Professional Marijuana Grower May-June 2019 Issue | Page 8

Cannabis growers should always change their clothes or avoid going into their gardens after visiting another indoor garden (even if that garden seems unaffected by spider mites). Another simple preventative measure any cannabis horticulturist can take to prevent spider mites is to keep a clean growing environment. Dead leaves, discard- ed soil, and previously used planting containers are places for many types of pest insects to live and breed. A clean growing environment is benefi cial in many re- gards and is one of the most simple and effective ways to prevent pest insects. Seal the Indoor Garden Let’s get growing naturally Although it is nearly impossible to have a hermetically sealed indoor garden, a grower should strive to seal his or her grow room as much as possible. Spider mites are drawn to the warm, moist conditions of an indoor grow room. By keeping an indoor garden relatively sealed, the grower limits the spider mite’s access to the environment. Caulk and/or expanding foam insulation are both effective ways to fi ll in the cracks and crannies of an indoor garden. It is also imperative to assess the grow room’s ventilation system. Unfi ltered intake ports are easy access points for a number of pest insects. Mesh or a fi ne screen covering the ventilation openings of an indoor garden will greatly reduce the chance of spider mites and/or other pest insects from entering. An intake fi lter, such as a HEPA fi lter, can be an invaluable investment for avoiding a spider mite invasion. Grow from Seed To see the full line of Age Old products and find a dealer near you please visit: www.tradewindsgarden.com 8 • Professional Marijuana Grower As previously mentioned, a well-meaning gardener who shares genetics may, in fact, may also be sharing their spider mite problem. Spider mites are very small and are not easy to spot with the naked eye. Just because a plant looks “clean” doesn’t necessarily mean it is free of pest insects. Often, a plant may be free of adult pest insects, but may contain eggs or larvae buried in the medium or tissue of the plant. Perhaps the best spider mite preventative measure an indoor gardener can take is to start his or her cannabis garden from seed. Although this will mean the grower will have to wait a little longer before the fi rst harvest, it also means the grower will start with a spider mite-free cannabis gar- den. Starting from seed is also the best way to recover from a devastating spider mite infestation. After losing signifi cant yield while battling spider mites, many grow- ers will wisely choose to “start over”. In other words, they remove all of the plants and treat the grow room and all of its equipment with a bleach-water solution. In my opinion, when starting over, it is best to do so from seed. The last thing a grower wants to do after dealing with a devastating spider mite infestation is to accept a cutting from someone and contract the same problem. May/June 2019