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How to get rid of whiteflies on weed plants

In all marijuana crops, it’s quite common to encounter a pest that often manifests itself early in the vegetative stage: the whitefly. This parasite can harm the cultivation and its production permanently if not detected and eliminated in a timely manner. In this post, we will explain how to recognize and get rid of whiteflies on weed plants.

What are Whiteflies?

Whiteflies are a nasty pest that feeds on the underside of plant leaves; and they absolutely love cannabis plants. If you find evidence of these invaders on your plants, you’re going to need to act fast. Just one female can lay anywhere between 80 and 300 eggs. If just one of them ends up on your plants they’ll infest it pretty soon.

The eggs take just 6 days to hatch and 28 more days to become adults capable of reproducing. Before they reach the adult phase, they have to go through 4 development phases. After those 4 phases the whitefly will be a reproducing adult. Phase one (from the 1st to the 4th day), phase two (from the 5th to the 10th day), phase three (from the 11th to the 17th day), phase four or pupae (from the 18th to the 28th day). After 28 days of development, these flies are adults and begin reproducing.

White flies eat the sap from your plants; making them weaker as well as causing them to lose quantity and quality when harvested. They defecate underneath the leaves, leaving black stains all over. This can also increase chances of a fungi infection; especially a particular black fungus that grows all over the leaves called sooty mold. Sooty mold can end up completely covering the leaves on your plants; meaning that there’ll be less of a surface from which to absorb light. This directly affects photosynthesis, making for much weaker plants; and eventually killing them.

Recognizing whitefly infestations: common symptoms

whiteflies infestations: common symptoms

While whiteflies can spread rapidly, there are specific symptoms that cultivators can detect to recognize and address them promptly. Belonging to the aphid family, these insects typically cause very similar damages, with some of the most prominent being:

  • Yellowing of leaves: the primary objective of whiteflies is to feed on plant sap. To achieve this, they often pierce the stems or leaves to extract the liquid. Whitefly punctures are tiny and may not be visible to the naked eye. However, they result in a noticeable deterioration of the leaves, which turn yellow or black.
  • Mold formation: whiteflies emit a liquid on stems and leaves, quickly turning into mold.
  • Virus and diseases: these insects weaken plant defenses, exposing them to various viruses and diseases.

As we have just seen, the damages caused by whiteflies are diverse but easily detectable. However, thanks to these subtle signs, it is possible to recognize whitefly symptoms and eliminate them using some remedies that will be discussed shortly.

How to get rid of whiteflies on weed plants

As previously mentioned, whiteflies are a common pest in marijuana crops, especially in mild climates where this plant typically thrives. There are various methods to eliminate whiteflies in marijuana cultivation, and they vary depending on the type of cultivation.

In the case of indoor marijuana cultivation, for instance, more chemical fertilizers may be used compared to outdoors, which can also be treated with organic products. Below, we explain the difference in treatment and highlight some pest control products.

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Remedies for outdoor crops

Most remedies against whiteflies for outdoor cultivation are natural and organic. The most prominent ones include:

  • Removal of infected leaves: If you notice leaves with whiteflies, promptly remove them. This can reduce the spread of the infestation and eliminate the need for other remedies.
  • Leaf washing: if you prefer not to remove the infected leaves, you can wash them with water and Neem oil to eliminate any trace of these insects, repeating this process for approximately 20 days.
  • Natural predators: introduce natural predator insects such as ladybugs or predatory mites. These can help control the whitefly population.
  • Natural insecticides: use natural insecticides like Spruzit® Insecticide based on rapeseed oil to spray directly on the infected leaves.

Remedies for indoor crops

Indoor cultivation can attract various plant pests, including whiteflies, due to the heat from lamps and the enclosed environment. This creates an ideal setting for parasite development and proliferation. Some tips for combating whiteflies in indoor cultivation are:

  • Insecticides: one of the primary remedies for indoor cultivation is undoubtedly insecticides specifically designed for this purpose. Since these are often chemical insecticides, it’s advisable to choose a high-quality and versatile insecticide that can fulfill care and prevention functions. Among the many available, we recommend Multiprotection Boom, effective against pests like whiteflies, mites, red spiders, botrytis, and powdery mildew.
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  • Water cleaning: similar to outdoor cultivation, you can clean leaves of eggs and whiteflies. However, in indoor cultivation, it’s recommended to use a specific insecticide added to water. One common remedy is phosphoric soap, such as Soap Boom, which thoroughly cleans leaves of parasites and is compatible with other insecticides you may want to spray on them.
whiteflies on weed plants

Tips for prevention to get rid of whiteflies

While remedies against whiteflies have been discussed so far, the possibility of prevention has not yet been considered. Prevention, in this case, is the best option to avoid treating our plants with insecticides, saving both time and energy in the battle against whiteflies.

Among the first products we recommend for whitefly prevention are undoubtedly yellow insect traps. This product, easy to apply, natural, and also very economical, consists of yellow adhesive strips capable of attracting insects and trapping them with their glue. It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, being highly resistant to water and moisture.

Certainly, another factor to focus on to prevent any infestation is to care for the immune defenses of your plants. For this purpose, there are insecticides that protect and nourish plants simultaneously It is a product based on nitrogen and amino acids that stimulate the plant’s immune defenses and repel various types of pests. Multiprotection Boom can also be used as a preventive measure against whiteflies, applying it foliarly for 10 days.

In conclusion, it is worth remembering that general cleanliness in the cultivation environment is one of the first and best preventive measures for a healthy and productive crop.

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Erik Collado Vidal

Con más de 10 años de experiencia en la industria del cannabis, sus experiencias y aprendizaje son la base del éxito de GB The Green Brand.

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