 | Pot Culture: Bugs Suck! |
 BUSH DOCTOR, NORML News Winter 2004.
Literally, they suck the life-blood out of your plants. The warm, humid conditions and abundant food in a greenhouse provide an excellent, stable environment for pest development, so the sooner you are on to them the better.
The first sign of bugs is usually leaf damage. Chewing bugs leave obvious signs of their presence, whereas sucking bugs don't create immediate damage - so by the time you notice the leaves showing signs, the bugs are out of control and difficult to eradicate. Yellow sticky traps can provide early detection of the presence of bugs.
If you bring in plants from a mate or outside give them a good going over. Wash them in the sink by rubbing your thumb and forefinger over all the leaves than also spray if you had noticed any bugs.
Spray for bugs at night time or just before the lights go off to avoid leaf burn. Remember to spray under leaves. Don't use systemic sprays as they remain in the plant for weeks and who knows what cancer causing compounds they turn into when smoked.
Garlic and pyrethrum mixed with a spray oil is still the safest (it's basically organic) and yet still has the widest spectrum of knockdown for all bugs, good and bad. You will find healthy clean plants don't have a lot of trouble with bugs. Prevention is the best form of defence.
AphidsAphids are small, soft-bodied, sluggish insects that cluster in colonies on the leaves and stems of the host plants. They are sucking insects that insert their beaks into a leaf or stem to extract plant sap. They are usually found on and under the youngest leaves, and, in general, prefer to feed on tender, young growth.
Fungus GnatsThe larvae of most species are scavengers, feeding on decaying organic matter in the soil. However, larvae of some species will feed on root hairs, enter the roots or even attack the crown or stem of the plant. Plants infested with fungus gnats generally lack vigour and may begin to wilt. Adults are frequently observed running on the foliage or medium before injury caused by the larvae becomes apparent.
WhitefliesThese powdery white insects, about 1/12 inch in length, flutter from the undersides of leaves when the plants are disturbed. The lower surface of the leaves may be infested with all life stages of whiteflies.
MealybugsMealy bugs are small, soft-bodied insects which, like aphids, feed on plant sap. These insects are thickly covered with mealy or waxy secretions which provide some protection from contact insecticides.
MitesMites, the "kings of the indoor pests" are sap-sucking pests which attack a wide range of plants. Two-spotted spider mites are light to dark green with two distinctive black spots on the abdomen. Eggs are spherical and clear when first laid. After hatching, the larva has three pairs of legs, but later stages will have four pairs. Males are smaller with more pointed abdomens than females. Heavy infestations of the two-spotted spider mite produce fine webbing which may cover the entire plant, which will be seen clearly when the plant is misted.
Generally mites feed on the undersides of leaves, giving the upper leaf surface a speckled or mottled appearance. Leaves of mite-infested plants may turn yellow and dry up, and plants may lose vigour and die when infestations are severe. Because of their small size, infestations often go undetected until the damage is severe. Often, it is better to discard infested plants than to attempt to control them.
If control is attempted, isolate the infested plants to reduce potential spread.
Because mites mainly live on the undersides of leaves, spray both the lower and upper leaf surfaces. Mite eggs are resistant to some insecticides, so repeated applications are often necessary to control infestations. Use a spraying oil mixed with garlic and pyrethrum in the first 2 sprays then just the garlic and pyrethrum. Three to five applications spaced 3-4 days apart may be necessary, then regular weekly follow-ups.
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