How to combat thrips in your cannabis growing

Despite all the efforts you’ve made to keep your cannabis growing in optimal conditions, you’re not exempt from having a pest invade your plantation, but don’t be discouraged, fortunately there’s a way to avoid it.

Among the most common pests that occur in outdoor cannabis growing, are thrips. Learning how to eliminate them is always a great help, so look at this post to take note of some tips.

The Thrips

Thrips are not one of the worst pests, however, if not acted upon in time it can generate considerable damage, such as lowering the quantity and quality of the marijuana obtained, reducing the volume of the buds, and well, nobody wants that! In addition, by chopping the leaf, thrips can transmit viruses and infections to the plant. The good news is that it’s an easy pest to fight.

How to recognize them?

This pest is small insects of 1 to 3 mm, although they can reach 6 mm. Thrips are usually yellow, brown or black with alternating light and dark bands. You can observe them if you move the plant, they can be flying from one side to another; usually they are in the tip of the stems and on the upper leaves.

Depending on the temperature, their life can last from one month to one year; they develop in temperatures above 15º C and below 36º C, in springtime. Usually, in low temperatures and autumn rains, they usually disappear until conditions are given again.

In large plants, it can be a little difficult to detect this pest; however, in small plants with few leaves it is very easy to find them.

The damage caused by thrips, can be found mainly on the leaves, because this is where they scrape the surface to access the sap.

Unlike other pests like the red spider and white fly, which leave more circular bites, the bite of thrips, in most cases, are more longitudinally forming short “roads”.

In addition, this plague usually bites in the part closest to the edge of the leaves, while the red spider bites all over the leaf and white flies prefer the nervures.

How to eliminate them?

Prevention is always better than regret, and one way to do this is to avoid excess nitrogen, (often caused by heavily fertilized substrates) as it attracts thrips and other pests.

If you use preventatives such as neem oil, you can prevent this pest from settling on the plant, but if thrips invade your growing area, you can use insecticides such as potassium soap or diatomaceous earth, both natural, which are also friendly to the plant.

Try to keep your growing environment clean, for example before entering your indoor growing area, try not to do so with the clothes and shoes you had when you came back from the street so that pests don’t get in.

Also, check the plants periodically for eggs or bite marks so that you can take action in time.