Pest and IPM Resource Center

Success in commercial cultivation is not just about genetics and nutrients; it's about biosecurity, which is the primary defense against pests and diseases.

Pests like spider mites and diseases like powdery mildew can hide in plant debris, on surfaces, and in equipment. Thorough sanitation between crop cycles is essential to prevent these contaminants from infecting the next crop.

Implementing routine schedules for cleaning and disinfecting all hard surfaces, benches, floors, and tools is crucial to prevent the buildup of pathogens.

"Clean-zone" protocols, which require staff to change clothes or sanitize footwear before entering the grow area, significantly reduce the risk of outside contamination.

Moving plants through the growth cycle as quickly as possible reduces the time pests and pathogens have to establish a foothold. Using a rolling stock of young mother plants also ensures that genetic material is always from the cleanest stock.

Meticulous management of the growing environment is key to prevention. This includes ensuring adequate airflow with regular fan checks, monitoring and adjusting humidity levels, and proper light management to prevent the growth of pathogens like powdery mildew.

• Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂) and Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl): These are superior to bleach for cultivation. They are highly effective oxidizers that break down a wider range of pathogens and organic materials. Unlike bleach, they are non-toxic, non-corrosive, and break down into harmless byproducts like water and oxygen, leaving no toxic residue.
• Gaseous Tools: Powerful gaseous tools like Chlorine Dioxide (ClO₂) and Ozone (O₃) can be used for deep cleaning and sanitizing the air and surfaces, but the area must be unoccupied during use.
• Alcohol's Limitations: Alcohol is a sanitizer, not a sterilizer, and its rapid evaporation often makes the "dwell time" too short. It should be used as a final sanitizing step on an already clean surface.

We clean our facility from top to bottom after every harvest using Hypochlorous Acid. For daily entry, we use foot sanitation protocols and clean our shoes with alcohol.

We use Hypochlorous Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide instead of bleach, and ZeroTol to clean tools and surfaces. These are effective and do not leave harmful residue.

We use HEPA filters on all intake vents and HVAC systems for clean air. We also use Chlorine Dioxide pouches to sanitize the air, and occasionally use an Ozone machine for deep cleaning.

To prevent outside contamination, we do not re-enter the building after leaving, especially if we have been around other gardens or pets.

We wash plants weekly with a 2.5:1 Potassium Bicarbonate:Citric Acid solution, which acts as a wash and cleaning solution, or a 1.5:1 Potassium Bicarbonate:Citric Acid solution, which is a potassium citrate foliar feed. We follow a pattern of two washes to one foliar feed.

We perform defoliation multiple times: a couple of times in the vegetative stage, and then on day 1, day 21, and day 40-42 of the flowering stage.

We use sticky traps placed every 3 to 5 square feet to effectively catch fungus gnats.

We constantly monitor and maximize airflow with fan placement. We also adhere to the Law of the Dew Point, ensuring the low temperature of the day does not touch the measured high dew point to prevent condensation on plant surfaces.

We dip plants in sulfur every time we transplant, from clones to 6-inch pots and from 6-inch pots to the final coco blocks.

After dipping in sulfur, we wash the plants with a Josh's Wash solution (potassium bicarbonate and citric acid) to prevent phytotoxicity.