growers know
“ The surefire way to stop the spread of in its tracks is to remove the environment favorable to fostering its growth .”
Even if your indoor cultivation area is clean — I mean really clean — mold can still rear its ugly head . Mold is one of the biggest preventable problems experienced in most gardens and growrooms . It can ruin a perfectly good crop before you even realize you have a problem . There are a handful of different molds common in cultivation , and they are all introduced and spread through circumstances completely controllable by you . So , what can you do about it ? Before we talk about how to control mold in your garden , let ’ s look at what exactly mold is and what types you are most likely to find in your garden . Mold is a fungus . It is a living , breathing life form . While there are many different fungi and molds encountered in nature , there are only two types you should come across in your growroom that will negatively affect your plants . The most common type is powdery mildew . It is considered a fungal disease , and it is caused by several different types of spores ( the primary culprit is called Podosphaera xanthii ). Powdery mildew appears as a white powder , primarily on your leaves . The white on green is easy to spot , so catching powdery mildew early shouldn ’ t be a problem . The next type of mold that can greatly affect your harvest is white mold . It forms on the fruit of your plants and looks like small puffs of cotton in the beginning . As it becomes more advanced , it can lead to cankers and a number of other problems . We have all seen what happens to fruits and vegetables that we leave in the bottom drawer of the fridge for too long . The same thing can happen on the vine if the problem isn ’ t caught in time . Allowing white mold to spread can result in diseases ranging from crown rot to stem infections . So , if you start with a clean room , how does mold find its way into your garden ? Contamination .
Contamination is the biggest threat faced by your garden . Every time you enter or exit a room , you take something with you and you leave something behind . Unfortunately , when you are in there trying to flex your green thumb , the things you drop off can have adverse consequences . When you walk across a lawn or stand near a tall tree , you pick up mold , pollen , and a slew of other contaminants . The impact on your plants can be devastating , hence the need for ongoing observation and maintenance . Once mold spores are introduced , they require fairly warm and moist conditions to thrive . The surefire way to stop the spread of mold in its tracks is to remove the environment favorable to fostering its growth . Sounds simple enough , right ? Maintain the proper temperatures with a nice neutral humidity level , and the spores won ’ t be able to take over . If you have your environment on lockdown , you shouldn ’ t have a problem . Unfortunately , balancing temperature and humidity is an ongoing battle faced by most amateur horticulturists . To prevent mold , you need to make sure your air is flowing and excess moisture is kept to a minimum . One of the worst things you can do is leave unnecessary pools of water on your trays and floor . Excess water leads to mold ; there is no way around it . If you don ’ t have the benefit of a pump and drainage system , make sure excess water is vacuumed up every time you feed . If water soaks up into your drywall , it could cause black mold to form along your baseboards . This , combined with your good air flow , which , paradoxically , helps spread spores when you get a mold infestation , will act as a source of contamination until it is repaired . You really don ’ t want to let a problem get to that point . An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure . Once you find you have powdery mildew or the beginnings of a mold infestation , don ’ t panic . If you can manually remove infected leaves , that ’ s a great place to start . If the problem spreads , use an organic fungicide .
136 grow cycle