aphid
Soft-bodied sap-sucking insect pest.
Jeremy mentions soap alone will 'crush' aphids.
ep 018
🐛 IPM
Integrated pest management, beneficial insects, bud rot prevention
70 terms
azadirachtin
The dominant limonoid in neem oil and the marker compound measured at lab to estimate neem quality. High azadirachtin is a proxy for all the other beneficial limonoids being present.
Jeremy says BuildASoil's neem tests at 3,000+ ppm azadirachtin versus typical hydro-store neem at 200–800 ppm.
ep 018
beneficial insects
Predatory and parasitic arthropods released into a grow as a living pest control layer, especially during flower when sprays are no longer viable.
AJ's preferred flower IPM is to spray hard in veg then release beneficial insects to carry pest pressure all the way through flower.
ep 019, ep 026
beneficial nematodes
Microscopic soil-dwelling roundworms that parasitise and kill soil-dwelling pests such as fungus gnat larvae.
Sold as a powder carrier, kept in the fridge, applied as a water suspension to each root zone. Not to be confused with plant-parasitic nematodes that damage roots.
ep 017, ep 019, ep 020, ep 025
bottom-end rot (blossom-end rot)
Calcium-related fruit disorder causing the bottom of tomato fruits to turn brown and rot, often linked to inconsistent watering.
Jeremy is trying to bypass bottom-end rot on the quadrant four tomato with consistent bottom watering plus Craft Blend top dress, and says if new fruit still fails he will transplant into a bigger container.
ep 022, ep 031, ep 033
bud rot
A fungal infection (typically Botrytis) that destroys cannabis flowers from the inside out, driven by high humidity — especially at night in late flower.
Jeremy opens Branson's number 5 and explicitly inspects the inside for bud rot because of how dense it is, and says if he grew really big buds on this one he'd be worried about bud rot.
ep 018, ep 019, ep 022, ep 035, ep 040
BuildASoil IPM report
A free PDF / blog post on buildasoil.com containing IPM recipes and per-gallon ratios for the products discussed in the episode.
Jeremy directs viewers to google 'buildasoil ipm report' to find it.
ep 018
castile soap
A vegetable-oil based liquid soap (e.g. Dr Bronner's) used as a gentle foliar wetting agent and preventative pesticide.
Jeremy recommends castile at 1 oz/gal preventative or 2 oz/gal eradicatory.
ep 018
Clone dip
A pre-entry sanitation treatment where incoming cuttings are dipped in a pesticide or soap solution to knock pests before they enter the grow room.
AJ uses a sulfur clone dip on any cutting brought in from outside to control russet mites.
ep 026
clone quarantine
Isolating incoming clones from other plants and spraying them more frequently (twice a week or more) than seed-grown plants because clones almost always import pests.
Jeremy says clones are problems 99.99 percent of the time.
ep 018
cold-pressed neem oil
Neem oil pressed from whole wild-harvested neem seeds without chemical extraction, retaining all limonoids in natural synergy.
Jeremy's preferred form — contrasts with 'manufactured neem oil' where cheap neem is re-infused with extracted azadirachtin.
ep 018
dew and condensation vectors
When leaves overlap and touch, dew and condensation collect in the morning and create favorable conditions for mold, mildew, and disease to take hold — a reason to keep the canopy groomed.
Jeremy explains this is why leaf-on-leaf matting is a problem even when you don't currently see disease — it's a preventable vector.
ep 024
dim the lights
Turning grow lights down or off before a foliar spray to avoid phytotoxic leaf burn from oils, enzymes or stressed-plant reactions.
Required for essential oils, recommended for enzymes, optional but safe for gentle products like EM-5.
ep 018
early flower spray window
The brief window early in flower when foliar IPM sprays are still acceptable before bud development makes them risky.
AJ says right now we could still get away with some spraying because we're very early in flower, in a week or two we won't be able to.
ep 025
ecosystem balance
The state where a diverse mix of soil fauna exists in moderate populations rather than any single species dominating.
Jeremy says he worries when he sees a shift toward a single species — diversity plus healthy plants means the system is working.
ep 020
ecosystem building
Seeding the grow room with beneficial organisms (predator mites, rove beetles, worms, soil mites) so that they out-compete any incoming pests before they establish.
Jeremy calls it 'creating an army of warriors' rather than trying to sterilise the room.
ep 018
EM-5
BuildASoil plant wash made by fermenting EM-1 effective microorganisms with organic apple juice concentrate, grape alcohol, apple cider vinegar, yucca extract and peppermint essential oil.
Jeremy's go-to preventative and tray cleaner. Also gentle enough to use as a 'rinse' between other IPM sprays during rotation.
ep 018
emulsification
Blending an oil (like neem) into water using heat plus a saponin/soap/potassium silicate surfactant so the oil stays suspended rather than separating.
Jeremy explains neem must be warmed to liquid then emulsified with AgSil 16H or a soap before foliar use.
ep 018
enzyme spray
A pesticide whose active mode of action is an enzyme that causes insects to molt, rather than a toxin. Pests cannot build resistance because the mechanism is physical.
Jeremy says Procidic and Dr Zymes are the two enzyme sprays he keeps.
ep 018
eradication program
An intensified spray schedule (every day to every 2–3 days) once a pest is identified, using the gentlest organic that is still effective.
Jeremy warns that the cure must never be harsher than the pest.
ep 018
foliar spray
Application of a nutrient or IPM product to the leaves of a plant rather than the root zone, used for feeding and for pest prevention and eradication.
Jeremy uses foliar spraying both for nutrition (Grow Cow calcium) and for IPM in this episode.
ep 018
foliar spray (preventative IPM)
Spraying the leaves with a preventative product as plants enter flower to head off pest and mold issues.
Jeremy notes a preventative foliar spray at flip is a good IPM practice and will cover it in a future episode.
ep 017
Fungus gnat
A small black flying insect whose larvae live in moist potting soil and feed on fungi and organic matter; a common pest in no-till living soil.
Jeremy sees one or two but does not freak out because the established ecosystem with predator mites, nematodes, and rove beetles is keeping them in check.
ep 004, ep 020, ep 025
fungus gnat conditions
A pest problem caused by persistently wet surface soil — larvae thrive in soggy mulch layers.
Jeremy lists fungus gnats as a direct consequence of excessive moisture and anaerobic mulch conditions.
ep 011
fungus gnat larva
The larval stage of a fungus gnat — Jeremy identifies one on the log and uses it as a visual teaching moment.
He calls out what a fungus gnat larva looks like so viewers can recognize one, while reassuring them the ecosystem will handle a small population.
ep 020
fungus gnat larvae
The soil-dwelling larval stage of fungus gnats, which feed on organic matter and seedling roots and are targeted by beneficial nematodes and predator mites.
Jeremy says beneficial nematodes 'have that effect on fungus gnat larvae and all sorts of things'. He admits there might be a fungus gnat or two in unsterilised BuildASoil compost.
ep 007, ep 019
fungus gnats
Small flying insects whose larvae live in moist soil and feed on organic matter and fine roots; generally a nuisance rather than a plant killer if managed.
Jeremy says they 'don't really cause a problem' but can be a nuisance if you don't know how to mitigate them with predator mites and nematodes.
ep 008, ep 019
Fuzzy white mycelium bloom
A white fungal mat that blooms on the surface of a no-till bed after top-dressing with organic amendments like kashi blend and barley. Usually very beneficial.
Jeremy says he has no data suggesting it is a problem and encourages growers not to be alarmed by it. Says people argue about whether it's bacteria or fungi — he just calls it mycelium.
ep 030
good coverage
Thorough wetting of the whole plant — top and underside of every leaf — so that a foliar spray's active ingredient actually contacts any hidden pest or spore.
Jeremy repeatedly stresses coverage as the most important part of organic spraying — 'plants can be sagging from the weight of water'.
ep 018
hypoaspis miles
A predatory soil-dwelling mite (Stratiolaelaps scimitus) that hunts fungus gnat larvae, thrips pupae, and other small soil pests.
AJ finds vermiculite from the last inoculation and actually sees a live hypoaspis miles moving through the soil — 'that's a good sign'.
ep 019, ep 025
integrated pest management
A holistic pest strategy combining ecosystem building, daily scouting, prevention rotations, and (only when needed) eradication sprays, rather than a single pesticide programme.
Jeremy spends the entire episode defining IPM as 'more than just a spray' — it is ecosystem plus scouting plus rotation plus planning.
ep 018
Integrated pest management (IPM)
A whole-system pest control process combining early identification, preventative measures, predatory beneficial insects, and reactive or preventative foliar sprays — not just spraying when you see a problem.
AJ outlines his layered IPM rotation: sulfur for incoming clones, Dr Zymes for transition, Jadam wetting agent or Lactosopus castile soap with neem in veg, and beneficial insects for flower.
ep 026, ep 042
IPM inspection
Walking the grow room with the explicit intention of looking — not doing — to catch pest, mould, or plant health problems before they escalate.
Jeremy says inspection itself is part of IPM, always investigating and being aware of what's going on.
ep 020
Lactosopus probiotic castile soap
A Growing Organic castile soap formulation containing live probiotic lactobacillus cultures, used as an emulsifier and IPM carrier.
AJ uses this new Growing Organic probiotic castile soap as the surfactant when mixing neem for veg IPM spraying.
ep 026
manufactured neem oil
A processed neem product where the azadirachtin is extracted separately and infused back into low-quality (often old) neem oil base. Jeremy considers this inferior.
Jeremy warns growers to avoid manufactured neem because you only get the aza and none of the hundreds of other limonoids.
ep 018
nature abhors a void
A permaculture principle that any empty ecological niche in a garden will be filled by whatever nature sends first, so the grower should deliberately fill niches with desired species.
Jeremy cites this as the reason to seed your own predator population early rather than letting a slow natural ramp-up decide what lives in your soil.
ep 018, ep 019
Neem oil emulsification
The process of mixing neem oil with a surfactant like soap so it suspends properly in water for effective foliar application.
AJ stresses that most complaints about neem not working come from poor emulsification and points to Jeremy's existing videos on how to emulsify properly.
ep 026
Orb mite
Slow-moving, round bulbous beneficial soil mite that helps break down top dress material.
Jeremy says there are a lot of orb mites chewing through the top dress and that the GoPro probably can't resolve them.
ep 030
orb mites
Jeremy's phrase (also bold mites) for slow-moving soil mites found grazing in the mulch layer — a non-pest resident of healthy living soil.
He spots a few orb mites on the log and treats them as a normal diversity indicator.
ep 020
parasitic wasps (predatory wasps)
Tiny wasps that parasitise pest insects; used in greenhouse IPM but not in Jeremy's sealed indoor 10x10.
Jeremy mentions that in BuildASoil's insect-screened greenhouse they use 'predatory wasps' and 'some really cool ones', but for indoor tents he sticks with nematodes and predator mites.
ep 019
pest pressure scouting
A routine leaf-flip and stem inspection to catch aphids, spider mites, eggs, and bite marks before populations explode.
AJ starts at the bottom, turns over leaf undersides, checks stems and stocks, and looks for dots or bite marks.
ep 025
phytotoxic
Chemically damaging to plant tissue. Essential oils and enzyme sprays can burn leaves if applied while grow lights are full-on.
Jeremy insists on dimming or killing lights before spraying essential oils or enzymes.
ep 018
Pollen sac
The small ball of male flower tissue that releases pollen — finding one on a female plant means hermaphroditic expression or stress-induced male reversal.
AJ found pollen sacs on both genetics in quadrant two. Jeremy's theory is environmental (light leak plus air vortex delivery) rather than genetic instability — confirmed because no nanners found anywhere else in the tent.
ep 028
potassium silicate
An alkaline silica compound made by running potassium hydroxide over silica sand. Used to emulsify oils into water and as a powdery mildew eradicant on its own.
AgSil 16H is BuildASoil's product. Also helps boost plants with silica.
ep 018
powdery mildew
A white fungal leaf coating that establishes in damp pockets and spreads rapidly. Common target of IPM rotations.
Jeremy mentions powdery mildew as the other main eradication target and notes AgSil 16H is used as a PM eradicant.
ep 018
powdery mildew (PM)
A fungal disease that thrives in still, humid canopy air inside tents — a key risk if plants are not defoliated and aired out.
Jeremy defoliates in part to prevent powdery mildew and disease indoors by increasing airflow.
ep 015
predator bugs
Beneficial insects and mites released into the grow to biologically control pest populations.
AJ identifies the vermiculite carrier from a past predator bug inoculation, most likely hypoaspis miles and nematodes.
ep 025
Predator mite
Beneficial mite species (e.g. Stratiolaelaps / Hypoaspis) that hunt fungus gnat larvae and other small soil pests as part of a living soil ecosystem.
Jeremy identifies predator mites wiggling in the vegetable bed and uses them as an indicator of healthy biology.
ep 004, ep 030
Predator mite shelter
A light top mulch layer that gives naturally occurring predator mites cover to live and hunt pest mites and other small soil pests.
Jeremy says the loose mushroom block straw mulch gives the predator mites that come in with the compost somewhere to live and do their job.
ep 002
Predator mites
Beneficial mite species that feed on pest mites and other soft-bodied pests — an IPM live inoculant normally bought in sachets.
Jeremy finds them naturally present in the Colorado Worm Company bag — 'I was able to find some predator mites in there'. Calls it free IPM you'd otherwise have to buy.
ep 006, ep 007, ep 014, ep 017, ep 018, ep 019
Predatory beneficial insects
Live insect populations released into the grow that feed on pest species as biological control.
Jeremy names beneficial predators as a key IPM tool he wishes he had covered more during Season 1.
ep 042
Preventative foliar spray
A foliar application made on a schedule before any pest or disease symptoms appear, as a proactive component of an IPM routine.
Listed alongside predatory beneficial insects and inspection as one of the three legs of a proper IPM program.
ep 042
preventative program
A weekly rotation of gentle IPM sprays applied before any pest is seen, designed to keep the plant inhospitable to common pests.
Jeremy recommends once a week for growers with no active issues, and twice a week or more if clones are involved.
ep 018
Prevention-first IPM
An integrated pest management philosophy that focuses on avoiding pest and disease problems through clean inputs, healthy soil and seed-starts, rather than reactive eradication.
Jeremy calls this the black belt mentality: do not ask how to get rid of root aphids, just do not get them. Do not buy clones, grow from seed, use healthy soil, and ninety percent of the worst problems never happen.
ep 002
Rove beetle
A family of predatory beetles (Staphylinidae) that feed on fungus gnat larvae, thrips pupae, and other soil pests — a key living-soil beneficial.
Jeremy finds rove beetles alive in the Colorado Worm Company casting bag and says 'those are predators that you have to buy and they just come in the colorado worm company castings because they're alive they're not sterilized'.
ep 004, ep 030, ep 031
Rove beetles
A group of beneficial predator beetles (Staphylinidae) that hunt soil pests and can climb plants hunting thrips and other insects.
Jeremy says the compost already contains them so he's not applying them separately this round; the 'triple pack' from Evergreen Growers would include them.
ep 006, ep 007, ep 017, ep 018, ep 019, ep 020
Russet mite
A microscopic cannabis pest that is hard to see with the naked eye and is typically caught by flipping leaves and scoping them under magnification.
Jeremy notes that a trichome scope doubles as a russet mite detector — you flip leaves over and scope, and the worst critters are actually only visible this way.
ep 026, ep 037
rust mite
A microscopic cannabis leaf mite that causes rust-coloured damage. Large-scale growers commonly fight rust mites with wettable sulfur.
Jeremy mentions 'rusted mite issues' as the use case where experienced growers swear by wettable sulfur.
ep 018
scouting
The practice of walking the grow daily and visually inspecting leaves for pests, eggs, intersex traits, powdery mildew and moisture pockets before they become full problems.
Jeremy calls scouting the 'eyes' portion of IPM and says it is as important as the spray itself.
ep 018
soil mites
Tiny mites that live in the soil and break down organic matter. They are beneficial and should not be confused with pest mites that live on leaves.
Jeremy warns not to panic and call everyone saying 'I have mites' — if they are in the soil they are almost certainly beneficial.
ep 017, ep 018
spider mite
Pest mite that feeds on cannabis leaf cells and webs. Lays eggs every few days, so eradication requires repeated spraying on a 3-day cycle through egg hatch.
Jeremy's example pest for explaining why rotation and 3-day cycles matter for neem.
ep 018
Spinosad
A natural insecticide derived from the soil bacterium Saccharopolyspora spinosa, consisting of spinosyn A and spinosyn D. Active ingredient in Captain Jack's Dead Bug.
Jeremy calls it a 'nuclear organic bomb' for thrips and spider mites in veg, but warns it is not on the commercial cannabis approved list and should never go into dense flower buds.
ep 004, ep 018
spray at lights-out
Scheduling flower-stage foliar sprays for just before the lights go off so the plants have the full 12-hour dark period to dry before lights return.
Jeremy's rule for any potentially phytotoxic spray during flower.
ep 018
springtails
Tiny hexapods that thrive in moist living soil and help decompose organic matter.
Jeremy lists them alongside rove beetles and predator mites as diversity signals in healthy soil.
ep 017
stratiolaelaps scimitus
A soil-dwelling predator mite (formerly known as Hypoaspis miles) used biologically to control fungus gnat larvae, thrips pupae and other soft-bodied soil pests.
Jeremy pronounces it 'stradiolipsis' and notes most people still call them 'hypos' or 'hypoaspis'. BuildASoil compost already contains them so buying is optional.
ep 019
Sulfur spray
An inorganic fungicide and miticide used against powdery mildew and mites, incompatible with oils due to burn risk.
AJ calls sulfur one of the better russet mite tools but warns you cannot mix it with oils for at least two weeks after application or you'll see significant leaf burn.
ep 026
three-product rotation
IPM best practice of alternating between three different spray products so that any pest problem is hit by overlapping modes of action and cannot build resistance.
Jeremy's core recommendation for home growers.
ep 018
thrip
Slender winged insect pest that damages cannabis leaves by sucking cell contents.
Jeremy lists thrips as a primary use case for Captain Jack's Dead Bug spinosad.
ep 018
underside-first spraying
Spray technique where you flip a wand or lift leaves with your free hand to hit the underside of leaves first, because spraying tops first makes leaves droop and block access.
Jeremy's demo technique — also important because mites and mildew live on the underside.
ep 018
wettable sulfur
A finely powdered elemental sulfur formulation that can be mixed into water and sprayed as a contact fungicide and miticide.
Jeremy sells Microthiol Disperss in a 1lb sulfur-labelled version. Users must NEVER mix wettable sulfur with oil sprays.
ep 018