Gardening With Cannabis: Companion Plants You Should Know - HØJ
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Gardening With Cannabis: Companion Plants You Should Know

Estimated 5-minute read

For the industrious stoner who likes to get hands on with a DIY project, growing your own cannabis has a lot of great benefits that make it a great addition to this hobby, going from being easier on your wallet, to making sure you get the flowers exactly as you want them, to even experiment with strains and cross-breeding in search of new and exciting variants that could change the way you enjoy a bowl forever. Really, growing your weed really has no downsides when you get down to it.

In fact, we have talked plenty before, here at HØJ, about the best parts of building a pot garden, including some of the equipment you need to get started, but on this occasion, we want to go a little beyond that. You see, in general, gardening can be a pretty cool hobby, and if you already have all you need to establish a little greenhouse at home to grow the best weed, it may be tempting to branch out and see what else you can farm. After all, it can’t be any more difficult than cannabis, right?

So today, we are going to check some of the crops you can grow alongside your weed, all the benefits these other plants may bring to your harvest, and the best methods to keep your garden alive and well. Happy, farming, fam!


Companion crops are good for my weed?

The short answer is a resounding yes, so it’s very recommended you do it. The science behind it is very interesting, but in short, selecting the appropriate companion crop can actually make your weed better. We know that getting flowers with the largest amount of THC possible often requires a very careful balance between humidity, heat, and the correct soil to give the plant everything they need, but sometimes, what they need is a more varied environment that enriches their overall growth process. Also, if you have access to a backyard or a place where you can grow your weed outdoors, having a companion crop helps to avoid soil degradation, which is common with monocultures, alongside other issues. So, it’s in your best interest to have a varied harvest at all times.

With that in mind, what are the best companion crops for your cannabis? We can divide them in the following categories, each with their own benefits and challenges, but feel free to choose based on your own preferences. After all, if you are going through the trouble of growing something else, at least it should be a plant you will enjoy having, right? So, let’s check our options!


1) Plants for keeping your soil healthy

Plant weeds with your weeds! But not any weeds, mind you, but those that will actually make a difference in your garden. Take, for example, the humble clover: these plants are known as “nitrogen fixers”, due to the fact that they can refill the nitro content on your soil (thanks to a specific type of microorganism or bacteria that likes to chill on its roots) when they decompose, so having them as general companion is great. Also, they look pretty. 

In that same token, legumes can also be very friendly with your garden, and it never hurts to have some extra beans around the house (especially after the munchies get to you). So choose what you like the most, like peas, lentils, soy, and even peanuts, as well as good old beans, to also boost the nitrogen content of your garden and avoid sad, discolored marijuana leaves whose potency might leave something to be desired. You will also end up with all the ingredients to make falafel, so it’s a win-win. 


2) Plants that help you fend-off pests

I mean, we can blame any insect that stumbles upon a crop of weed and tries to have a good time (we would do the same), but for a gardening stoner, finding pests can ruin more than your plans of enjoying your most recent crop during the afternoon, it can harm your garden permanently, forcing you to start over again. And as you would suspect, monocultures are very susceptible to pests, so having a companion plant that helps you repel them is always a smart choice.

For this purpose, think of herbs with a very strong aroma, like mint or basil, that doesn’t need that much of your attention, but whose strong smell will ward off most insects. Marigolds are good for this too, although some people might find this aroma quite annoying, so your mileage may vary on that. And if you like to cook too, try to plant some garlic, it will fend off basically anything that might want to take hold in your garden, and having some extra garlic in your pantry never hurts. And if you live in an area where wild animals might be a problem, some chili peppers can take care of that. Choose whatever sounds the most delicious to you!


3) Plants to help your weed become even better

But what if your idea of planting a companion crop has more to do with creating better strains of weed than with anything else? Then, my friend, you might be interested in knowing that certain herbs can help you increase the quality of your cannabis if you plant it the right way. 

For example, did you know that the common stinging nettle is one of your best options for doing this? In fact, nettles are a very nutritious plant, and yes, you can eat it if you want to (although at your own risk). If you are planning to plant your cannabis outside, nettles offer a reasonable camouflage, but beyond that, the pollen this plant produces can actually stimulate the production of terpenes in your plant, the chemical compounds responsible for taste and flavor. And you really want those, so start planting some nettles right away, that if your thing is mixing and experimenting with strains, having a texture enhancer on your weed can make all the difference.

 

So, what do you think? Although gardening might require a lot of time and effort, the results are often pretty amazing, and there’s nothing like seeing your cannabis grow until the magical day when harvesting is upon you. And with these tips on what kinds of plants you should also consider, your garden will be the envy of every stoner around you. Hope it works well for you, and happy farming!



Author: Shaggy

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