Do you have a PM or Pest problem? Read on to find out more!
This article will discuss some of the three main issues growers come across in their cannabis crops; PM, aphids, and spider mites. We will tell you how you can treat PM and control pests chemical-free to ensure your grow is the healthiest and strongest it can be. Read on to find out more.
What are aphids?
Aphids refer to a group of small soft-bodied insects that are some of the most destructive pests on cultivated plants. They can appear white, green, black, red or yellow, and vary in size from 1 to 10mm. Their size depends on where they are in their stage of life. The bigger, rounder bugs are adult aphids, while the white, smaller buggers are young aphids (nymphs). There are also winged aphids that tend to have similar colors and sizes to normal aphids.
How can aphids affect my grow?
Aphids are a very common pest within cannabis plantations. They pierce cannabis leaves and feed on the juices within the plant. Small aphid populations aren’t usually a big concern. However, they have a quick reproduction and can reproduce hundreds or thousands of aphids. This can lead to leaves turning yellow or wilting due to the large infestation. It can have damaging effects on the health of your cannabis plants and their ability to develop. An aphid infestation can get out of control within just a few weeks if it isn’t treated correctly.
How do I treat an aphid infestation?
There are a variety of solutions to treating and controlling aphid infestations, however, many involve nasty chemicals and pesticides. At BioRadiance, we have created a chemical-free light bar that reduces your aphid population. According to a recent study with WeGrow BC, the data shows there was an increase of over double the aphids under the control plants vs. the plants with the BRe3 Wands above them. This chemical-free option could help your grow minimize the effect of aphids and keep them under control, so they don’t wipe out your grow.
What are spider mites?
Spider mites are another common cannabis pest. Despite them being less common in hydroponics and more frequent within soil growing, they can still show up and affect your cannabis crops. Spider mites pierce individual plant cells and feed on the contents. Resulting in little yellow, orange, or white speckles you see you cannabis plant leaves. Due to their tiny size, spider mites can be very difficult to control. They can build up big infestations before a grower even notices they are there.
Why do growers hate spider mites?
- Rapid reproduction– one female spider mite within a month can produce a million mites
- Not gone – spider mites can appear to be gone, but then out of the blue come back and take over again
- Big appetites – spider mites consume big loads of cannabis leaves. A bad infestation has been known to kill plants overnight
- Webbing – spider mites cover leaves and buds with a fine mesh of silk webbing, ruining whole crops
- High resistance to treatments – spider mites quickly become immune to whatever you do to try to kill them; if you don’t take care of your spider mite problem by eradicating them completely from your grow, you may soon find you have a population of stronger and more resistant spider mites.
If you are using various different treatments and chemical products to eradicate your spider mites but they aren’t working, we can help control your spider mite problem. Our BRe3 Wand was used to test its effect on controlling spider mites. The data showed an increase of spider mites by a factor of 1.3 in plants that were not experiencing the effects of the BRe3 Wands.
What is PM?
Powdery mildew is one of the most notorious threats to cannabis crops. Powdery mildew is a rapidly reproducing fungus that is not hard to identify. Portraying a white-grey powder, powdery mildew becomes visible on the plant surface, and once it has started, spreads very quickly. This common pathogen is a danger to your grow, and if left untreated can ruin your crop. The unwanted guest tends to stem from high humidity, low to no airflow, poor ventilation, and overcrowding of plants. Therefore, ensuring your crop has good airflow, as well as clean equipment is essential.
How do I treat PM?
Despite the precautionary measures, sometimes powdery mildew endures and can spread across your crop. In order to fight powdery mildew, removing the infected plants is vital to hinder the spread. Moreover, by either cutting the leaf, bud, or whole plant. However, if the prevention tacks fail you, thankfully at BioRadiance, we have a pesticide-free, chemical-free, and residue-free solution. Conclusively, we have the solution to eliminate this outsider for good in under a week.
During propagation trials, there was clear evidence the BioRadiance Wands were highly effective in eliminating powdery mildew. Observations showed plants not exposed to BRe3 were highly susceptible to powdery mildew.
Conclusion
Through the data observed in this controlled study at We Grow BC Ltd. there are beneficial correlations between Powdery Milder, Aphids, and spider mites when exposed to the BioRadiance Wands. In conclusion, under WGBC grow conditions, the BRe3 Wands display an advantage to achieving healthier plants by combatting powdery mildew, aphids, and spider mites. Therefore, the BRe3 Wand provides a solution to treat PM and control pests chemical-free.