Spider Mites: Cannabis Garden Pests

Spider Mites are small, annoying pests that find their way to new areas every year. These mites have been a growing problem for cannabis growers for decades, with their range and resilience increasing every year. These problematic pests can appear and rapidly being reproducing thousands of mites, even as many as a million, in a single month. Unresolved conditions associated with these pests can quickly lead to devastating results in the garden.

Spider mites, like many mite varieties, favor stressed plants and hot, dry conditions. As more climates around the country shift warmer as the years pass, more areas are experiencing these pests when previously, they haven’t been a problem.

Signs of Spider Mites

It’s typical to notice damage to plants before seeing these pests on them. Spider Mites feed on the contents of the epidermal cells of the plant. The feeding process removes chlorophyll and causes small white spots to appear on the surface of the leaf. Once real damage has been made, the leaf will not recover nor regain its green color.

Spider Mites received their name based on the webbing they form when infesting garden plants. This is an easy way to help specifically identify these mites. Visually, these mites can appear tan, green, or red and typically have two spots on their backs. These marks on their backs are another easy way to identify these mites from other variants. Spotting adult females are easier than males as they are larger and rounder.

Eggs are often laid in groups underneath leaves or within their webbing. These eggs are often round and straightforward, usually only 0.1mm in diameter. This variant of mite hatches with only six legs, eventually growing and obtaining an additional two legs in adulthood.

Prevention Tips and Tricks

• Closely monitor your garden and treat or destroy any infested plant areas.
• It is okay to lose a little of your garden to pests if you are growing outdoors, nature happens.
• Experiment with safe sprays and treatments to prevent devastating damage. Spider mites are very resilient and have a high chance of adapting to treatments used.
• If you think you’ve eradicated your problem, keep a close eye anyways. These mites are known to come back full throttle.
• Shop with our “pest resistance” tag online or instore for an additional layer of defense.

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES

https://www.advancednutrients.com/articles/get-rid-spider-mites-cannabis

Fungus Gnats: Cannabis Garden Pests

Fungus Gnats are small, fruit fly-sized, insects that typically affect indoor plants These pests are attracted to the moisture of soil and adult gnats will lay their eggs near the surface.

Their life cycle is shorter and eggs typically hatch after about three days. Once the larvae have emerged from their eggs, they burrow further into the soil and begin to feed on any present fungi and decaying plant material. About two weeks later adult gnats will emerge from the soil. These adult gnats will repeat the reproduction process, living only about one week. When a heavy presences of these pests begins to take over your plant, larvae will feed on the plants roots.

These pests are very small and resemble a fruit fly in size, and their larvae are even smaller. Fungus Gnats can be either grey or black and have long legs and antennas that give them a smaller mosquito-like appearance. Their larvae have small, black heads with a thin white or translucent bodies.

Signs of Fungus Gnats

Fungus Gnats spend most of their time on the surface of potted soil and flying through the outer edges of the pot or near drainage holes. These pests are not strong fliers and usually only fly short periods of times, opting to walk around when able. Their flight pattern reflects one of a mosquito, rather than a fruit fly, despite the size.

Cannabis roots are not the first choice food for the larvae of these pests. Fungus Gnat larvae will choose the fungi and decaying matter within the soil first. Adult gnats are harmless to plants in the sense of damage, as damage only occurs when the fungus and decayed materials in the soil are depleted. When the roots of a cannabis plant are compromised during development, it can affect a plants ability to uptake the necessary water and nutrients. This causes wilting and even stunted growth to the affected plant.

Indirect damage caused by feeding larvae can also introduce infections and diseases to the plant through wounds. The damage caused can vary due to:

• Plant Age
• Plant Size
• The Number of Larvae Present During Feeding

Prevention Tips and Tricks

• Water management will help lessen problems with Fungus Gnats. This controls water accumulation within the soil and lessen the chance of algae spawning. A dry surface is less attractive to the adult female gnat.
• Research sprays and powders for the soil to eliminate eggs and larvae from damaging the plant due to lack of matter in the soil.
• Sticky Traps for Adult Gnats and using potato chunks to attract larvae.
• Intensely researched noninvasive predators for the gnats and larvae. If you choose this route, please do heavy research – as importing invasive species, of any kind, to your area can be extremely harmful to the environment. This is recommended for the more experienced gardener and should not be the first step taken. 
• Shop with our “pest resistance” tag online or instore for an additional layer of defense.

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES

https://www.almanac.com/pest/fungus-gnats

Hemp Russet Mites: Cannabis Garden Pests

Hemp Russet Mites are tiny pests that are apart of the eriophyidae mite family. Eriophyids are known to be pale bodied (yellow and pinks are common), cylindrical with a sharply tapered off rear, and exceptionally tiny. Unlike many mites, Hemp Russet Mites only have two pairs of legs near their heads, rather than four.

The life cycle of these little pests can be completed as quickly as one week under favorable conditions such as high humidity and temperature. Due to their quick lifecycles, these mites can produce multiple overlapping generations every year where present. Hemp Russet Mites are particular and typically only affect cannabis and hemp plants. Being they are host specific, they are known to be one of the most harmful arthropods in the Hemp Industry. With these pests being so tiny, using a magnifying glass is exceptionally helpful when trying to diagnose a potential problem.

Signs of Hemp Russet Mites

During low mite populations, damage will be difficult to notice. With larger populations, the affected area will be exceptionally more noticeable. Hemp Russet Mites will fed on the surface of the leaves by piercing and extracting cell contents. Symptoms of these heavier populations include:

• Bronzing (Russetting) – This can occur in stems as well if fed on
• Reduced Leaf Size
• Brittle Foliage
• Upward Leaf-Edge Curling

These pests do not produce webbing, unlike many other mite variations. Large infestations will also have an abundance of cast skins (exuviae). Since these pests are so small, exuviae can appear dark and powder-like on leaves and stems. This can be helpful when narrowing down the culprit. If not treated quickly enough, they can significantly reduce the plants yields and quality.

In smaller quantities Russet Hemp Mites prefer the underside of the cannabis/hemp leaves. But, as they expand their colonies, they move to other areas of the plant such as upper sides of leaves, stems, and buds.

Prevention Tips and Tricks

• Be mindful when cloning parent plants by carefully inspecting clippings.
• Remove and destroy any infested plants – without a host plant, these pests will die out relatively quickly.
• Limit movement of people and supplies within the area of cultivation.
• Intensely researched noninvasive predators for these harmful mites. If you choose this route, please do heavy research – as importing invasive species, of any kind, to your area can be extremely harmful to the environment. This is recommended for the more experienced gardener and should not be the first step taken.
• Horticultural oils and dips to kill mites. These pests can take a lot to get rid of them.
• Shop with our “pest resistance” tag online or instore for an additional layer of defense.

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES:

https://agsci.colostate.edu/agbio/ipm-pests/29895-2/

https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_ag/hemp-hemp-russet-mite-

Aphids: Cannabis Garden Pests

Aphids are incredibly small, soft-bodied pests that are known to take over a wide variety of garden plants, including cannabis. A variety of colors can be found on these guys as the seasons keep moving. These pests may or may not have wings and can be found on Cannabis leaves and stems; feeding off the fluids of plants with their “piercing-sucking” like mouth. 

Signs of Aphids

During the feeding process, none to very little injury occurs to the leaves. While many other pests show obvious signs of intrusion, with white flecking or surface scarring, on the damaged area of the plant. Along with loss of fluids, a significant number of these pests can result in wilting, slowed growth, and even leaf discoloration.

The quickest way to diagnose aphids in your garden is watching for a sticky fluid, known as honeydew. Honeydew is excreted continuously as feeing occurs among the colonies. Tiny droplets of honeydew form and disperse along the surface of the leaf. This fluid leaves behind small, but noticeable, shiny spots. 

During their life cycles, aphids continue to grow and periodically shed as they produce a new, larger, exoskeleton. These exoskeletons are referred to as “cast skins”, and collect around colonies of aphids before falling to the leaf below. This is another great sign that aphids have invaded your garden, if honeydew is not spotted. 

Prevention Tips and Tricks

• Be mindful of over applying fertilizers that promote vegetative growth and flushes. As new growth draws aphids in.
• These pests are common in many gardens other than cannabis. If you tend to more than just cannabis in your garden, be aware of them potentially spreading from plant to plant if affected.
• Prune and trim off heavily infested buds and leaves off your plants.
• Depending on how many aphids are present, check out a cleansing solution to remove the pests from your flower.
• Research noninvasive insect species that are safe for cannabis but menacing to aphids. If you choose this route, please do heavy research – as importing invasive species, of any kind, to your area can be extremely harmful to the environment. This is recommended for the more experienced gardener and should not be the first step taken.
• Shop with our “pest resistance” tag online or instore for an additional layer of defense.

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES:

https://www.koppertus.com/plant-pests/aphids/cannabis-aphid/?utm_term=redirect

https://www.dripworks.com/blog/common-cannabis-pests-and-diseases?srsltid=AfmBOooJGFU5582GNHSMUNAq_NPyzIEXDCjO5ongOaOPKJZwwU2AD2l0

https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/aphid-treatments-for-flowering-plants.106698/

How to Harvest Soil from Old Plants and Remove the Root Ball

Reusing soil from old plants is an eco-friendly way to keep your garden flourishing while cutting down on waste. However, before you can plant something new, you need to know how to properly harvest dirt from old plants and remove the root ball. This process not only revitalizes the soil but also ensures that your new plants will thrive. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to reclaim and rejuvenate soil from your garden.

Why Reuse Soil?

Reusing soil from old plants is a sustainable practice that benefits both your garden and the environment. It saves money, reduces waste, and with the right approach, can provide a nutrient-rich base for your new plants. However, simply reusing soil without preparation can lead to problems, such as poor plant growth or disease transfer. That’s why it’s essential to harvest the soil properly and remove the old root ball.

Step 1: Remove the Plant

Start by carefully removing the old plant from the pot or garden bed. Gently shake off any loose soil from the roots. If the plant has been in the ground for a long time, the roots may be tightly wound or even root-bound, making it a bit tricky to remove.

Step 2: Extract the Root Ball

Once the plant is out, focus on removing the old root ball. This mass of roots needs to be separated from the soil to prevent any potential diseases or pests from affecting your new plants. If the root ball is too dense, use a sharp garden tool to break it apart. As you do this, you’ll notice that much of the soil clings to the roots, but you can gently work it loose.

Step 3: Sift the Soil

After removing the root ball, it’s important to sift the soil to eliminate any remaining roots, rocks, or debris. You can use a garden sieve or a simple mesh screen to do this. Sifting helps to aerate the soil, making it lighter and easier for new roots to grow.

Step 4: Revitalize the Soil

Before reusing the harvested dirt, consider adding some organic matter to revitalize it. Compost, aged manure, or a balanced fertilizer can replenish nutrients that were depleted by the previous plant. Mixing in fresh organic matter also helps to improve soil structure, drainage, and aeration, which are crucial for the healthy growth of your new plants.

Step 5: Replant and Enjoy

With the old root ball removed and the soil revitalized, your garden is now ready for new plants. Whether you’re planting flowers, vegetables, or shrubs, this refreshed soil will provide a strong foundation for growth.

Conclusion

Learning how to harvest dirt from old plants and remove the root ball is a simple but effective way to practice sustainable gardening. By taking these steps, you ensure that your soil remains healthy and nutrient-rich, setting your garden up for success. Plus, you’ll be doing your part to reduce waste and make the most of what nature provides. So next time you’re preparing to plant something new, remember to give your old soil a second life.