Do grow tents actually prevent bugs, or is that just a myth?

[wannabeagrower]

I've heard that using a grow tent reduces the chance of getting bugs on your weed plants. That totally makes sense to me when it comes to things like caterpillars or spiders, but what about tiny bugs? It seems like lots of cannabis growers in tents still get spider mites and thrips. How are the bugs getting in?

Do most bugs come from getting tracked in on the grower? If that's the case it doesn't seem like a grow tent would help. Or do they come in from the room, in which case it seems like a grow tent would help prevent at least some bugs from getting in.

Clearly you can grow without any protection, or there would be no outdoor harvests. It seems like part of best practices is prevention and quick treatments.

Any advice from growers who've dealt with cannabis pests inside or outside a grow tent? I haven't gotten any yet. I don't think my plant had enough leaves to keep pests alive. But my roses outside get bugs occasionally and I'm a little afraid they'll spread to my cannabis plants at some point.

I was also considering starting with clones, which I heard can occasionally come with bugs. It seems like with clones the grow tent would only hold the pests in.

 

[wannabeagrower]

I do have a grow tent. I was just wondering.

 

[golfnrl]

Well...a tent does provide the opportunity for a clean environment. But I'd say a tent alone does not prevent bugs. My experience is critters and such are introduced into the tent environment by yours truly. I have dealt with fungus gnats mostly but every time I have it's because I didn't store my coco correctly. The tent also allows a grower to create an MJ friendly micro environment. If my circumstances and weather patterns allowed I'd just grow in a spare room without the tent. But my tent is in the spare room (lung room) and that greatly assists in creating the micro environment. I have made note of those with more experience than me when they have warned against using outdoor grow equipment inside without a thorough cleaning. It's very easy to contaminate equipment and bring pathogens and bugs indoors.

BTW, fungus gnats are easy to control. They like moist coco and are drawn to yellow sticky traps. Kinda like a fly trap.

 

[Chipmunk]

I don't know about covering coco but when I grew outside in pots using soil I would cover the top of the soil with perlite to stop the fungus gnats from reaching the soil. I still like to spray down my soil or clones with H202 solution before it ever goes in to the grow room

 

[Smallgrow]

Yes the vector for bugs in home grows and commercial grows is often the grower or people that bring them in.
they get in other ways but often we carry them in unknowingly.

 

[Allotrope1000]

Hi, wannabe.
Insects pests are almost always intoduced into the tent, usually thtough vectors you don't think about, like:
- walking outside then wearing same shoes into tent room.
- letting pets' dirty paws and fur into the tent room.
- mixing garden soil into your grow medium.
- using infected clones.
- not disinfecting garden tools.

There have been several recent posts on how to treat.
- spray bugs with A 25% H2O2 solution.
- insecticidal soap
- buy predator insects

Before each grow, spray your tent with A bleach solution to kill eggs, random bugs and mold spores. Easier to prevent than cure. The cleaner the better. Same for pots, saucers, nute resevoir, etc. Add some coffee grounds on the top layer of grow medium - bugs do not like them.