Contaminants - wash herb then redry?

[omnipresent]

I'm worried that herb we buy may be contaminated with pesticides etc. We don't exactly know the processing (e.g. washing fresh plant) that have taken place before our purchase. Cannabis is still an unregulated industry so safety controls may vary.

 

What would be our options to get rid of contaminants?

 

Would it be good to wash the herb before consuming (as we do for fruits and vegetables), then redry?

 

[bamnutsak]

What types of cannabis are you buying?

 

What type of pesticides do you imagine growers are using?

 

Are you concerned about pesticide uptake from the soil, water supply?

 

How are you consuming your cannabis?

 

The use of pesticides adds to the production costs, and I doubt the bulk outdoor growers are spending money on chemical pesticides.

 

I do not think you can wash off pesticides?

 

Maybe buy from reputable growers/sources? Indoor growers, assuming they're not too lazy, usually do not have issues with pests.

 

I would be much, much, much more concerned about mold.

 

 

[BritManToo]

32 minutes ago, omnipresent said:

What would be our options to get rid of contaminants?

What do you use to remove contaminants from your fruit and veg?

[omnipresent]

36 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

What types of cannabis are you buying?

Cheap brick weed.

 

 

36 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

What type of pesticides do you imagine growers are using?

 

Are you concerned about pesticide uptake from the soil, water supply?

I was thinking growers may spray it on their plants, so the chemicals may just sit on the plants. So I was wondering if such chemicals could be washed off.

 

 

38 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

How are you consuming your cannabis?

Smoked as joints, though I may switch to vaporize.

 

 

39 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

I would be much, much, much more concerned about mold.

Oh, what are the health issues related to mold? What can be done about it?

 

[omnipresent]

30 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

What do you use to remove contaminants from your fruit and veg?

Wash in kitchen sink.

[bamnutsak]

13 minutes ago, omnipresent said:

Cheap brick weed.

I just can't see local Thai/Laos growers spending money on chemical fertilizers. I mean they are growing indegenous strains which are suited for the environment, including pest resistance. Some terpenes act as a natural pest resistance.

 

 

13 minutes ago, omnipresent said:

Wash in kitchen sink.

OK, so if it didn't have mold before it surely will after washing.

 

15 minutes ago, omnipresent said:

Oh, what are the health issues related to mold?

You can do your own research.

 

16 minutes ago, omnipresent said:

What can be done about it?

Done about what? Mold? Nothing. Health issues smoking moldy weed? Avoid those by not smoking moldy weed.

 

17 minutes ago, omnipresent said:

Smoked as joints, though I may switch to vaporize.

Do you also smoke your fruits and vegetables?

 

 

 

If you want to wash your weeds go for it. At least it won't have any residual dirt.

 

 

[BritManToo]

25 minutes ago, omnipresent said:

Oh, what are the health issues related to mold? What can be done about it?

 

ZERO health issues, unless you're allergic.

You could spend your whole life worrying about mould, fertiliser, pesticides, food additives, etc.

You won't live any longer, but it will sure seem like it.

[taninthai]

Good growers will flush the plants through few days before chopping down this is supposed to remove anything unwanted from plant ,I believe this is done through just watering soil with plain water you do not wash actual buds.

[bamnutsak]

12 minutes ago, taninthai said:

Good growers will flush the plants through few days before chopping down

Two weeks is better, and this is to flush nutrients, inhibit new green growth/chlorophyl which can result in harshness in the finished product.

 

Nothing to do with pesticides, which indoor growers are not using, nor does their growing medium or water supply contain run-off pesticides.

 

I think if cannabis has mold it will smell like amonia, or fresh-cut grass.

 

 

 

[SamuiGrower]

Cannabis is known as a hyperaccumulator, it absorbs all heavy metals and toxins in soil. It is well known as a mitigant in soil mitigation for contaminated soils.

 

As most of the flower with ‘fancy names’ in the dispensaries is indoor grown, I would not be too concerned about contaminants.

 

I would not be worried about pesticide use as most knowledgeable growers would never use anything outside of neem oil. If health is your concern: you shouldn’t be inhaling anything combustible.

 

Flushing removes nothing from within the plant. 
 

I agree, mold (B. Cinerera) is a bigger concern and much more prevalent.

Edited March 14, 2023 by SamuiGrower

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, SamuiGrower said:

I would not be worried about pesticide use as most knowledgeable growers would never use anything outside of neem oil. If health is your concern: you shouldn’t be inhaling anything combustible.

I doubt any factory farm would use neem oil.

OK for a grower with 1 or 2 small plants, totally useless for anyone with more than 5 plants. It's just not that effective.

Just my opinion.

Edited March 14, 2023 by BritManToo

[SamuiGrower]

I doubt any factory farm would use neem oil.

OK for a grower with 1 or 2 small plants, totally useless for anyone with more than 5 plants. It's just not that effective.

Just my opinion.
 

Neem is the go to IPM in SE Asia, BUT nothing can be sprayed in flower so why argue?

[Pouatchee]

On 3/14/2023 at 4:07 PM, SamuiGrower said:

I doubt any factory farm would use neem oil.

Wood vinegar is the best near organic pesticide, and diluted hydrogen peroxide can help with a nasty infestation. As for mold, putting the weed on a screen in the open air in the sun will get rid of the ammonia smell and can resuscitate the weed. It will never be what it should be but at least you will get a bit of a buzz and depending on the quantity it won't hurt your feelings as much as throwing it away.

[BritManToo]

11 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

Wood vinegar is the best near organic pesticide,

Tried it, and it did nothing.

[Pouatchee]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Tried it, and it did nothing.

There are different brands. Go for the one that smells really strong. I tried the milder one, and didn't like it. If wood vinegar fails go to peroxide just make sure you follow the mixing instructions while diluting. I nearly killed my wife's plants...by burning them.

[SamuiGrower]

Peroxide is a non-discriminating oxidizer at best and in low concentrations (1%) will only be effective in-the-moment, at the point of contact. It has no lasting effect after application.

 

Raising pH on leaf surface is pretty decent IPM. Big ops we used Potassium Silicate (AgSil16H) for both  IPM (raising pH to 11) and for the silica. Particularly advantageous at flip, from veg to flower.

 

We experimented with ozone (O3) generators, ozonated water but they are not cost effective and can’t generate enough for any serious demand.
 

Wood vinegar is a great source of natural amino acids. I would not use it for IPM.

 

High pH is particularly good for molds, fungus, bacteria, PM but not great for insect predation. Then again, your options are near zero when plants are in flower.

Edited March 20, 2023 by SamuiGrower

[rice555]

I use to use WV for my veggies, I now  use Neem Oil(homemade)

and the wife is using it on her grow now.

If you. want to make yellow sticky traps, you can get this spray, and use

yellow plastic cardboard.  About Bt.290 a can, Phimai Ag store.

I have sprayed Neem 2 weeks before harvest with out any problems, your

outcome may very. The buds were douched, not a lite spray. Shook of the

excess, was hot and windy 1 hour before sunset. 95% bug gone in 3 days.

rice555