Bugs and pests simply love setting up shop on pot plants as much as they like cozying up on other plants in your garden. These pests do not ever get tired of eating, kind of like that obese man in I Know Pronounce You Chuck and Larry that could not even walk out of his own home!
Though you can try companion planting to keep the number of pests in check, hemp cultivation requires diligent attention. Keep your eyes open and peeled for spider mites that infest marijuana grows.
Before we go into how you can identify a spider mite infestation and deal with it. Let us quickly take you through a few details you must know about this pesky pest.
Spider Mites Life Cycle
Spider mites that infest marijuana grows, have a lifecycle that allows them to repopulate rather quickly and effectively, even after most of their population is destroyed. The adult females lay eggs on their host plants. It takes just a few days for an egg to hatch and turn into a larva. These larvae are round bodies and will have just three pairs of legs. They will seek a sheltered spot to feed and rest before they molt into the nymphal stage. The first nymph will have four pairs of legs.
These first nymphs will continue to feed for a few more days, take more rest and then molt into the second nymph which again feed and rest before they finally enter the adult stage. It can take about a few days to two weeks for these mites to go through their life cycle.
Identifying Spider Mites
These tiny bugs can be easily identified by their appearance. Spider mites that infest grows, are small and oval in shape and have six to eight legs. They damage your grow by nibbling away at the chlorophyll in the leaves and leaving behind white or yellow spots in their way. An easy way to know if these mites have made a nest in your pot plants, is to look out for webs that are made of silky strings on both buds and leaves.
Problems Caused by Spider Mites
Like you already know, chlorophyll is essential for plants to grow, but spider mites that infest marijuana grows, will munch them off and create significant damage. A severe infestation can destroy your cannabis crop. The webs that these mites build are rather sticky and rather hard to remove that could result in an impure harvest not suitable for use.
How to Get Rid of Them
You can evade the spider mite fiasco by ensuring sanitary conditions in the room you grow your pot. Ensure that you wash your hands and clothing before you enter the indoor grow area and never let kids or pets access the room. This will prevent a spider mite infestation.
If you are already dealing with a spider mite infestation, start by cleaning the webs and spider mites away using a high powered hose provided the plants haven’t gone into the flowering stage. You may also use neem oil or any other organic bio-pesticide that has been labelled to be safe to use on flowering plants and vegetables. You will have to repeat this cleaning process numerous times for a few days to kill both the mites and their eggs.
These simple tips can help you keep your grows healthy and free from a spider mite infestation. You may also seek the help of a bud grower who will be able to help you identify and treat the infestation at an early stage.
