Detect thrips: Thrips are more common in greenhouses than in growrooms and grow boxes. These tiny nimble creatures are hardly visible, but the damage they leave behind is all the more so. They have 1 to 1.5 millimetre long wings. They can appear white, grey or dark coloured. They are found under the leaves. They often flit across the leaves as tiny spots. The females bore holes in the plant tissue and lay their eggs there. These are not visible to the naked eye. Of course, the flying thrips can easily spread from one infested plant to the next.
Damage: Thrips damage the plant by sucking out the epidermis and cells. The leaves then have a silver sheen typical of thrips infestation. Chlorophyll production decreases and the leaves become brittle. The tiny black spots of the excreted faeces are also visible. Often thrips also infest flowers and suck inside the buds, others wrap themselves in the leaves.
Countermeasures: Cleanliness is the be-all and end-all! Blue or pink Glue traps pests. Once they have taken up residence, they are difficult to get rid of again. Biological measures: effective are various predatory mites, ichneumon wasps and predatory bugs of the species Orius, i.e. the use of Beneficial insects. These help extremely well and are highly recommended. Sprays: homemade spray solutions (based on tobacco or nicotine) Pyrethrum, synthetic pyrethrum, insecticidal soap. (Application usually two to four times a day at intervals of 5 to 10 days).
When using chemical insecticides, it is essential to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Chemical pesticides should not be used once the plant has flowered and should not be sprayed on the buds to avoid the possibility of toxins being produced by the smoker afterwards! In principle, of course, one should always avoid the use of Beneficial insectswhich are available against almost all types of pests, or to use biological agents such as Neem oil or Adhesive panels reach for.
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