If you’re growing weed, you’re most likely going to encounter pests that love to prey on your plants. The last thing any grower wants is pests to ruin their crop; and if left unchecked, this is something that could become a very unfortunate reality. Synthetic, chemical-based pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides are easy to find, but they’re also awful for your health and the health of the environment. Most cannabis growers want to cultivate their crops as naturally as possible. Luckily, there are organic ways to get rid of pests in your cannabis grow. If you’re worried about pests becoming a problem for your grow, check out the following all-natural ways to keep those nasty bugs at bay.

All-Natural, Organic Ways to Get Rid of Pests in Your Garden

Use Fresh, Quality, Sterilized Soil

Use quality soil to ensure you don't have insects or eggs in it While reusing old soil might be tempting, it can harbor eggs or larvae of unwanted garden guests. There are ways to reuse old soil but starting with quality soil that is already sterilized will ensure there isn’t anything lurking in your dirt that could potentially hatch into a pest that ruins your crop.

Introduce Insects That Benefit Your Garden

There are several natural garden predators that will be more than happy to kill off any pests that take a liking to your plants. Ladybugs are probably the most well-known predator and can be purchased at most garden center stores. Ladybugs are adept at killing 50-60 aphids a day. They’re also awesome for getting rid of pests like mealy bugs, mites, and assorted soft-bellied insects.

Praying mantis are another natural garden predator that will naturally rid your garden of pests. These beneficial garden buddies have huge appetites and will happily munch down on various aphids, caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets that want to chew off a piece of your crop. You can purchase praying mantis eggs or adults online, at pet stores, and even at stores like Walmart.

Grow Companion Plants with Your Cannabis

Grow companion plants to protect your cannabis Gardeners have used companion planting for centuries to ward off pests in the garden and improve the quality of their crops. Companion planting is the close planting of various plants that improve growth and protect from preying pests. Just as carrots love tomatoes, cannabis is partial to several different companion plants that will organically get rid of pests in the garden. Consider planting any of the following companion plants right in the same pots as your weed and pests will be sure to steer clear.

Basil: Not only is basil extremely easy to grow, but its distinct aroma will deter aphids, beetles, and flies.
Garlic: Garlic is a fungicide by nature and help protect your garden from getting infested with disease. It helps safeguard your plants from both pests and mold.
Mint: This sweet-smelling plant is a huge turn off to garden pests. They straight up abhor the smell. If using mint as a companion plant, it’s best to keep it in separate pots that are placed near your plants as it tends to spread like crazy.
Chili Peppers: If you’ve got pesky rabbits, mice, and deer that are trying to invade your garden, planting chili peppers with your plants will keep them far away. The root system of chili peppers also releases a chemical that can help prevent rot, which can be a lifesaver in areas with heavy rainfall.
Marigolds: These bright flowers have been used in gardens for years to keep away deer and rabbits. They can also help control worms and other leaf-munching insects.

Neem Oil

Use neem oil to keep pests away Neem oil is another organic way to keep pests out of the garden. Pressed from the seeds and fruit of the neem tree, this oil is excellent for killing or repelling all kinds of insects and mites. Aphids, whiteflies, snails, mealy bugs, worms, flies, and more hate the bitter taste of neem and will stay far away from plants treated with it. It is also excellent at controlling fungus and mold.

To effectively use neem oil to get rid of garden pests, mix 3 capfuls of neem oil with a drop or two of liquid soap (to break up the oil), with one quart of lukewarm water. Spray this mixture on your plants and it will kill off the larvae and eggs of infesting pests.

Cinnamon

Ants are another common garden pest that can quickly infest your cannabis plants. One of the most effective and inexpensive ways to get rid of ants that have begun to colonize in your cannabis. All you need to do is take about a tablespoon of powdered cinnamon and sprinkle it on the soil where the ants are. You can also dissolve cinnamon in water and sprinkle this over the soil. Ants can’t stand the flavor of this common spice and will soon send ants on the merry way.

These are all tried and true ways to organically get rid of garden pests that try to invade your crop. They aren’t just for using on cannabis plants either. Use these natural pesticides on any of your garden plants to ensure your harvest is exactly as nature intended. Abundant, healthy, and full of the fruits of your labor.