Most Common Hydroponic Pests and How to Deal with Them

It's not uncommon for gardeners to encounter new problems in a project space or grow room -- you come in and see a lot of little critters crawling all over plants, or you see the damage -- tiny holes or white or yellow spots all over the leaves, or even bent and broken stems.

So what's the deal with this, and how do you fix it? Here are some of the most common bugs and some things you can do to keep them away from your crops.

Fungus Gnats

Fungus gnats are far and away the most common predators in some types of gardens. These tiny little black bugs have a big effect, especially at the larval stage. They can really do a number on plants over time.

Aphids

Aphids also tend to swarm on plants, and tend to rest on the undersides of the leaves. They can make plants look wilted or turn leaves yellow or brown. Aphids drink sap from plant leaves, and they can destroy whole plants. They can also carry some types of diseases.

White Flies

White flies can result in small white circles on plants. They like to hang on the undersides of leaves where they may look “scaly.” These bugs like to attack things like tomatoes and cucumbers or certain types of greens.

Spider Mites

Red spider mites can turn leaves yellow -- leaves may eventually dry up and die. Look for infestations of these tiny red bugs on plants.

Some organic compounds are available to fight these and other bugs, and there are also common-sense ways to avoid tracking them into an organic garden. Here are some tips to control these types of hydroponic pests.

Wash hands - always wash hands in between dealing with a hydroponic garden and doing other tasks such as composting in the backyard. This is one way to control the migration of these tiny types of bugs.

Keep dead debris out of the plant space - it's very important to prune plants and take out the dead parts or debris inside of the plant space. Without some type of maintenance, these can start to attract different types of bugs.

Do proper ventilation - in some cases, proper air circulation can help. Make sure fans and vents are working properly.

With a little bit of diligence and hard work, you can reduce the chances of substantial damage from these different types of insects. For more about how to set up hydroponic project, take a look at Dealzer’s product pages and that the information we offer to growers on the web.