Fun fact: The cannabis plant has more than 400 healing chemicals inside of it.
Ever considered growing your own cannabis garden?
If yes, then you might want to educate yourself about the best companion plants for hemp. Learn more about the most popular companion plants for cannabis below!
Cannabis Companion Plant #1: Cerastium
Also known as “dusty miller,” cerastium tomentosum is a marijuana companion plant that is best grown in February. Used as a cover crop inside of garden containers and beds, this helpful plant is grown in a mat-like formation.
As a cover crop, this plant can spread across your soil surface like no other. It also helps to protect microbial life from the sun and retain moisture too.
To plant these handy seeds in your garden, don’t cover them directly with soil. Instead, sow the seeds around and inside of your garden bed in the early part of spring.
By scattering them in an area that receives plenty of sun, your plants will thrive in west-facing and south-facing positions. They’ll also tolerate a pretty large pH range, even though cannabis plants prefer a pH range of between 6 and 7.
After about three weeks, the seeds should start to germinate. Then, once the seedlings are fully sprouted, make sure that there are at least 20 centimeters between each companion plant.
Within a little over a month, they should reach maximum maturity, measuring over 2 feet in length. With relatively small blossoms that are less than a few centimeters across, expect these pretty plants to pop up in summer. Prepare to inhale a very sweet and light aroma as well.
After these flowers bloom, cut them back and use them as a layer of mulch or as natural compost. The best part is that these roots are hearty enough to last underground until next year too.
Cannabis Companion Plant #2: Sunflower
We all know that sunflowers are seriously beautiful, but did you know that they can grow up to 3 meters in height as well?
Thanks to their bright flower heads, they can protect your weed plants by providing a distraction for pests such as:
- Aphids
- Whiteflies
- Slugs
- Snails
To get started using sunflowers as companion plants, sow sunflower seeds straight into garden pots and beds.
Thriving in well-drained but moist soil, sunflowers need sheltered spots and full sun to keep them safe from the harsh environment. Also, they release a special chemical into the ground that can stop nearby plants from growing, using them as borders or barriers instead.
That being said, wait until the sunflower seedlings emerge before you spread them out to about 60 centimeters apart. About three months after germination, prepare for your sunflowers to start blooming. Once their head starts to fill with seeds, you have several options to choose from – you can either leave them or harvest them to eat!
Cannabis Companion Plant #3: Marigold
Best planted between February and April, marigolds are the ultimate cannabis companion plants for your garden. Also called calendula officinalis, marigolds can create bright flowers and leaves with an aromatic scent. By diverting and mesmerizing aphids away from your crop, these fast-growing plants grow either as a biannual or annual.
Even better, they can thrive all season long until the first frost hits. Although they can tolerate bad soil, they prefer well-drained soil of sandy, loamy, or chalky consistency.
To begin protecting your cannabis garden, sow marigold seeds straight into garden pots and beds in the later part of spring. It’s important to know that they enjoy partial sunlight and often sit comfortably below a polyculture canopy.
Throughout the season, deadhead your flowers to support plant growth and increase “floral output.” You can even save the flower heads to create your very own cosmetic products, including extracts and balms.
On top of keeping certain bugs away from weed plants, marigolds also repel other pests from your garden with their strong scent. This includes everything from cabbage moths to cabbage flies. Not bad, right?
Cannabis Companion Plant #4: Alfalfa
Last but not least, there is alfalfa. Effective and easy to grow, alfalfa is wonderful at improving your soil. Also, it serves as an attractive and reliable companion plant for cannabis.
In case you didn’t know, alfalfa is a legume, meaning that it works best with bacteria-filled soil. That way, it can draw nitrogen from the Earth’s atmosphere. For the uninitiated, nitrogen is an essential way to drive growth in alfalfa plants.
For starters, inoculate your seeds with nitrogen-filled bacteria before you sow them. That way, you’ll guarantee maximum growth.
In addition to this, alfalfa increases the amount of water that penetrates your soil. So keeping your roots as hydrated as possible is the best way to boost your plants to turgidity. Best planted between April and July, you can easily use alfalfa plants as a cover crop for both your garden pots and beds.
Not only that, but their sprouts are full of minerals and vitamins and work well on salads too. Bon appétit!
Looking for more tips for growing your own healthy hemp seedlings?
Check out these hemp growing tips now!
Curious About Cannabis Companion Plants?
Ready to stop asking yourself, “can you do companion planting for cannabis indoors?”
If you’re still curious about cannabis companion plants, then we’re here to help you out. When it comes to companion plants for cannabis, we’re practically the experts.
Want to learn more about companion planting for cannabis or what plants are good companions for industrial hemp?
Take a look at the rest of our blog today!
