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Friday, June 5, 2020
The Spokesman-Review
NEWS & BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
GLW creates great growing conditions For many growers, pesticide-free atmosphere is only the beginning By Joe Butler EVERCANNABIS WRITER
PHOTOS BY JOE BUTLER/EVERCANNABIS
Growing Like a Weed (GLW) is a Tier 2 indoor producer/processor located in Mead.
Fred Renteria thought he had a pretty good cannabis farm going. But then an unstoppable outbreak of russet mites two years ago convinced him he could be doing things much better. “We used to spray everything with pesticides, like most of the other growers,” he said. “Then we couldn’t beat these mites and had to destroy all the plants in two rooms.” So he looked into other methods and learned about beneficial insects, a natural growing approach that uses a variety of “healthy bugs” at different stages of the plant’s development to eat more harmful insects. Their life cycle is timed perfectly so the bugs are dead and removed by the time a crop is ready for harvest. “We learned these kinds of natural methods are the only way to beat this, and once you start doing it, you can’t go back,” he said. Renteria, head grower at Growing Like a Weed (GLW), then looked for other areas of the operation that could benefit from a pesticide-free approach, a constant focus on quality, constant sanitation and overall sustainable best practices. The use of insects is particularly exciting, and includes praying mantises and ladybugs. “If we do get an infestation, we either bring in the bugs or
GLW head grower Fred Renteria shows off a house-made soil that includes plant nutrients, beneficial bacteria, fungi, nematodes and worm casings. destroy things,” he said. “Plus, if there are no bad bugs for the good ones to eat, they’ll just die anyway.” The Tier 2 indoor producer/ processor is located in the Mead area at the former Mountain Dome Winery. Work is taking place on an adjacent lot to create a Tier 3 outdoor farm, scheduled to open next year. “A winery is a perfect place for a weed operation,” he said. “It has the storage, plumbing, and other facilities that we need. We keep everything clean, have good
See GLW, 7
