Professional Marijuana Grower March-April 2018 Issue | Page 30

ing, a grower is forced to harvest early and cut his or
her losses.
Botrytis
Botrytis (bud rot) mainly affects tender tissues, such as
fl owers, fruits and seedlings, but can enter the plant’s
tissue through pruning scars or other distressed or
wounded tissue. The fi rst sign of a botrytis infection is a
water-soaked browned area. After the initial browning,
a silvery-gray fuzzy mat will develop on or around the
browned tissue. Upon closer inspection, the fuzzy mat
will look like thousands of tiny balls. These tiny balls
are actually the spores which can fl y up like dust if the
area is disturbed. The rest of the plant may show signs
of illness, such as yellowing leaves or buds. In extreme
cases, or in cases where high humidity is prevalent, a
brown, slimy substance can appear, which is actually
the decimated plant tissue. Outdoor growers need to
pay extra close attention to their plants during the late
summer and early fall. Botrytis commonly affects out-
door crops when temperatures turn cooler and rain is
more prevalent. Moisture from rain, artifi cial waterings,
and dew can all accelerate the growth of a botrytis
infection.
Botrytis Prevention for Indoor Gardens
THE ORIGINAL TWO-PART,
PH BALANCED HYDROPONIC
BASE NUTRIENT.
•
•
•
•
Ensures maximum growth and flowering
Highly concentrated
pH balanced for increased yields
Over 20 years of outstanding results
High Performance Products.
High Performance Service.
To see the full line of products and find
a dealer near you please visit:
www.tradewindsgarden.com
As with many garden pathogens, prevention is the key
to avoiding botrytis. Keeping a clean room and remov-
ing any dying or dead plant material is a good fi rst
step for any grower. In a sense, botrytis is an environ-
mental disease; meaning it can only develop when the
environmental conditions are conducive to its growth.
For the indoor grower, the best prevention is to main-
tain a lower humidity in the growing environment, espe-
cially during the fruiting and fl owering stages. Another
way an indoor grower can prevent botrytis is by using
a fi ltration system or other air purifi cation system. HEPA
fi lters enable growers to fi lter out many spores common-
ly found in the air. This will greatly reduce the chance
of developing botrytis and other pathogens.
Botrytis Prevention for Outdoor Gardens
Outdoor growers must rely more on Mother Nature and
do not have as much control over temperature, humid-
ity, or airfl ow as indoor horticulturists. However, there
are a few preventative measures outdoor growers can
implement to avoid a problem with botrytis. One good
preventative measure is to thin out vegetation that is
continuously shaded or does not get adequate airfl ow.
This will reduce the chance of botrytis developing on
the lower sections of a plant and spreading to other
places in the garden. Outdoor plants should also be
spaced far enough apart so there is adequate ventila-
tion between the plants. Crowded plants will overlap
(Continued on page 34)
30 • Professional Marijuana Grower
March/April 2018