Home Defense all around the outside, my intakes and inside the perimeter of my room and around my catch tray.
I then run exhaust fans on high for a day and then begin!
My main issue is to not enter our grow area after coming in from our veggie garden.
Actually I never enter our grow room until I've been home for a while.

i dont even enter the room after work until ive changed and showered, i got that habit down already luckily. thanks for the tips,before my next run ill take that into consideration too, its a good idea to start fresh.

after going into my closet, that i havent been into in months, i found out i have some of these from last grow too, i have neem oil from my last harvest. is this useful?

Nuke em is on the way.

 

[CosmoGrows]

And not to sound like an idiot, i mean, i read ur post, and u said u put it on the floor of your tent, so like, you just take ur sulfur and literally just directly on the floor? like you dont get cups, and put it in a cup or anything? I just feel like my fans would blow it all around and it would get on my plants? But, ive never done this, im about to try it lol.

 

[basscaptain]

if you don't want that stuff you can box it up and ship it to me

 

[CosmoGrows]

if you don't want that stuff you can box it up and ship it to me

kk but i want ralph and mayo in return. >:D LMFAO.

 

[basscaptain]

There you go......lol

 

[Seraphine]

And not to sound like an idiot, i mean, i read ur post, and u said u put it on the floor of your tent, so like, you just take ur sulfur and literally just directly on the floor? like you dont get cups, and put it in a cup or anything? I just feel like my fans would blow it all around and it would get on my plants? But, ive never done this, im about to try it lol.

I have “duster” that is made to dust DE and other powders. But if you don’t have one, sometimes I’ll just sprinkle it on the tent floor. Buy yes, you literally just sprinkle or dust the powder. Once it settles, the fans don’t blow it around. You could turn the fans off while you apply the sulfur, then turn them back on as soon as you’re done

 

[Seraphine]

This is what I use. Lasts forever too. Care careful with it in your medium as it can lower pH. The little amount that is used reallly isn’t enough to lower pH but it’s always good to know.

 

[Seraphine]

You’re culprit for being in pests will be the dogs. Make sure your IPM includes them.

 

[Buzzer777]

You’re culprit for being in pests will be the dogs. Make sure your IPM includes them.

I have three of them! So far, they haven't brought anything inside that I am aware of. As far as bugs go, I get gnats from FF soils and have PM..
Happily, SO FAR..that's it. Since I spray for PM with Plant Therapy, I never see a gnat these days, but I would rather not have PM and I won't even think of sulfur bombing the house.

 

[Seraphine]

I have three of them! So far, they haven't brought anything inside that I am aware of. As far as bugs go, I get gnats from FF soils and have PM..
Happily, SO FAR..that's it. Since I spray for PM with Plant Therapy, I never see a gnat these days, but I would rather not have PM and I won't even think of sulfur bombing the house.

Most cannabis pests are brought in from clones. Fungus gnats, IMO, are one of the easier pests to eradicate. Mites, thrips, and whiteflies are the assholes of the pest world.

 

[Seraphine]

Most cannabis pests are brought in from clones. Fungus gnats, IMO, are one of the easier pests to eradicate. Mites, thrips, and whiteflies are the assholes of the pest world.

I should add root aphids to that list too.

 

[MIMedGrower]

NP! Hmmm, @MIMedGrower said he hasnt had to deal with bugs in awhile either, or atleast a real deal bug attack.
Maybe i am overreacting and worrying about all the traffic coming into my grow room?

I think for right now, atleast until maybe someone has a rejection, i will just continue to spray nuke em once a weekish, like i have been doing, so far so good.
Just really worry about the traffic, which is why i want to get prevention down ASAP before its an issue.

No need to spray pesticides unless you see and identify bugs.

I have never sprayed. I have only added BT to my water for gnats.

Prevention means dont bring them inside.

No outside clothes, shoes, tools or plants ever. Clean hair, face and hands at least before entering.

No pets.

Clean everything going in or out.

No reason marijuana specific pests should appear in an inside grow if following above advice.

2 spotted mites and such are not present in our houses. They would have to come from somewhere.

 

[CosmoGrows]

Is this the correct stuff?
For DE.
Can I add this stuff into the soil on transplants to keep future bugs out? Like just make this shit apart of my soil mix lol.

 

[Burned Haze]

best stuff for flower as a defense also where u see your lacking is biocontrol ! biocontrol not only are safe, less damaging to your plants and if you do the math per gallon . Cheap

Flower stage ( past 3-4 weeks for when biocontrol only till harvest or when manual states allowed ) Grandevo than switch 3 day-12 days ( if pest or IPM ) and use grandevo and you can mix in also Regalia as natural systemic defense against fungus by being a more healthy plant + shown better yields and happier plants by using regalia ( I know mine sure do )

if aphids,thrips or non based spider mites but add aid to the IPM biocontrol , add that to Grandevo and your going to have a super biocontrol ( if pfr97 didn’t have such humidity resistant and shelf life I would recommend that as well )
—-
when I’m in veg stage ( and even up to 3-4 week to flower depending on pesticide ) for a good “ rotational “ aid besides biocontrol and need some extra aid, the best start is to even use a “IGR=Insect growth regulator” = slows pest, makes pest reproduce less and repels ( hints why you use first ),pyganic 5.o ( over 150 soft bodied )is a great A great knock out, conserve sc is also a great knock out ( great for thrips and soft bodied , even mites)

the key is why you use so many different product is the resistance to the products and some products work better than others for certain stages of ethier defense or killing ethier like for example the eggs to the adults . Plus even if the pesticide works 100% a lot have a season max you can use it .

 

[Kampbe1l]

wow....impressed with the anticipation of a problem which might or might not happen....pests/bugs are now such a major concern? oh, re-read, you got the stuff before...

generally, just be mindful when you tend to the plants. try to tend to MJ in isolation to the rest of the household. wash hands regularly, etc.

 

[THCMonster]

I work at a Hydroponic Store and have seen every type of bug imaginable, the biggest downfall is that its hard to have an all-in-one preventative thats truly effective. And it matters what stage you are in too. Try to limit yourself on the Nuke-em in flower first couple weeks are fine but after that definitely switch. Anything with oils will get trapped in your flower as bud formation forms. Neem oil is super cost effective but can clog the pores on your plants. Nuke-em is more effective when you actually have bugs! The best preventive in all honesty is keeping a very clean room (clean the room 1-2 times weekly), and keep really healthy plants from start to finish, as well as use some form of silica whether in silicate form or silicic acid form. Bugs pick up on unhealthy plants, and when your plants are unhealthy then it becomes a breeding ground for bugs! That and NEVER get clones from other people, if you decide to make sure they are no bigger then a solo cup size and do a 30-60 second dunk on them in the Nuke-em (be sure to not dunk the roots).

I cant begin to tell you how many of my customers have eliminated the worry of getting bugs or white powdery mildew just from keeping a clean room and adding silica to their feeding schedule! If you treat it like a science lab it will never get bugs! And once you learn what to look for damage wise for the bugs you will be able to combat it extremely early!

 

[Munch517]

I've had very good luck alternating treatments between two solutions for prevention, dial up the concentrations and/or frequency if you're treating a problem. I fill one 32 oz spray bottle and add 7ml of Azamax and 7ml of Captain Jacks deadbug, this is my neem solution; I fill my other 32oz spray bottle up and add 7-10ml of Green Cleaner. I'll do a pest spray once every 4-6 days through the second or third week of flower alternating between the two solutions. I also spray the neem solution on top of my dirt and in/around the drain tray after every watering. During veg I do a root drench with .75-1ml per gallon each of Azamax and Captain Jacks maybe once every two weeks or so because I've had root aphid problems before. And as others have said yellow sticky traps are a must for monitoring, keep some on stakes near the dirt and some hanging near the foliage because different pests live in each place.

To reiterate/expand on a few things... Keeping a clean environment with good airflow and appropriate humidity is key. Ideally for plant growth you'd be at 70-75% humidity at 80 degrees (per VPD charts) but that puts you at risk for mold and mildew so how low/high you keep humidity is sort of a calculated risk. I've been trying to keep humidity at 60%+ during veg and only dialing it below 50% by week three or four of flower then keeping it 45-50% through to harvest. I run a sealed room with a lot of airflow and filtered intake air at night so I may try to push humidity even a little higher to get that extra growth, I'm not sure it's worth it though, especially later in flower. Then there's all the cleanliness basics, keeping dead leaves off plants and floors swept up in the room, not wearing cloths and especially shoes from outside in the grow area, removing runoff after watering, etc.

 

[sturgis]

….....as any seasoned grower will tell you...preventative steps are the best way to treat pest issues...….I live in the south US,.. its warm year round, ......so bugs don't die back here in winter.......I also have 2 dogs,.... as well as over 150 orchids, and other plants that all go outside in the summer, and come back in in fall.....…but..I'm in the same group as MIMedgrower...….I stopped using pest sprays, etc.....years ago......I use to have broad mite issues every other grow, but...….. Once I started using mosquito dunks in my water......all the pest issues stopped. It keeps the water as well as the root balls inoculated with BT bacteria that kills the pests.....

Cleanliness in the grow room, is mandatory, and air flow is key in keeping them from getting starting......Most of the gnats, flies, etc need very calm air to be able to move around, which includes breeding....even a little breeze in the room keeps them from being able to move around which disrupts their breeding cycle.....…..fans running 24hrs will keep most of them from getting started...….

 

[CosmoGrows]

….....as any seasoned grower will tell you...preventative steps are the best way to treat pest issues...….I live in the south US,.. its warm year round, ......so bugs don't die back here in winter.......I also have 2 dogs,.... as well as over 150 orchids, and other plants that all go outside in the summer, and come back in in fall.....…but..I'm in the same group as MIMedgrower...….I stopped using pest sprays, etc.....years ago......I use to have broad mite issues every other grow, but...….. Once I started using mosquito dunks in my water......all the pest issues stopped. It keeps the water as well as the root balls inoculated with BT bacteria that kills the pests.....

Cleanliness in the grow room, is mandatory, and air flow is key in keeping them from getting starting......Most of the gnats, flies, etc need very calm air to be able to move around, which includes breeding....even a little breeze in the room keeps them from being able to move around which disrupts their breeding cycle.....…..fans running 24hrs will keep most of them from getting started...….

I put an order on amazon for mosquito bits. I dont have pest issues. Everything is a preventative measure. Can i do the mosquito bits in water, as a preventative, every time i water just to it? or should i only do that if i get an issue, like you had before? I have like 5 fans inside my 4x4 grow tent, 4 on the ground circling the air, and one above cooling the lights and pushing air around the top. Yellow sticky traps hanging from the ceiling of the tent, one on the floor in the center of the tent, and one on a wall, in the middle of the tent. Might be overkill.

Can anyone explain i guess the main uses of D.E? I understand i can mix it in with my soil. Can i sprinkle it on the plants? Can i use it like sulfur and put it on the floor? Whats the most effective way to use D.E?

Silica, @THCMonster, i just add that into my water?
No, im not going to do everything everyone is saying and make one big bomb lol, im just asking questions and learning. Figuring out how to use everything.

@Munch517 You say, youre using green cleaner during flower? This is okay to spray on flowers? I mean it says on the bottle, but when is the bottle ever true. Lol.
Along with Captain jacks and Azamax? I need a flower defense, i dont know what im able to spray on my flowering plants to keep them safe.

Todays cleaning day!
Im going to pickup some hydrogen peroxide to clean my tent. Any cleaning tips anyone can suggest? Certain products to use to lets say, clean fans, clean tent walls, i use a washer/dryer to clean my Carbon filter sleeve. Hmmm.. Clean Clothes: ☑ Clean hands: ☑.
I alcohol pad the bottoms of my shoes before entering my grow area. Should i just grab a seperate pair of shoes?

 

[THCMonster]

D.E. can be mixed into the soil, but be careful if too much is used it will act like clay and make your dirt really hard for water to pass through, best usage is to sprinkle on the top surface, have you ever seen someone sift flour out for a baking recipe? Thats really the best route to go when applying it to the tops of the plants, certain bugs have to crawl to get onto your plant, like spider mites and aphids, they cant really fly so they have to crawl up onto your plants. Thrips are an expectation because they eventually produce wings.

And Silica is uses as a nutrient in your water! You can also foliar it but i wouldnt unless you know the proper ratio for foliar.

Silica ALWAYS gets added to the water first before anything else, if not then SILICA will polymerize with other nutrients and it will cause both itself and other nutrients to become inert.

Silica only works by strengthing the cell walls of plants to the point that bugs cant even eat the leaves, they have actually done tests where mites "teeth" are actually worn down because of silica fed plants

But with silica you have to feed all the time to truly get the benefit, from start of veg to the end of flower, before your flush!

But dont rely on just silica to help you, do preventives like every else is telling you! Be very careful of some product in flower though, like anything oil based will end up in final product if spray past week 4-5 in flower. But I have to get my Cannabis lab tested every harvest (commerical) so its different for home growers, most of them dont care what they put on as long as it gets rid of the problem! The only downside is that you got rid of one problem to give your another! Lol

So just be cautious on the products you use in flower