Pests and insects

There are several insects (as well as other wildlife) a plant can fall victim to when growing outdoors. Here you will find explanations of common pests and methods for repelling them.

Common Insects

Spider mites

If left for too long spider mites will begin producing webs on the leaf surface, this should be addressed as soon as possible.

Thrips

Thrips are mostly recognizable from the damage they do to leaves. Sticky traps are highly effective in reducing thrip numbers

Aphids

Fungus gnats

Fungus gnats resemble fruit flies and reproduce by laying eggs in soil. In small numbers they are not very harmful to the cultivars. Neem oil is very effective for removing fungus gnats.

Common solutions

Neem oil

Neem oil is a cold-pressed extract from the seeds of the Neem tree that can be used to remove pests from soil. Neem oil must be mixed into warm soapy water to help emulsify then it can be used as a drench for soil. Very easy and cost effective.

Sticky traps

Sticky traps can be used to reduce numbers of almost any insect. This will not remove the root issue but can be a highly effective strategy to manage numbers.

Insecticidal soap

A soap that can be used to kill insects. Less aggressive than a pesticide and some can be made using household ingredients

Predator insects

It's possible to add "good" insects that will hunt the insects you want to remove. This is only recommended for outdoor grows.

Some example predators for spider mites are Phytoseiulus persimilis and Amblyseius californicus.

For Thrips, you might use Amblyseius cucumeris.