Yo, what’s up growers? My name is Dan and today we’re talkin’ about how to deal with sooty mold on your weed. Now, I know it ain’t a common issue, but when you see that brown-black nastiness all over your plant, you know you got a serious bug infestation goin’ on. So, let’s get into it and learn how to deal with these pesky bugs.
First things first, sooty mold don’t actually attack your cannabis plant. It feeds off the poop from sap-sucking insects like aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies. These little vampires bite into your plant’s phloem and suck out all the juice, causing spots and stains on your leaves. As they digest the sap, they excrete honeydew – a sticky and sugar-rich goo that attracts sooty mold spores. These spores start spreadin’ like wildfire in the presence of honeydew and cover your leaves with their dark cape.
Now, if you find yourself in the presence of sooty mold, chances are you neglected to inspect and discover an underlying pest problem. So, grab a magnifying glass or jeweler’s loupe and start inspectin’ your plants thoroughly. Check the top and especially the underside of the leaves for eggs. Follow the stems to the branch, and the main branches all the way down to the topsoil. The topsoil is also a favorite maternity ward for new eggs to hatch.
Once you’ve identified which army of sap-sucking thugs you need to fend off, you have two options depending on how severe the problem is: organic or pesticides. Now, I know pesticides ain’t ideal for smokin’ or consumin’ weed, so let’s talk about some organic options first:
– High doses of quick-release CO2
– Portable UV lights
– Neem oil
– Beneficial insects like ladybugs, certain wasps, and lacewings
– Spinosad products
– Insecticidal soaps
It’s important to note that some organic pesticides may be harmful to humans too if not applied correctly. So, do your research and follow instructions carefully.
If you have no choice but to drop a toxic bomb to control an insect outbreak, be sure to read the label and follow instructions to the letter. Apply as per instructions to one branch first and wait one or two days to check how the plant reacts. Some chemicals may trigger unwanted reactions just like in humans.
Once you’ve eliminated the bug infestation, it’s time to deal with the sooty mold. This is easy-peasy – just source some biodegradable plant-safe soap and prepare a sprayer. Gently wipe off all the sooty mold and honeydew present on the leaves. This will be a long and tedious operation since honeydew is very icky-sticky stuff that could snap a leaf off if wiped too hard. The best tactic is to wash your plants from top to bottom with the soap then rinse them with water.
That’s it for today, growers! Remember to always inspect your plants thoroughly to prevent bug infestations and therefore sooty mold. Stay lit!
