Cannabis Cultivation - Pests

Pests

Outdoor growers are likely to confront issues regarding pests. In any case (indoor or outdoor), experienced growers recommend caution when using chemical pesticides, for they may have toxic effects on the environment, the plants themselves and in turn cannabis consumers. As a general rule, experts mandate the deployment of pesticides clearly marked as "safe to use on food crops". Substances proven to induce little or no harm include:

• Pyrethrins: Organic and very effective, although sometimes hard to find. Often expensive because of high production cost.
• Azadirachtin: Meets most criteria to be classified as natural insecticide. Biodegradable, non-toxic to mammals. Usually cheaper and easier to find than pyrethrins.

Indoor growers also have problems with pests, usually caused by the grower or a pet bringing them in from the outdoors. If caught too late, eradication of many destructive insect species indoors may be impossible until all infected plants are removed from the space and sterilization methods employed.