Website Updated 🚀 Experiencing issues? Tell us - feedback form or email, we're here!
Chat
RecommendedRecommended

Avoiding insects and mites

MamaJunebug
MamaJunebugstarted grow question 3 years ago
Curious what precautions everyone takes against bugs and mites. Especially outdoor, professional, greenhouse, and open room growers; what precautions do you take? Any best practices for keeping mites and other insects at bay? For example, geraniums- Do geraniums work?
Solved
Plant. Other
like
Organoman
Organomananswered grow question 3 years ago
Marigolds are useful and highly recommended, not sure Geraniums do much. Have been growing outdoors for 35+ years and have never really had any problems with insects, just a few caterpillars and aphids once in a while, but certainly nothing in numbers to harm the plants. Keeping a close eye out for caterpillars would be my advice, they can eat a lot of leaves rather quickly, but don't really do any great damage. I have and will not ever use any "preventative" sprays or treatments and have found that when growing chemical free, the good bugs show up after the bad bugs and the whole system takes care of itself, without the need to do much. A few aphids for a day or four won't affect much and are soon found by predators and are usually gone within two weeks with no other involvement needed. Spraying creates a hostile environment for the good bugs, not just the bad ones. Keeping everything clean and welcoming for the good bugs is more effective than making a toxic environment for bad bugs. Having good garden "hygiene" is also important, keep lawns mowed, weeds pulled and your plants tidy with no old/dead leaves lying around is also good practice. If you google "companion planting" you will find plenty of suggestions as to which plants help keep the nasty ones away. Basil and mint are good companions that can supposedly stimulate terpene production, just don't plant them too close or too many in any small area, otherwise, for some strange reason, you can end up with buds that taste and smell of basil! I would suggest one basil plant every 10 feet as adequate and one medium pot of mint kept in a central position as being ample. If growing in the ground, a marigold plant between each of your girls works well, or a small patch of 3-4 marigolds every 6-8 feet works well too. A friend swears chives are useful, but I have found they attract aphids. Remember too, bad bugs usually attack stressed or sickly plants first, so keep your girls healthy and stress free and bug problems will not be something you will need to worry about. Hope this helps, Organoman.
2 likes
Complain
Selected By The Grower
Spacemonkey1988
Spacemonkey1988answered grow question 3 years ago
Never had an issue indoors when I was in the shed and garage. But there used to be a fine selection of spiders that I left to do their job... Had issues with slugs and snails in end of may june outside. used to hand pick them off. Only used to eat the leaves though and the plant didn't mind. Did have some avid cock suckers having a mass gathering but they didn't stay long enough to cause damage. I personally wouldn't want to use chemicals... Old school growers use beer or juice traps. Stick a cup of beer or juice near the pot before you have to look at more extreme measures. Happy growing
1 like
Complain
ffgrove
ffgroveanswered grow question 3 years ago
I'm using diatomaceous earth sprinkled around the base for earwigs and other creepy crawlers and I've ordered neem oil which I've heard is effective on many flying pests...hopefully it works
1 like
Complain
Easygrow420
Easygrow420answered grow question 3 years ago
Buy lady bugs from Amazon I was dealing with therps really bad I got 1500 lady bugs for they work
1 like
Complain
JUNGLE_B4RNS
JUNGLE_B4RNSanswered grow question 3 years ago
They grow strong plants and keep them healthy. They don’t keep weak sick plants. Bugs and spiders mites always seek to invade the weakest plants.
1 like
Complain
Hempy_The_Kid
Hempy_The_Kidanswered grow question 3 years ago
I do grow basil inside with my houseplants. I havnt seen any flying insects since. I have never had a mite problem or any other aphid problem. I also change my clothes when I come inside and going to be working with inside plants. Do not let basil touch your marijuana or it will taste like basil. I have grown basil outside but slugs like it and eat it.
1 like
Complain
Similar Grow Questions
Solved
buddhi_coop
buddhi_coop
Twist ties for training stemsAm I using my twist ties correctly to even out the weight , etc. ?
Plant. Spaces between nodes
Plant. Stem - Weak
Plant. Other
3 years ago
2
4