Document text
Since You Asked: Neem oil is sprayed on pot plants to kill bugs Saturday Oct 8, 2016 at 12:01 AM A photo that accompanied a story about Jackson County having the most large pot gardens in the state showed plants being sprayed. The person spraying was wearing a mask, which made me wonder what was being sprayed on the plants. If he needs a mask, what do the people smoking this stuff need? I thought pot was organic. If I was a pot smoker, I would definitely be concerned. — Paula R., Central Point   It does look a bit scary, Paula, but it's not as scary as it looks, apparently. We checked in with Brent Kenyon, a local marijuana expert who is a consultant for the 1,100-plant operation owned by Dewey Wilson along the Rogue River. The Mail Tribune did a story on large cannabis farms Sept. 26, and Wilson has one of the largest operations in the county. Kenyon said workers were spraying neem oil, which helps with mold issues on plants and combats insect problems. We've heard about neem oil before from organic farmers in the valley, who also spray it on plants. In case you're interested, Paula, neem oil is obtained from a tropical tree (Azadirachta indica) and is also used to make medicines. "Neem smells garlicky," Kenyon said. Workers also spray plants with a pressurized water wash to zap mildew on plants, Kenyon said. So why are the workers wearing masks? "Just because it's organic doesn't mean you should inhale it," Kenyon said. Was that a joke? If you think about it, would you want to inhale liquid garlic? Also, Paula, licensed marijuana growers have to have their product tested for pesticide residue, so growers such as Kenyon and Wilson have to be careful about what they spray on their plants. Recreational marijuana growing is now a heavily regulated industry overseen by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. — Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them.