Pest control for large-scale cultivations doesn’t have to involve harsh chemicals. Proactive pest control and preventative maintenance can go a lot further — when done right. It all starts with an investment in a good growing medium and the use of nature’s best pest control option: nature. Here’s how cultivators can take a natural approach to pest control and grow better cannabis along the way.
Comparing Peat to Substrate
Hydroponic cultivations offer many environmental benefits, including combatting aspergillus and other common environmental fungi. Shifting a large-scale cannabis operation from soil to hydroponics can help cultivators better meet their environmental goals as well as enable a proactive approach to pest control.
Boasting good aeration and water retention properties, rockwool is a solid option. On its own, rockwool is nothing special. But when combined with good cultivation practices, it can play a big role in producing quality, pest-free cannabis.
Most fertilizer recommendations call for more nitrogen than necessary, which can inhibit healthy growth. Plants grown in substrate (like rockwool) tend to have lower nitrogen levels than their peat counterparts, resulting in stronger overall plant growth. Additionally, rockwool allows for better moisture control — a key component for successful cannabis cultivation.
Keeping Aphids At Bay
Soilless cultivation does not eliminate pest-related threats. There are plenty of pest pressures that are unique or common to cannabis, such as rice root and cannabis aphids. All of these aphid populations can flare up and proliferate quickly, year round.
While it may take a bit more labor than the use of heavy-duty pesticides, the best approach to pest control is prevention. There’s no shortcut for this; plants should be inspected daily to identify and remove threats as they come.
One of the best tools for keeping aphids at bay is the use of Aphidius matricariae, a type of parasitic wasp. Aphidius matricariae wasps sting and lay eggs directly inside aphids. Shortly after, the aphids die and swell up with new parasitic wasps, which will continue to sting more aphids and repeat the cycle.
To better understand infestations as they arise, cultivators can send samples of the aphid mummies to a biosupplier who can tell them which aphid species is dominant in their cultivation so they can better hone in on eradication. Then, cultivators can carry out preventative introductions of A. matricariae to every new crop. The wasps come as live adults and are easy to distribute for effective pest control.
Keeping Other Seasonal Pests Out
Beyond the year-round battle with aphids, cultivators may also experience invasions of other pests, such as red spider mites in the late summer. When needed, they can combat these other pests with the introduction of predatory bugs in slow release bags hung evenly across the grow.
In addition, routine drenches of Beauveria, a naturally insecticidal fungi, and neem oil, can do wonders to prevent root aphids from taking over. Ladybugs are another helpful pest control tool, though not nearly as effective as predatory and parasitic insects, insecticidal fungi, and other methods.
The biggest tool to keep pest problems at bay is prevention, followed by control. This starts with being proactive and keeping eyes on the plants. Employees can be trained to scout the grow and identify problems as soon as they start. If it’s not a routine issue like the aphids, cultivators have to react and get the right bio-controls in place right away.
Utilizing Nature
The more natural light you have, the more successful your results will be. Dry landscapes make an ideal environment for cannabis cultivation as they lend to less disease prevalence and more a control over operations. Clean mountain air, with much less pollution, can dramatically improve plant health, too. While these options may not always be available, staying as close to nature as possible will always benefit the final product.
The approach to pest control for large scale cultivations should follow this nature-forward line of thinking. Natural infestations can be met with natural solutions, so long as they are identified and taken care of quickly.