Composition

Some types of insects and fungi are quite common in cannabis plants, especially outdoors. This is why we recommend preventive treatments in cannabis plants, avoiding the many issues that tend to accompany insect or fungi infestations.

It can be incredibly difficult to get rid of an infestation once it’s made its way to your plants; in order to stop this from happening, you can use preventive insecticides and fungicides which can be divided into two groups depending on their composition: bio and chemical.

Preventing and Fighting Insect Infestations using Bio or Chemical Products

Depending on the type of infestation and the severity of the attack, you’ll need to use certain types of preventive products, insecticides or fungicides. The most common infestations can easily reduce your yield, and in the worst of cases they can ruin your entire grow or leave you with useless buds.

As a rule of thumb, bio insecticides and fungicides are more eco-friendly and they don’t tend to leave much residue on your plants, although they require more attention and regular doses to work, more so than chemical products. Plus, you can use them during the flowering period due to their short safety period.

When it comes to chemical insecticides and fungicides, they’re more efficient but they have a longer safety period (due to plant residue). They’re also not eco-friendly, unlike bio products.

How to Use Bio Preventives to Fight and Prevent insects and fungi

The best method used to prevent some of the most common insect infestations outdoors (mites, white flies, thrips etc.) is by using natural products such as Leaf Coat, Cannacure, or Protect by Terra Aquatica.

If you happen to find an infestation in your plants, you can also use bio products designed to eliminate them, such as Spruzit, which is designed for insect infestations of all types including their eggs, or Plant Vitality by BAC, a product designed for larvae and eggs.

When it comes to root mould and fungi in cannabis plants, they can be prevented by using Trichoderma. This type of beneficial fungi can be found in products such as Bio 16 Trifag and Aktrivator. In order to prevent fungi such as oidium or other types which appear on the upper part of the plant, you can use bio fungicides such as Ekisan by Trabe.

When it comes to using bio products, you need to be rigorous and constant. They need to be used more than chemical products, although they're much more eco-friendly and are also better for your plants in general. They also have shorter safety periods, and in some cases, none at all.

How to Use Chemical Preventives

Chemical insecticides and fungicides shouldn’t be used during the flowering stage due to their long safety period and the fact that they can alter the flavour and effect of your buds. However, they can be used during the growth period as they’re highly effective, fast and durable.

They’re ideal for growers that have found an insect infestation during the growth period. For example, Lexor 25 is ideal for fungi such as oidium, alternaria, rust and many more.

If you’ve had a recent infestation and you want to clean out your grow room or tent before starting again, you can use Solfac by Bayer, a potent automatic product.

If you have any questions about insecticides and fungicides in your cannabis plants, make sure to get in touch with La Huerta Grow Shop’s team of professionals.