Maximum Yield USA May 2017 | Page 140

growers know Many growers like to avoid pesticides and fungicides, but there are a lot of perfectly safe organic products that work wonders in the garden available at your local grow shop. One of the absolute best fungicides available is a concentrated hydrogen dioxide (H 2 O 2 ) solution, sold commercially under a variety of different names. When applied by foliar application, it instantly dries out the spores, killing their ability to reproduce. Once the spores lose that ability, it is only a matter of time before they themselves die. Hydrogen dioxide also functions as a general disinfectant and if it’s applied to your clean, dry workspace before your first plant goes down, you increase your chances of a clean harvest. Another incredible method of mold control on your plants is the use of beneficial fungus. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, often referred to as Bacillus A, is a beneficial microbe available over the counter. Coat your garden with a layer of these beneficial fungi, which will then form colonies. These colonies, which are invisible to the eye, kill competing spores and prevent them from taking hold and forming colonies of their own. If you are just setting up, take preventative steps to ensure you don’t run into problems with mold. Start with a clean, dry room and make sure you have plenty of air flow. Make sure you have no leaky windows and do the absolute best you can to avoid inadvertent contamination from outside sources. If you are so inclined, or have concerns about mold, give your garden a pre-transplanting wash with a solution of H 2 O 2 . Keep your trays and floor dry and if you feel the need, throw Bacillus A into a bi-weekly treatment schedule. Keeping mold at bay isn’t difficult, it just takes diligence and a watchful eye. 138 grow cycle