Cannabis Aphid Management & Prevention
Many prominent commercial cannabis growers will frequently refer to aphids as truly being the root of all evil. Aphids are an exceptionally formidable opponent. Possessing a most confounding and seemingly innate ability to cultivate an inherent immunity to any and all control methods one might apply, assuredly designates them as one of the most determined adversaries a cannabis grower confronts. Indeed difficult, if not impossible to exterminate, aphids are especially problematic to prohibit from flourishing in a perpetual indoor growing environment. As such, aphids should not be allowed off the bench, especially in the fourth quarter.
When the security of your crop is critical, one should consider using such preventative measures as are required in order to sideline this player at any cost. Failure to do so will almost certainly result in an outcome that requires harsh measures to absolve.
Noting the importance of aphid control, one should possess positive identification of any and all potential pests. Treating for the wrong pest is a counterproductive endeavor one should avoid with simple identification procedures.
Here we shall focus on how one may develop measures, such that may prevent aphids from becoming an enduring matter, negatively impacting the quality and productivity of your garden.
An intelligent and proactive grower practices proper sanitation procedures prior to entering and while inside their grow room in order to thwart contagion. Sanitation of all equipment and grow areas between crops is critical. Preclusion of potential pest cross contamination between a crop of one generation to the subsequent generation is critical.
Appropriate division of your growing facility into dedicated areas, each quarantined from one another, will dissuade tenacity of any impending intruders. This division also allows the grower to apply a properly timed foliar treatment without any unwanted exposure of other crops at contradictory stages of growth.
Each isolated grow room shall be sealed with adequate HEPA filtration installed on all ventilation equipment. It is preferred that each isolated growing area would have a dedicated conditioned air supply or conditioned air handler with independent return air configuration such that air is not directly shared in an unfiltered manner between isolated growing chambers.
All crops in an isolated growing room should be of the same age. This is important when using chemical pesticide controls due to the need for proper PHI (Pre Harvest interval) management and most significantly, preventing a perpetuation of any residual pests as the grow room may be completely emptied and sterilized upon harvest.
We do not endorse the application of any pesticides, even organic in nature, once the plants have started the flowering cycle. It is therefore important that one dip any plants prior to them entering the flowering phase, preferably with a systemic control.
Why dip? Spraying is inherently unable achieve 100% coverage AND increases the chance of unwanted exposure. Sometimes our plants are too large or they cant be moved and spray application becomes our only available option. In this case we need to step up our PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). One must assure full coverage of all areas most likely to be inhabited by pests and their eggs. Critical areas include underneath the leaves, stems and surprisingly most significantly the growing medium & containers.
The growing medium should receive a drench application treatment at each interval in your control rotation. In some cases your drench application will consist of a product differing from your foliar application due to product limitations and rotation method of action requirements. Always consult the label recommendations to determine if your product is drench compatible as some management solutions are by nature incompatible with drench applications due to possible negative impacts on your plants or beneficial microbe population. In any event, failure to achieve full coverage will severely limit the usefulness of your application being that aphids may easily reside in the root zone as well as on your vegetative growth.
Control rotation, the strategy of using multiple products, each at staggered appropriate intervals, changing active ingredients and their mode of action, thereby aiming several diverse bullets in a deliberate succession, preventing aphids from becoming tolerant to an individual ingredient or mode of action. We need to eradicate any bothersome survivors of a previous treatment with the subsequent treatment. Never use the same product or method of action repeatedly in a control rotation as this is virtually assured to build a pesticide tolerant population.
One will become empowered with a complete understanding of the various differing product modes of action and their impact on the complex life cycle of aphids.
Avoid using a more than one pesticide with the same mode of action in your aphid management rotation. This diminishes the proficiency of the later application. This fact must not be ignored. If we as growers fail to acknowledge the obvious fact that our aphid adversary possesses the capability to predictably adapt to our control efforts an inherent potential for failure becomes self-evident.
Rotation deviation is important. Application of the same management product or rotation for months on end without variation becomes increasingly counterproductive. A multiplicity of shelved treatment products should be periodically interchanged back into the control rotation as currently applied products are reserved for future use. In this manner one may constantly present a randomized permutation of complications that significantly confounds enemy endurance.
When propagating, dipping of your cuttings during the striking process is recommended. This will shield your cuttings during the rooting process. One may already be incorporating anti-wilt, fungicide, mildicide or miticide controls at this stage. Always check for any manufacturer listed incompatibilities between dip components using all applicable product labeling.
Dipping of your rooted clones during transplant is highly recommended. This will give your young plants a good start on their next stage of life.
Dipping & drenching plants prior to the onset of the flowering cycle is very highly recommended. We do NOT recommend applications of ANY pest management solution after the onset of the flowering cycle. This is very important as we dont wish to provide medicine with any residuals. Even organic aphid management solutions could leave unwanted residual components. Regardless of manufacturer stated PHI we never suggest product applications during flowering. When dipping plants prior to start of flowering cycle, never use a pesticide with a PHI greater than 50% of the flowering cycle length. If youve done your job right to this point, further pest management will not be required for this crop.
When using any new aphid control product, a test should be performed so as to determine if the new product application rates are acceptable and not harmful to your plants. When an application rate is proven and resulting harvests have passed extensive testing for residual content, only then should it be considered for use in a production line rotation schedule.
Some cannabis strains may react differently to a given product application, therefore when producing multiple strains or introducing a new strain, one should always test, on a small scale, for any negative reactions to your pest management routines.
With the aforementioned information and modest amount of independent research one may develop and adapt a successful aphid control solution, be it organic in nature or otherwise.
Please be sure to read the manufacturers application directions in order to determine proper PPE and PHI required for various application methods. Read the MSDS prior to use and ensure that all relevant MSDS sheets are properly accessible onsite for emergency & audit purposes.
This document is not intended to provide any specific pest management rotation solution or list of possible management candidates for application. We at Growers R Us hope that you practice safe and productive growing techniques. Growers R Us is not and will never be liable for anything you may or may not do. In order to mitigate any potentially negative impacts on yourself and your environment, always understand and adhere to all product label instructions.
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