Cannabis Thrips: Cannabis plants are one of the most lucrative and valuable crops in the world, providing numerous health benefits, recreational opportunities, and economic gains. However, growing cannabis plants is not without its challenges, especially when it comes to pests. One of the most common and damaging pests for cannabis plants is the cannabis thrips.
If you are growing a cannabis plant and observe that there are some small insects in your planter, then they might be thrips. Read this post till the end, as we have shared everything related to cannabis thrips in this post. You will be able to understand the symptoms, effects, and ways to get rid of these yourself.
What Are Cannabis Thrips?
Cannabis thrips are tiny insects that hurt cannabis plants by sucking their sap and eating their leaves. This damages the plants and decreases the amount and quality of the buds that can be harvested. They are light brown or yellow in colour and very small, about the size of a grain of rice.
If you see yellow or brown spots on the leaves, curled leaves, silver streaks, or little bugs on the leaves or in the soil, it may mean you have a thrips problem. To stop thrips from hurting your plants, you can use different methods like taking care of the plants, using helpful insects and using chemicals if necessary.
Identifying Cannabis Thrips Infestation
Identifying a cannabis thrips infestation can be difficult, as they are small in size and often hide within the folds of the plant’s leaves. However, there are several signs that you can look for to determine if your plants have been infested with thrips. Sometimes the infection is silent and can’t be seen with the naked eye until they start multiplying.
You must pay attention to the changes in your plants as they help diagnose problems early when they can be fixed easily. Below we have mentioned some of them:
- Leaves with yellow or brown spots or streaks.
- Distorted or curled leaves.
- Silvery streaks or discolouration on the leaves.
- Thrips or their excrement on the leaves or on the soil.
- Reduced growth or stunted plant development.
If you notice any of these signs, it is important to take action immediately to prevent the infestation spread and protect the health and yield of your plants. We will recommend you maintain a track record of the plant’s growth and development to ensure it gets the best lifespan.
Preventing and Controlling Cannabis Thrips
Preventing and controlling cannabis thrips requires a combination of cultural practices, biological control methods, and chemical controls. If you are not a professional grower, you will have to pay attention to everything your plants are consuming.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the only way to prevent such diseases. Below we have mentioned both Cultural, Biological, and Chemical practices that you can follow to prevent and control cannabis thrips:
Cultural practices that can help prevent and control thrips include:
- Properly maintaining and cleaning your grow facility.
- Regularly inspecting your plants for signs of infestation.
- Isolating infested plants from healthy plants.
- Maintaining adequate air circulation in your grow facility.
Biological control methods that can help control thrips include:
- Encouraging natural predators, such as ladybugs and lacewings, in your grow facility.
- Using beneficial nematodes to control thrips larvae.
- Implementing integrated pest management practices.
Chemical controls that can help control thrips include:
- Using insecticidal soap or neem oil to kill adult thrips on contact.
- Applying systemic insecticides to the soil or foliage to control thrips throughout the plant.
FAQS Related To Thrips On Marijuana Plants
Will Thrips Ruin My Harvest?
Yes, thrips usually feed on the sap and leaves of the plant and may cause numerous problems with its development. Don’t worry because you will be able to notice the thrips as they are about 1-2mm in size, and they can be removed pretty easily. It is necessary to notice changes that are coming in your plants and diagnose them as soon as possible.
If not treated, these thrips can multiply quickly and your plant might die too. Not only cannabis but thrips can be found on other plants too, so it doesn’t matter if you are growing a plant indoors or outdoors; take care of it and prevent the thrips from surviving on the crop.
Can You Get Rid of Thrips On Cannabis?
You can get rid of thrips on cannabis plants by using a combination of methods like cultural practices, natural predators and chemicals. It is important to check your plants regularly and take action quickly to prevent too much damage to the harvest. We have already mentioned the best practices you can follow to prevent and eliminate thrips if your plant is infected with them.
Remember that the time to remove thrips from cannabis plants depends on various factors like the intensity of the infection, how big the planter is, the type of treatment you are using, and many more. So, follow any method for a few weeks before expecting any recovery.
Should I Throw Away A Plant With Thrips?
We will not recommend you throw the entire plant immediately but diagnose the infestation level. Often the thrip infestation can be cured by following different techniques and methods, and you won’t really have to throw away the plant.
Though if the thrip infestation is severe, it is good to get rid of the plant and soil it is planted in as thrips can spread quickly and destroy other plants too. The best way to prevent this from happening is by keeping a record of the growth and development of the plant and treating it as soon as possible.
What Temperature Kills Thrips?
It is not defined anywhere that a certain temperature can kill thrips, but they can be destroyed if you maintain a high temperature around your plant. Temperatures above 95°F (35°C) for an extended period of time can be effective in killing thrips but remember to maintain the right temperature, and extremely high temperatures can kill the entire plant.
There are many pest management strategies available out there to eliminate the thrips from cannabis plants and you must follow them to get rid of the problem.
What Does Thrip Damage Look Like?
Just like every other infection, thrips can be identified quickly, making it possible to start the treatment early. However, you must know about the signs and symptoms that can help a person identify the infection.
When a plant is infested with thrips, it will cause yellow or brown spots on the leaves; the ground leaves will be curled or distorted. The entire plant will suffer discoloration and slow growth. This damage shows that thrips are present, and if not treated, they can significantly reduce the yield and potency of your buds.
Also read: Cannabis Pythium: How To Treat Root Rots?
Conclusion
Cannabis thrips are a significant pest threat to cannabis plants, causing damage to the plant and reducing its overall yield and quality. It is important to implement a combination of cultural practices, biological control methods, and chemical controls to prevent and control thrips. By taking action to prevent and control thrips, you can ensure the health and success of your cannabis plants and maximize your yields and profits.
We have tried to mention everything related to cannabis thrips on this page, and we hope you have now understood what this problem is and how you can fix it. There are many ways to solve this problem, but we recommend going with traditional methods instead of synthetic products that might affect the plant’s stamina. If you have any questions related to cannabis thrips, do let us know about them.
