Most Common Cannabis Pests and Solutions

Last Updated February 27, 2021

Nasty and unwanted bugs and pests just love to make their home in pot plants and on plants themselves. The number of pests your outdoor or indoor marijuana grow will encounter is sure to exceed one. Thus, successful cannabis cultivation requires diligent attention and proper care.

As fellow growers, we understand how important it is to maintain your crop. You really don’t want to give your all, love and attention to your grow only to cry your eyes out at the end of a cycle. To protect your precious cannabis plants from pests that will ruin your prized harvest, keep your eyes peeled for the following most common cannabis pests.

Suss-out Spider Mites

Plants need chlorophyll to grow, which increases the chances of spider mites wanting to take a bite. Spider mites munching on chlorophyll can cause great damage or even death to your cannabis plants if you’re not careful. Once developed – which happens quickly – the webs are very sticky and difficult to remove. This often results in a non-usable product.

When growing indoors, it’s best to avoid the whole spider mite fiasco to begin with, by ensuring impeccable clean conditions in your grow room. Make sure to regularly clean out your grow tent, supplies, air supply and yourself. Always wash your hands before entering an indoor grow area and regularly inspect your plants for infestations.

Beware the Aphids

Aphids are tiny, yellow winged bugs that could become your worst cannabis pests. They reproduce quickly with many births per day so infestations can happen quickly and should be remedied as soon as possible. Because these cannabis pests consume nutrients within cannabis, the resulting leaves will yellow or die.

Aphids not only eat cannabis plants, but their feces attract ants. This can create an even larger infestation problem. They have also been known to introduce viruses from nearby plants that may lead to stunted growth or slower production of flowers.

Though Mother Nature itself can help to prevent an aphid infestation with beneficial organisms like ladybugs, you can help along the process with the use of garlic or tomato leaf soaked water. To make a killer solution, soak tomato leaves or garlic and mineral oil in water for 12 – 24 hours.

Then, strain the mixture and apply to a small area of the plant. If the leaves continue yellow to or start to yellow after application, try diluting the solution and re-applying.

Anything but the Gnats!

These nasty little black bugs might be swarming around the soil and lower portion of your marijuana plant. Fungus Gnats are cannabis pests that are only three to five millimeters in size and produce larva with transparent look. Females lay eggs on moist soil and larvae can often be found in water run-off.

Though these fellas won’t eat your leaves or flowers, they can damage roots and reduce soil drainage which weakens the plant and making it more susceptible to infestation. Fungus gnats are cannabis pests that need moist soil to reproduce – so this will be your main focus in preventing them to grow and develop on your precious plants.

Hence, the best way to prevent this type of infestation is to keep your top layers of soil as dry as naturally possible. You can also try placing a cloth over the soil to prevent females from laying their eggs. It’s also wise to keep windows and doors closed at all times to keep them from getting to your indoor grow at all.