By Luke Sumpter

You just stepped out into your garden and stumbled across something shocking: black cannabis leaves! What on earth is that sooty substance on your fan leaves? How did it get there? And what can you do to get rid of it as soon as possible? Find out everything you need to know about preventing and treating sooty mould on weed plants below.


What Is Sooty Mould?

The name “sooty mould” doesn’t refer to a specific pathogen or disease state. Instead, it’s an umbrella term used to describe a variety of different fungal species that are attracted to damaged plant tissues caused by insects.

As you’re probably aware, plants are equipped with the cellular machinery to create their own sugar supply using sunlight as a power source. On top of this, they also work overtime to withdraw nutritious minerals from the soil. The weed plants growing in your garden or grow room also feature a vascular system that allows them to move these components to where they’re needed.

So, plants are filled with flowing streams of sugar and minerals; this sounds like a banquet in the eyes of a hungry insect. However, only certain species have the piercing mouthparts necessary to penetrate the cellulose-rich flesh of plants and tap into the sap flow. After dining, these insects also have to defecate. As it happens, all of the sap-glugging species don’t have the decency to depart to tiny little insect toilets in nearby trees. Nope, they simply squat and drop right on your cannabis plant leaves.

Amber, sticky, and glistening in appearance, sap-eating insect turds are referred to as “honeydew”. Although literally just insect poop, honeydew lies at the heart of a lot of ecosystem activity. Ants farm aphids to make them produce honeydew, and honey bees forage for it and make it into honey.

Aside from filling the bellies of certain insects, honeydew also serves as a food source for the fungal species that are collectively known as sooty mould. After coming into contact with this nutrient source, the black, hair-like growth (known as mycelium) of these species begins to spread across plant surfaces. The dark colour of these fungal threads has a dusty or sooty appearance. Left unchecked, the soot can completely overrun the leaves of many different plant species, including cannabis.

Sooty Mold Mold Cannabis

Can Sooty Mould Kill Marijuana Plants?

Unlike fungal plant diseases such as Pythium, sooty mould doesn’t infect plant tissue. Instead, it remains on the surface of leaves where it tracks down and consumes honeydew. Because it isn’t a systematic pathogen, sooty mould doesn’t pose much of a threat in most circumstances.

The threat of sooty mould depends largely on the extent of the pest infestation at its core. A couple of sap-eating bugs here and there won’t generate much honeydew. Even if sooty mould does show up in this situation, it won’t have much fuel to spread far. Such minor pest infestations are normal in an organic garden, and populations are kept in balance through the presence of companion plants, predatory insects, and birds.

However, not all infestations are minor. Sometimes, things spiral out of control. A lack of biodiversity in a garden can quickly give way to the dominance of certain pests. High populations of sap-suckers can leave behind enough honeydew for sooty mould to become a threat to plant health and productivity. As the black mycelium spreads, it can become thick enough to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting the surfaces of leaves. The subsequent drop in photosynthesis can stunt plant growth and potentially result in smaller harvests and lower THC levels. However, even the worst cases of sooty mould are unlikely to completely kill a plant.

What Causes Sooty Mould?

You know that honeydew buildup on plant surfaces causes sooty mould. But what pest species leave this excrement behind after feasting on sap? Discover several of the key culprits below.

Aphids

Sooty mould on plants is, more often than not, the result of pesky aphids. These tiny soft-bodied insects are among the most common of all cannabis pests. Aphids are designed to consume plant sap; their sharp and slender mouthparts make this an easy task that comes naturally to them. Because aphids multiply so quickly, they are responsible for more severe cases of sooty mould. Other symptoms of an aphid infestation include twisted and curled leaves, stunted growth, yellow leaves, wilting, and visible honeydew.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are easily the most unsightly of cannabis pests. These small insects are covered in a white, waxy coating that makes them look cotton-wrapped and ghost-like. Not only does their exterior look odd, but it also protects them against some of the insecticides growers spray on them. They may look small and harmful to the untrained eye, but mealybugs have rather destructive eating habits that make them a pain for any gardener. Their piercing mouthparts can cause significant damage to plant tissue, and the formation of sooty mould on the honeydew they produce only adds salt to the wound.

Aphids and Mealybugs

Whiteflies

Not all honeydew-producing pests are terrestrial in nature—some even have wings! Whiteflies are small insects that get their name from their powdery wings. Much like mealybugs, they are also coated in a waxy white substance. You can tell when whiteflies are present thanks to other symptoms, including a loss of plant vigour, wilting, yellowing, and honeydew on leaves. They also possess sharp, lance-like mouthparts that enable them to tap into plant vasculature and withdraw sap. However, traces of honeydew aren’t the only detrimental things they leave behind after a meal. They’re also vectors of plant viruses that can leave your crop in pretty bad shape.

Leafhoppers

Leafhoppers are typically around half centimetre in length. Their bodies are wedge-shaped and vary in colour from brown and green to yellow. They’re members of the Cicadellidae family and also have a strong attraction to plant sap. Not only do they pierce the tissue of leaves, but they also sink their mouthparts into stems, and even buds! Large infestations of leafhoppers can inflict considerable stress on plants, preventing them from reaching their full genetic potential. Of course, the appearance of sooty mould following honeydew production contributes to an overall lack of vigour and decreased bud quality.

Whiteflies and Leafhoppers

How to Treat Sooty Mould on Cannabis

Sooty mould suddenly doesn’t seem so intimidating, right? Sure, it looks bad and does have the potential to impact yields, but compared to systematic plant pathogens, it’s much less devastating. With that said, you certainly don't want to leave these fungi to linger and become more established. You’ll be pleased to hear that there are several simple but effective ways of tackling sooty mould. Check out the most efficient below.

Wipe Plant Surfaces

Let’s start things off simple! Yes, wiping your leaves is an effective way of dealing with sooty mould. It might seem almost too simple, but it works wonders at physically removing the fungi that cause this unsightly mess. But before you begin going about removing mycelium from your leaves, know that there’s an optimal way to do things:

  1. Start off by preparing a cleaning solution. Add a few drops of natural soap into 1 litre of water and mix thoroughly.
  2. Dip a cloth or sponge into the cleaning solution and wring out the excess fluid.
  3. Gently apply the cloth or sponge to the affected fan leaves. Wipe away the mycelium without applying too much pressure on plant surfaces.
  4. Continue until you’ve removed all visible fungal threads.

Make a Batch of Compost Tea

After wiping down surfaces, it’ll help to colonise leaf surfaces with a host of beneficial microbes. Brewing up a batch of compost tea will cultivate a rich mix of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. The logic here is that a biodiverse inoculant in the phyllosphere helps to prevent a single species from gaining dominance. In this case, that means sooty mould fungi!

Using nothing but an air stone, a handful of good-quality compost, humic acid, kelp, and fish extract, you can make your own compost tea at home in no time. Use a mister to apply foliar sprays to your crop throughout the entire growing cycle.

How to Prevent Sooty Mould When Growing Weed

If you’re a seasoned cannabis grower, you’ll know by now that prevention always works better than a cure. Preventative measures save time and effort and cut the risk of failed crops massively. Now that you know how to treat sooty mould when it rears its head, it’s time to learn how to prevent it from showing up altogether.

Netting

By simply placing a physical barrier around your plants, you can stop a host of sap-sucking insects from ever touching your plants in the first place. Select a fine insect netting capable of deterring aphids and whiteflies. It’ll allow air, rain, and sunlight to pass through while keeping the root causes of sooty mould off your plants. There are plenty of ways to place netting around your plants, from large PVC hoops to wooden structures and metal piping.

Apply Bacillus Thuringiensis

As you’re now aware, several sap-sucking insects lie at the heart of sooty mould occurrences. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to target the insects instead of constantly wiping away mould while the culprits run free. There are a bunch of integrated pest management strategies that deal with insects without the use of harsh chemicals, including Bacillus thuringiensis (BT).

This naturally occurring bacterium produces toxic proteins that wipe out certain species of insect larvae. You can pick up a bottle from most garden centres and growing shops. Follow product instructions in regards to mixing and application and you’ll quickly reduce the populations of sap-sucking insects in your growing space.

Deploy Beauveria bassiana

Beauveria bassiana (BB) also autumns into the category of biocontrols. However, it differs from BT in that it’s a fungus, not bacteria. More specifically, it’s an entomopathogenic fungus that infects, colonises, and eats certain species of insects (think The Last of Us). It just so happens that BB has quite the appetite for many of the insects that cause sooty mould, including whiteflies and aphids. However, BB lives as somewhat of a shape-shifter. It can also physically enter plants where it exists as an endophyte. Early research[1] shows that inoculating plants with this fungi works as a natural biostimulant.

Beneficial Insects

Sooty Mold Mold Cannabis Ladybug

Maintaining a healthy population of beneficial predatory insects in your garden can also keep the number of sap-sucking critters down. There are several ways to achieve this, including providing the right food and habitat. Plant borders of aromatic and culinary herbs, such as basil and dill, to bring in the good guys. Meanwhile, plenty of Echinacea, sunflowers, borage, and other attractive flowers will also help to boost predator populations. If you live in a particularly urban area, you can also purchase predatory insects, such as ladybugs, and release them into your growing space.

Sooty Mould No More

Say goodbye to black soot on your weed plants! You’re fully aware of how to deal with this situation and how to get rid of sooty mould on plants. Instead of waiting for this pesky mycelium to show up on your fan leaves, you’re ready to deploy a host of preventive measures, including effective biocontrols that strike at the core of the condition. If these fail, you’ve also discovered a couple of treatment options that will work as the perfect backup response.

LIST OF COMMON PESTS AND PROBLEMS

Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: