Pepe le skunk
Well-Known Member
An Ounce of prevention is worth harvesting many pounds!
I know most people would jump to have as few pests as possible and almost guaranteed results if there was just one or two things they needed to do. The problem is most don't have a hortoricultural degree and don't know about these few extra steps you can take to have the best results possible. So here are a few preventative measures you can take to prevent soil bugs, powdery mildew and have the best conditions in your soil or coco. These few items are more important even then the soil you use.
So that is saying alot.
I believe you can also use some of these in hydro setups as well.
The other day I was talking with a friend who has grown for many years and he said he expects to get spider mites, Powdery Mildew and fungus nats every time he grows. These are the big three that most people battle while growing. Just read some of the threads on most of the boards out there. As I battle some of these very issues I started to think, how or what do most large commercial plant farms do to keep their crops in order and what do they know that we don't?
Many people do some type of soil somewhere in their grow. Even if it is Coco or any type of medium there are microbes you can add as a foliar spray, a soil drench or even when you mix up your own super soil that will help prevent most plant diseases, soil insects, and the benefit is vigorous plants, that have increased vitality and have much better root growth. Also it keeps 2 of the big three pests at bay in the process.
These beneficial bacteria/microbes include biennial bacterium streptomyces Lydicus (Actinovate SP Biological Fungicide ), Live Beneficial Nematodes (Scanmask) and Mycorrhiza Fungi. They are completely safe for people, pets, and the environment, and are compatible with other beneficial insects. They also pump up the plants immune system by making all the necessary trace minerals soluble and kill off bad bacteria as a bonus.
Actinovate SP Biological Fungicide
Actinovate SP is a high concentration of a patented biennial bacterium on a 100%
water soluble powder. This powerful new product effectively suppresses/controls
a wide range of soil borne diseases including Pythium, Phytophthora, Fusarium,
Rhizoctonia, Verticillium and other root decay fungi. Actinovate SP is also
labeled as a spray application for foliar diseases (when applied as a spray)
such as Powdery and Downey Mildew, Botrytis, Alternaria and others. In fact,
when used as a preventative, researchers have seen Actinovate SP work as well or
better than most chemicals. The benefits of Actinovate SP don't stop there:
Because of the special properties of the Actinovate microbe, plants treated with
Actinovate SP will be vigorous, have increased vitality and have much better
root growth. Actinovate SP contains the microorganism Streptomyces lydicus
strain WYEC 108. When introduced into the soil this microbe colonizes and grows
around the root system of plants. While settling in the root's rhizosphere, the
microbe forms a relationship, feeding off of the plant's waste materials while
secreting beneficial and protective by-products. This combination of the
colonization and the protective secretions forms a defensive barrier around the
root system of the plant which in turn suppresses and controls soil pathogens.
S. lydicus also has been shown to prey on certain pathogens, disrupting their
cell walls and disabling them in the process. Finally, the by-products of the
Actinovate microorganism also aid plants in complexing minerals and
micronutrients found in the soil, allowing easier uptake and, thus, creating a
stronger, more robust plant. This symbiotic relationship between the plant and
the microbe is the optimum balance for a natural, productive soil environment.
Actinovate SP makes it happen
Scanmask (nematodes)
These microscopic organisms destroy pests that live underground. They will seek
out and destroy more than 230 different kinds of soil dwelling and wood boring
insects, including Japanese beetles, cut worms, wire worms, weevils, white
grubs, fungus gnat larvae, flea larvae, subterranean termites, and many more.
They are so small that several thousand would fit on the head of a pin! But they
do a big job --moving through the ground, they enter the body cavities of their
target pests and release bacteria that kill that pest. They are completely safe
for people, pets, and the environment, and are compatible with other beneficial
insects. Each container includes seven million live beneficial nematodes.
Mycorrhiza Fungi
Sources of these fungi include Plant Sucess (OK), Myco Magic (OK) Sub-Culture (slightly better) and Super Plant Tonic (my favorite - none better). soil secrets "earth nectar" and "earth ambrosia" a wonderful humic and fulvic acid innoccullant full of the beneficial bacteria's growers love...cheap and effective.
If you use these in the beginning you will see results and the total cost is less than if you have to battle one or two of the big three.
Hope a mod makes this a sticky as it is probably one of the most important steps you can take in the beginning that can set you up for success.
Feel free to comment.
Hope that helps.
I know most people would jump to have as few pests as possible and almost guaranteed results if there was just one or two things they needed to do. The problem is most don't have a hortoricultural degree and don't know about these few extra steps you can take to have the best results possible. So here are a few preventative measures you can take to prevent soil bugs, powdery mildew and have the best conditions in your soil or coco. These few items are more important even then the soil you use.
So that is saying alot.
I believe you can also use some of these in hydro setups as well.
The other day I was talking with a friend who has grown for many years and he said he expects to get spider mites, Powdery Mildew and fungus nats every time he grows. These are the big three that most people battle while growing. Just read some of the threads on most of the boards out there. As I battle some of these very issues I started to think, how or what do most large commercial plant farms do to keep their crops in order and what do they know that we don't?
Many people do some type of soil somewhere in their grow. Even if it is Coco or any type of medium there are microbes you can add as a foliar spray, a soil drench or even when you mix up your own super soil that will help prevent most plant diseases, soil insects, and the benefit is vigorous plants, that have increased vitality and have much better root growth. Also it keeps 2 of the big three pests at bay in the process.
These beneficial bacteria/microbes include biennial bacterium streptomyces Lydicus (Actinovate SP Biological Fungicide ), Live Beneficial Nematodes (Scanmask) and Mycorrhiza Fungi. They are completely safe for people, pets, and the environment, and are compatible with other beneficial insects. They also pump up the plants immune system by making all the necessary trace minerals soluble and kill off bad bacteria as a bonus.
Actinovate SP Biological Fungicide
Actinovate SP is a high concentration of a patented biennial bacterium on a 100%
water soluble powder. This powerful new product effectively suppresses/controls
a wide range of soil borne diseases including Pythium, Phytophthora, Fusarium,
Rhizoctonia, Verticillium and other root decay fungi. Actinovate SP is also
labeled as a spray application for foliar diseases (when applied as a spray)
such as Powdery and Downey Mildew, Botrytis, Alternaria and others. In fact,
when used as a preventative, researchers have seen Actinovate SP work as well or
better than most chemicals. The benefits of Actinovate SP don't stop there:
Because of the special properties of the Actinovate microbe, plants treated with
Actinovate SP will be vigorous, have increased vitality and have much better
root growth. Actinovate SP contains the microorganism Streptomyces lydicus
strain WYEC 108. When introduced into the soil this microbe colonizes and grows
around the root system of plants. While settling in the root's rhizosphere, the
microbe forms a relationship, feeding off of the plant's waste materials while
secreting beneficial and protective by-products. This combination of the
colonization and the protective secretions forms a defensive barrier around the
root system of the plant which in turn suppresses and controls soil pathogens.
S. lydicus also has been shown to prey on certain pathogens, disrupting their
cell walls and disabling them in the process. Finally, the by-products of the
Actinovate microorganism also aid plants in complexing minerals and
micronutrients found in the soil, allowing easier uptake and, thus, creating a
stronger, more robust plant. This symbiotic relationship between the plant and
the microbe is the optimum balance for a natural, productive soil environment.
Actinovate SP makes it happen
Scanmask (nematodes)
These microscopic organisms destroy pests that live underground. They will seek
out and destroy more than 230 different kinds of soil dwelling and wood boring
insects, including Japanese beetles, cut worms, wire worms, weevils, white
grubs, fungus gnat larvae, flea larvae, subterranean termites, and many more.
They are so small that several thousand would fit on the head of a pin! But they
do a big job --moving through the ground, they enter the body cavities of their
target pests and release bacteria that kill that pest. They are completely safe
for people, pets, and the environment, and are compatible with other beneficial
insects. Each container includes seven million live beneficial nematodes.
Mycorrhiza Fungi
Sources of these fungi include Plant Sucess (OK), Myco Magic (OK) Sub-Culture (slightly better) and Super Plant Tonic (my favorite - none better). soil secrets "earth nectar" and "earth ambrosia" a wonderful humic and fulvic acid innoccullant full of the beneficial bacteria's growers love...cheap and effective.
If you use these in the beginning you will see results and the total cost is less than if you have to battle one or two of the big three.
Hope a mod makes this a sticky as it is probably one of the most important steps you can take in the beginning that can set you up for success.
Feel free to comment.
Hope that helps.
