Companion Plants

[Taghan]

I found a blog post online about them and they interested me. The idea of creating a bigger tiny ecosystem fills me with joy and it sounds like theyd do the same with the bud. I know theres a few threads already but they seem to be a few years old now. I'm hoping there might be some more members who've used them that are able to give advice.

Has anyone got any experience using them?
Would they be useful in small grows i.e 5 gal pot etc?
Are they viable inside as well as outside?

How To Grow Better Cannabis With Companion Plants

 

[Roy Growin]

I do in the garden - chives, parsley, marigold, garlic etc all planted potage style, just mixed in together with other veg
Not so sure it would work so well indoors as it works by their scent being carried in the wind - in a tent with an extractor and filter, I doubt it would do anything

 

[Sueet]

I haven't ever considered companion plants for inside, because the bottom of my pots get just about zero light by the time flower rolls around. Might work in some of those giant 20 or 25gal grows, but I don't see it being beneficial for a small pot.

 

[Taghan]

@Roy Growin i was thinking something like Corriander could be used to help keep some pests at bay or Borage to add in some nutes to the soil. Ive seen Cerastium could be used as a living mulch as well. Lots of possible applications i think.

@Sueet thats true, light coverage could be an issue i didnt think about for smaller pots.

 

[SmokingWings]

Inside growing does not necessarily mean that the companion plants have to be in the same container as the Cannabis plant. Using the same container is OK when the pot of soil is 25 gallons or more like what some of those using the Living Organic Soil growing methods might have going. But, it is not necessary.

Put the "companion plant" in its own pot of soil. Put the pots in the out of the way spots, anywhere there is a bit of room. Water as needed and add fertilizers if necessary. Choose which plants to get for a reason and not just because they look good.

There is a grow shop I go to and the staff will discuss growing Cannabis or talk about vegetable or flower growing. One of the topics is companion plants in the tent or grow area as a way to discourage insects.

The big one that can get recommended is Basil for several reasons. One of the insects that will avoid areas with Basil growing nearby is White Flies which can infest Cannabis. And, another reason to grow a few Basil plants is to practice taking cuttings and letting them root and become clones. And, another reason is that the leaves can be picked and tossed in salads, put on top of a home-made pizza or added to some pasta dishes.

Avoid Marigolds for an inside companion plant if growing Marijuana. The Marigold will repel some insects that we do not like but will also attract one that no one wants in their grow area. Marigolds attract Spider Mites. Outdoor growers could put in Marigolds on the other side of the yard and the mites will go to those plants. Then the grower can occasionally spray the Marigolds to kill off the mites and reducing the chance that the Mites will find the Cannabis plants.

 

[Phytoplankton]

The only thing I would consider putting in the same pot would be a nitrogen fixer, like clover.

 

[bluter]

The big one that can get recommended is Basil for several reasons. One of the insects that will avoid areas with Basil growing nearby is White Flies which can infest Cannabis.

that's straight outta the 80's.

used to be common to grow basil indoor alongside cannabis. all the early grow shops had basil and tomatoes growing as way of showing how to do it. the tomatoes were a stand in for cannabis.

by the 90's the practice had mostly ended.

 

[Roy Growin]

It's not like an outside plot where various insects will browse every day, which benefit deterrent by scent
If you get a bug inside, it will use whatever it can find - our plants, because it doesn't have a choice; it's a captive audience
Chances are any bugs that are present are brought in inadvertently, nowt to do with attraction, so the deterrent idea is not applicable

Nitrogen fixing is great if rotating crops legumes>brassica>root crops triennially, but in a pot I don't see any advantage other than a living mulch

 

[Lerugged]

I use marigolds in my barrels outdoors and it's fantastic for my environment. Tons of ladybugs, wasps for days. Spiders in my weed plants and my favorite, praying mantis. They self populate right through the year.
I recently moved a pot into my tent that had some small marigolds along with the sativa. Without all those hunters I've almost lost about 16 mothers. Spidermites decimated my shiz.
I do not recommend marigolds inside. Maybe yellow clover.
Yeah same tent different pots is a great idea

 

[Lerugged]

Haha you beat me to it. Took me forever ro write that. Haha.
Blazed

 

[bluter]

Nitrogen fixing is great if rotating crops legumes>brassica>root crops triennially, but in a pot I don't see any advantage other than a living mulch

you can grow clover in the pot with the plant for nitrogen fixing. works best in LOS or other organic, but there are folk who do it with promix and nutes as well. most bottle nutes are usually a bit too strong for the clover.

 

[Lerugged]

Yeah and it doesn't need much light.