Predators

Many aspects of cultivation are universal, but predators are not. Predators can change quickly over short distances. For example, a predator that hangs out and lives on a semi-elevated southwest slope may not live on the northern slope or the other side of the valley. (For example, a rodent could be attracted to that sunny spot and to the vegetation there.) The best way to deal with potential damage from living organisms is by keeping accurate records of the problems encountered.

The following information will explain effective methods for dealing with most of the problems a grower encounters, indoors or outdoors.

Deer

Deer seem to be put off by mothballs (scattered around the plot every month or two), and tall fencing. Misting plants with plain water and tossing on fine-blended bone meal or bat guano immediately afterwards has been reported to do wonders. Also, watch out for goats, because they will devour all flowers and leaves in sight.

Bugs

Bugs don’t seem to be a problem if the growing medium and growing conditions are at a decent standard. A little prevention can involve planting a few cloves of garlic at the transplanting time and weekly foliar feeding of liquid kelp from the time the plants are young through near maturity.

To deal with a bug problem immediately, use an organic insecticidal soap every four to ten days while wearing a respirator. The combination is more effective than using straight soap. Rub the bottoms of the leaves gently while spraying to ensure all areas get covered and some bugs get squished. The war psychology of bug-smearing may be argued among scientists and other interest groups.

Spider mites seem to be the rookie’s most undetected predator, next to the rat. Spider mites are bugs that suck fluids from the plants, and they can spread diseases. The plants then spend time dealing with the stress, which affects yield. Understanding what makes mites thrive is half the battle. They like a hot, dry room with weak plants. They prefer a hot, dry room with strong plants to a cool, humid room with equally strong plants. They are discouraged by high humidity, and they incubate at a highly productive rate when the temperature rises above 80ºF. When the grow room is kept right around 80ºF with a humidity of 60% or more, mites can actually be relatively harmless. If this climate is maintained and the plants are well fed, getting a complete misting two or more times a week, the mite population can be kept at tolerable levels. Misting is applying a fine spray to the plants, preferably to both sides of the leaves. Misting adds humidity, which helps the stomata to open. This is particularly helpful during foliar feeding, to increase the nutrient intake. Stroking the plants stimulates hormonal activity that will increase growth.

Daily mists are okay until plants are about three weeks into the flowering process, after which a twice-a-week misting is recommended. Misting is reduced during flowering because the flowers may begin to mold with over-misting. This will occur in mold-sensitive strains or in plants that are not as healthy as they should be.

There is no cut-and-dried method for determining exactly when to stop misting, but problems from too much misting are more likely to occur when flowers have been formed for three weeks or more.

Spraying the undersides of the leaves well is the key, because that is where the spider mites hang. Nevertheless, if spider mites become a problem, spraying every four to seven days with an organic insecticidal soap combined with ½ teaspoon per quart of Nitrozyme® will help. The combination of the two is more effective than straight soap. Rinse the plants the day after the soap spray with a plain water rinse. Wear a respirator whenever spraying with fertilizers or insecticides, to keep the mist out of the lungs.

Predator mites are another option for dealing with a mite problem. Predator mites are bugs that are introduced into the grow room to eat the spider mites. They will eat the spider mites, and when their food supply dies off, their population will die as well. If spider mites cannot be dealt with at this level without taking more serious measures to get rid of them, then other details in the grow room should really be looked at, such as temperature and humidity, quality of nutrition for the plants, and proper air flow. Regular misting and foliar feeding should be enough of a preventative tactic to ensure the mite population does not get out of hand. Predator mites are an expensive method for dealing with the problem. If predator mites are used, it is still a good idea to lower the spider mite population with insecticides before introducing the spider mites. However, it is recommended to wait a few days for the chemical ingredients of the insecticide to wear off before the introduction of the predator mites so that they won’t get zapped.

Indoors, using an unfiltered air intake for outside air can allow spider mites into the room in the first place. Try to deny them easy access. They can also be picked up on clothing from the outside and enter the grow room in that way.

When mites are at a tolerable level, all else must be going okay. The more mite-free your rooms, the better. Just don’t let them eat you up (worry you).

The mite population should be as minimal as possible on the mother plant(s). When a mother plant gets a disease, new clones may be hard to root. They may be still productive, but the disease will be a hindrance and can interrupt the normal schedule.

Misting plants daily or every second day soon before or right after the lights come on also helps keep other bugs, such as thrips, under control. Applying an organic insecticidal soap at the rate of ½ teaspoon per quart of water, or as recommended on the package, also works in a crisis. Rinse the soap off a couple of days after spraying to remove the soap film from the plants’ stomatas, as open stomatas are vital for transpiration. Other organic methods to keep bugs under control are to plant garlic in soil or soilless mix. An organic method to kill bugs is to use pyrethrins, which is an extract from the chrysanthemum plant. A health conscious grower probably would not want to get near the pyrethrins, organic or not.

Neem oil is another class A option to rid your zone of mites.

Other methods to kill bugs are to use Malathion, Diazinon, etc. These materials have rather short half lives, but, they stink like serious toxicity and should be avoided in the garden, if possible.

Anybody needing to use a bug spray should polish up on his horticulture skills and proper room climate in order to grow healthy plants, rather than rely on a toxic band-aid solution.

Slugs and Snails

A single to double wrap of several-inch-high slug tape placed a few inches from the stalks works well. Using tape and slug death in placed in (rain - free) cups is the best defense, even in rainforest coastal areas where the big green, black, and green/black slugs are the largest (often 6” plus) and have an infested population.

Placing open containers of beer into the soil that are covered so water can’t dilute the beer works, but not like slug bait.

Raised containers or raised beds that are high off the ground seem to attract fewer slugs / snails than spots that are level to the ground. Copper surrounding the plot supposedly works well, but it is heavy and expensive. Toxic slug and snail bait is the most effective option.

If the crop is in a life-or-death situation, it is environmentally friendlier to place the bait in plastic cups sloping downward at the outskirts of the plot, rather than to leave it exposed to the rain. With this method, the slugs / snails go in and eat the poison. Some make it back out, some won’t.

Make sure slug bait stays dry all season, because a little goes a long way, and handling less is always best. Cory’s brand is the best. Other brands in my local stores have similar active ingredients listed on the package, but, they are not as effective Cory’s and do not have as long of a life. Replacing slug death every 3-5 weeks (if it is not rained on) should give you near 100% protection.

Slug death should be stored out of reach of kids, pets, and food supplies.

Small slugs can be hard to find and may leave holes all over the plant, which causes weakening of the plant tissue, which results in slower growth. Rubbing the leaves may be necessary to find these slimy critters.

Slugs are mainly spring feeders. They do their most damage in cool and wet spring conditions. Slugs and rain go hand in hand. They slow down in their movement and diet habits in the hot summer days.

Rats and mice

Mice tend to like young seedlings, even those that have just germinated. However, once seedlings are two to three weeks old, mice tend to leave them alone. Always have a well-sealed seedling zone that is 100% mouse-proof, because they have been known to devour complete starter rooms. Utrasound® is a unit that sends out a frequency that deters mice and rats, yet is not heard by pets and family.

Rats, on the other hand, can be life-threatening to plants. Rats will eat a circle around the outer stalk, at the base of the plant. This will look similar to a tree that is being cut down by a lumberjack.

This removal of the plant tissue will cut off the flow of vital fluids from travelling up and down the plant. Plants will wilt and die soon afterwards.

However, some plants can be saved, if they still look normal and healthy. To remedy the situation, it is recommended to cut out a piece of outer bark from a plant of the same species.

Then, the patch should be placed over the bark that was eaten so that it connects to the upper and lower parts of the stalk, where the rat had stopped eating.

Now, just a little vaseline and tape will secure this patchwork. This patch will act like a suspension bridge so that it is possible to pass necessary components from the lower and upper sides of the stalk.

The new material will eventually be welded in place, yet, it will look different than when it was first cut. Mothballs around a plot may act as a deterrent. However, rats do like devouring canola meal and Flower Power.

Black Bears

Bears don’t seem to cause problems unless they decide to give a garbage can or bag a closer inspection. After realizing that it is a lame food source, they tend to move on. Burying garbage bags and cans, and building a raised bed around their contained mix, will offer superior plant protection. Odds seem greater of no attack than of an attack to the plants.

Bears are most destructive in the early spring after a long winter nap, when floral and berry vegetation is low. Rabbits

A fence (1-2 feet high) should be built around the plants in order to keep them out.

Mold / Mildew It is always best to prevent mold in the bud and stems by having an acclimatized strain that is known to handle the elements, and by regular foliar feeding a quality liquid kelp with /without combining a “high in calcium” fish powder. This works well for plants (veg and blooming) that are grown in daily extreme fog and/or rainfall conditions that read 100% humidity.

Grow rooms should be disinfected before they are used in order to remove any mildew / mold that creeps in during high humidity and makes a mess of the walls; such as black spots that leave a greasy film and stain.

However, for whatever reason, a mold problem may occur. In that case, use an organic fungicide.

Disease

A strong strain and a good grow medium are needed at the preventative level. When a disease hits clones, starting again from seed may be the answer. Most diseases can be dealt with, unless the plant receives poor care.

Fusarium

When plants wilt not for lack of water, fusarium is a major possibility. Fusarium targets a plant with weak roots and a water temperature over 70 ºF . Roots often become unhealthy (brownish) in stagnant, warm water.

Keeping roots healthy (whitish) and water temperature below 70ºF is the best preventative measure.

If fusarium hits a plant and it becomes wilted and sickly looking, pull the plant immediately. If other plants share the same water (i.e. hydroponic gardening), hydrogen peroxide should be added to the water at a rate of 2-5 ml / gallon.