karri0n
Well-Known Member
Sorry for the double post, but I think this will be more useful in this category. This is just a small list of companion plants that I believe will be beneficial to cannabis growing. I personally plan on using beans for nitrogen support, Garlig for pest and disease resistance, and foxglove and mullein to attract some beneficial insects.
The following plants will help attract insects that prey on some of the insects that like to eat our girls: [size=-1]Taken from http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/04-26/beneficial-insect-natural-pest-control-article.htm[/size]
Pests: Whiteflies, aphids, thrip, spider mites.
Predatory insect: Dicyphus.
Plants that will attract this:
1. Foxglove. The flowers attract the predators, but this does not flower until the second year. Probably better to get one from a garden center.
2. Mullein. This plant attracts the beneficial insects, but also is well known for being a smoking herb. It is actually known to prevent and treat pulmonary problems, as well as useful as a remedy for cough when smoked. It is generally flavorless when smoked, and if smoked with your weed, will almost nullify any coughing from the hit. Excellent for use in a six-footer.
Pests: Thrips, spidermites, fungus gnats.
Predatory insect: Beneficial mites.
Plants to attract these:
1. Shasta Daisy
2. Sunflower
Pests: Thrips, aphids, mites, scales, whiteflies.
Predatory insect: Pirate bugs.
Plants to attract these:
1. Shasta Daisy
2. Sunflowers.
The following plants either help with soil structure, add nutrients to soil, or help repel pests. I had paraphrased and added some info to these, but that was an hour ago and I lost that post when attempting to post it. Here is a simple copied and pasted version from http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html .
ALFALFA: Perennial that roots deeply. Fixes the soil with nitrogen, accumulates iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Withstands droughts with it's long taproot and can improve just about any soil! Alfalfa has the ability to break up hard clay soil and can even send its' roots through rocks! Now that is a tenacious plant! Alfalfa is practically pest and disease free. It needs only natural rainfall to survive.
BEANS: All bean enrich the soil with nitrogen fixed form the air. In general they are good company for carrots, celery, chards, corn, eggplant, peas, potatoes, brassicas, beets, radish, strawberry and cucumbers. Great for heavy nitrogen users like corn and grain plants. French Haricot beans, sweet corn and melons are a good combo. Summer savory deters bean beetles and improves growth and flavor. Keep beans away from the alliums.
BEET: Good for adding minerals to the soil. The leaves are composed of 25% magnesium making them a valuable addition to the compost pile if you don't care to eat them. Companions are lettuce, kohlrabi, onions and brassicas. Garlic improves growth and flavor. They are also beneficial to beans with the exception of runner beans. Runner or pole beans and beets stunt each other's growth.
Borage: One of the best bee and wasp attracting plants. Adds trace minerals to the soil and a good addition the compost pile. The leaves contain vitamin C and are rich in calcium, potassium and mineral salts. Borage may benefit any plant it is growing next to via increasing resistance to pests and disease.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS: C. coccineum kills root nematodes. (the bad ones) It's flowers along with those of C. cineraruaefolium have been used as botanical pesticides for centuries. (i.e. pyrethrum) White flowering chrysanthemums repel Japanese beetles.
CORIANDER: Repels aphids, spider mites and potato beetle. A tea from this can be used as a spray for spider mites. A partner for anise.
GARLIC: Plant near roses to repel aphids. Accumulates sulfur: a naturally occurring fungicide which will help in the garden with disease prevention. Garlic is systemic in action as it is taken up the plants through their pores and when used as a soil drench is also taken up by the roots. Has value in offending codling moths, Japanese beetles, root maggots, snails, and carrot root fly. Researchers have observed that time-released garlic capsules planted at the bases of fruit trees actually kept deer away! Hey, worth a try! Concentrated garlic sprays have been observed to repel and kill whiteflies, aphids and fungus gnats among others with as little as a 6-8% concentration! It is safe for use on orchids too.
LAVENDER: Repels fleas and moths. Prolific flowering lavender nourishes many nectar feeding and beneficial insects. Lavenders can protect nearby plants from insects such as whitefly, and lavender planted under and near fruit trees can deter codling moth. Use dried sprigs of lavender to repel moths. Start plants in winter from cuttings, setting out in spring.
LEMON BALM: Sprinkle throughout the garden in an herbal powder mixture to deter many bugs. Lemon balm has citronella compounds that make this work: crush and rub the leaves on your skin to keep mosquitoes away! Use to ward off squash bugs!
Lovage: Gets very large and can be used for Camo, also known to improve flavor in almost all vegetables and herbs it is planted with.
MARJORAM: As a companion plant it improves the flavor of vegetables and herbs. Sweet marjoram is the most commonly grown type.
Mint: all forms of mint including peppermint, spearmint, catnip, horehound, contain menthol which repels nasty bugs and attracts beneficial ones.
NASTURTIUMS: Plant as a barrier around tomatoes, radishes, cabbage, cucumbers, and under fruit trees. Deters wooly aphids, whiteflies, squash bug, cucumber beetles and other pests of the cucurbit family. Great trap crop for aphids (in particular the black aphids) which it does attract, especially the yellow flowering varieties. Likes poor soil with low moisture and no fertilizer. It has been the practice of some fruit growers that planting nasturtiums every year in the root zone of fruit trees allow the trees to take up the pungent odor of the plants and repel bugs. Studies say it is among the best at attracting predatory insects. It has no taste effect on the fruit. A nice variety to grow is Alaska which has attractive green and white variegated leaves. The leaves, flowers and seeds are all edible and wonderful in salads!
Stinging Nettles: Good for guerrilla growers trying to prevent theit plants being found/stolen. Plant them in a big patch a decent radius around your plot, and they will quickly spread. Anyone who walks more than a foot into the patch will NOT be very happy, and is likely to turn around.
Peas: Like beans, these drop large amounts of nitrogen into the soil. Great for veg cycle. Highly recommended.
Chili peppers: These exude chemicals from their roots that prevent root rot and other Fusarium(sp?) diseases. They are also useful if deer, rabbits or mice often try to feed on your plot, as they are likely to try one of the chili fruits and then not try to feed in that area again (esp if you grow habaneros, mwahaha)
Southernwood: good camo plant as it gets large quickly and makes a strong lemony smell if brushed that can cover up the smell of your prized plants.
Soybeans: Another heavy nitrogen producer. grow it with your plants during veg cycle to throw them some extra organic nitrogen
TARRAGON: Plant throughout the garden, not many pests like this one. Recommended to enhance growth and flavor of vegetables.
YARROW: Yarrow has insect repelling qualities and is an excellent natural fertilizer. A handful of yarrow leaves added to the compost pile really speeds things up. Try it! It also attracts predatory wasps and ladybugs to name just two. It may increase the essential oil content of herbs when planted among
them.(sweeter smelling buds, possibly more thc production!)
The following plants will help attract insects that prey on some of the insects that like to eat our girls: [size=-1]Taken from http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/04-26/beneficial-insect-natural-pest-control-article.htm[/size]
Pests: Whiteflies, aphids, thrip, spider mites.
Predatory insect: Dicyphus.
Plants that will attract this:
1. Foxglove. The flowers attract the predators, but this does not flower until the second year. Probably better to get one from a garden center.
2. Mullein. This plant attracts the beneficial insects, but also is well known for being a smoking herb. It is actually known to prevent and treat pulmonary problems, as well as useful as a remedy for cough when smoked. It is generally flavorless when smoked, and if smoked with your weed, will almost nullify any coughing from the hit. Excellent for use in a six-footer.
Pests: Thrips, spidermites, fungus gnats.
Predatory insect: Beneficial mites.
Plants to attract these:
1. Shasta Daisy
2. Sunflower
Pests: Thrips, aphids, mites, scales, whiteflies.
Predatory insect: Pirate bugs.
Plants to attract these:
1. Shasta Daisy
2. Sunflowers.
The following plants either help with soil structure, add nutrients to soil, or help repel pests. I had paraphrased and added some info to these, but that was an hour ago and I lost that post when attempting to post it. Here is a simple copied and pasted version from http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html .
ALFALFA: Perennial that roots deeply. Fixes the soil with nitrogen, accumulates iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Withstands droughts with it's long taproot and can improve just about any soil! Alfalfa has the ability to break up hard clay soil and can even send its' roots through rocks! Now that is a tenacious plant! Alfalfa is practically pest and disease free. It needs only natural rainfall to survive.
BEANS: All bean enrich the soil with nitrogen fixed form the air. In general they are good company for carrots, celery, chards, corn, eggplant, peas, potatoes, brassicas, beets, radish, strawberry and cucumbers. Great for heavy nitrogen users like corn and grain plants. French Haricot beans, sweet corn and melons are a good combo. Summer savory deters bean beetles and improves growth and flavor. Keep beans away from the alliums.
BEET: Good for adding minerals to the soil. The leaves are composed of 25% magnesium making them a valuable addition to the compost pile if you don't care to eat them. Companions are lettuce, kohlrabi, onions and brassicas. Garlic improves growth and flavor. They are also beneficial to beans with the exception of runner beans. Runner or pole beans and beets stunt each other's growth.
Borage: One of the best bee and wasp attracting plants. Adds trace minerals to the soil and a good addition the compost pile. The leaves contain vitamin C and are rich in calcium, potassium and mineral salts. Borage may benefit any plant it is growing next to via increasing resistance to pests and disease.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS: C. coccineum kills root nematodes. (the bad ones) It's flowers along with those of C. cineraruaefolium have been used as botanical pesticides for centuries. (i.e. pyrethrum) White flowering chrysanthemums repel Japanese beetles.
CORIANDER: Repels aphids, spider mites and potato beetle. A tea from this can be used as a spray for spider mites. A partner for anise.
GARLIC: Plant near roses to repel aphids. Accumulates sulfur: a naturally occurring fungicide which will help in the garden with disease prevention. Garlic is systemic in action as it is taken up the plants through their pores and when used as a soil drench is also taken up by the roots. Has value in offending codling moths, Japanese beetles, root maggots, snails, and carrot root fly. Researchers have observed that time-released garlic capsules planted at the bases of fruit trees actually kept deer away! Hey, worth a try! Concentrated garlic sprays have been observed to repel and kill whiteflies, aphids and fungus gnats among others with as little as a 6-8% concentration! It is safe for use on orchids too.
LAVENDER: Repels fleas and moths. Prolific flowering lavender nourishes many nectar feeding and beneficial insects. Lavenders can protect nearby plants from insects such as whitefly, and lavender planted under and near fruit trees can deter codling moth. Use dried sprigs of lavender to repel moths. Start plants in winter from cuttings, setting out in spring.
LEMON BALM: Sprinkle throughout the garden in an herbal powder mixture to deter many bugs. Lemon balm has citronella compounds that make this work: crush and rub the leaves on your skin to keep mosquitoes away! Use to ward off squash bugs!
Lovage: Gets very large and can be used for Camo, also known to improve flavor in almost all vegetables and herbs it is planted with.
MARJORAM: As a companion plant it improves the flavor of vegetables and herbs. Sweet marjoram is the most commonly grown type.
Mint: all forms of mint including peppermint, spearmint, catnip, horehound, contain menthol which repels nasty bugs and attracts beneficial ones.
NASTURTIUMS: Plant as a barrier around tomatoes, radishes, cabbage, cucumbers, and under fruit trees. Deters wooly aphids, whiteflies, squash bug, cucumber beetles and other pests of the cucurbit family. Great trap crop for aphids (in particular the black aphids) which it does attract, especially the yellow flowering varieties. Likes poor soil with low moisture and no fertilizer. It has been the practice of some fruit growers that planting nasturtiums every year in the root zone of fruit trees allow the trees to take up the pungent odor of the plants and repel bugs. Studies say it is among the best at attracting predatory insects. It has no taste effect on the fruit. A nice variety to grow is Alaska which has attractive green and white variegated leaves. The leaves, flowers and seeds are all edible and wonderful in salads!
Stinging Nettles: Good for guerrilla growers trying to prevent theit plants being found/stolen. Plant them in a big patch a decent radius around your plot, and they will quickly spread. Anyone who walks more than a foot into the patch will NOT be very happy, and is likely to turn around.
Peas: Like beans, these drop large amounts of nitrogen into the soil. Great for veg cycle. Highly recommended.
Chili peppers: These exude chemicals from their roots that prevent root rot and other Fusarium(sp?) diseases. They are also useful if deer, rabbits or mice often try to feed on your plot, as they are likely to try one of the chili fruits and then not try to feed in that area again (esp if you grow habaneros, mwahaha)
Southernwood: good camo plant as it gets large quickly and makes a strong lemony smell if brushed that can cover up the smell of your prized plants.
Soybeans: Another heavy nitrogen producer. grow it with your plants during veg cycle to throw them some extra organic nitrogen
TARRAGON: Plant throughout the garden, not many pests like this one. Recommended to enhance growth and flavor of vegetables.
YARROW: Yarrow has insect repelling qualities and is an excellent natural fertilizer. A handful of yarrow leaves added to the compost pile really speeds things up. Try it! It also attracts predatory wasps and ladybugs to name just two. It may increase the essential oil content of herbs when planted among
them.(sweeter smelling buds, possibly more thc production!)
