3 IPM Tools Every Hobby Grower Needs According to Zac Ricciardi, National Cannabis Specialist and Crop Protection Expert

Integrated Pest Management, or IPM as it is commonly known in agriculture and cannabis, can be an overwhelming category for a hobby grower.

Zac Ricciardi, National Cannabis Specialist for BioSafe Systems, has helped hundreds of hobby and commercial growers implement IPM best practices.

If you’ve ever shopped for IPM tools, you know that there’s tons of products to choose from, many of which contain similar active ingredients. Choosing the wrong products can cost you $100’s (if not $1000’s) in wasted resources and improperly attended to issues.

According to Zac, these are the three tools every Hobby Grower should start with.

3 IPM Tools Every Hobby Grower Needs

1. TerraGrow — 4 lb. for ~$80: TerraGrow is a microbial innocculent whose combined microbial and enzymatic benefits promote a healthy rhizosphere.

2. ZeroTol HC — 1 Gallon for ~$55: ZeroTol is a versatile sanitizer that can be used to sanitize your environment, plants, and water.

3. Oxiphos — 2.5 Gallon for ~$190: The most valuable tool in a hobby grower’s arsenal, OxiPhos elicits an Induced Systemic Response (ISR) similar to the body’s immune system, protecting plants for up to three weeks against pests and pathogens.

As a hobby grower, you don’t need every tool in the arsenal.

Start with the basics for a fraction of the cost, establish a process that works for you, and gradually add tools as needed and as your budget allows.