Companion Planting for Cannabis Plants

With the insects coming out in force locally and 90% of my cultivation being outdoors, I thought it was a good time to talk a little about companion planting for cannabis plants. It is something that I don’t think is utilized enough, if at all by many outdoor growers.

Companion planting for cannabis is used for several reasons. Sometimes to attract helpful pests, other times to repel the less helpful, sometimes even to help regenerate the soil. Some are so good at attracting pests that I refer to them as trap crops. These trap crops particularly attract the unwanted insects so much that they leave the other plants pretty much alone. Occasionally I use cannabis plants themselves as trap crops for spider mites. Ones that give off a pheromone that particularly attracts them and leaves the wanted plants untouched a bit further away in the garden.

There are many wives tales about plants and companion planting, and I have listened to half of them. Some have not worked and others may have. There are also many plants and crops that are just impractical to grow around cannabis plants that are often in raised beds or containers. I will try to focus on things that I use quite often in my own grows and how despite a garden full of hundreds of types of insects, the crops can still be healthy and strong. After all, I never saw an issue with pests themselves, more so an issue when one particular pest becomes an infestation. Maybe (likely) insects are similar to ourselves when it comes to diets, variety is the spice of life, despite the occasional binge.

Here are some plants to consider for companion planting:

• Angelica: attracts Ladybirds and Parasitic wasps which are beneficial insects in the garden. It also attracts Aphids and works well as a trap crop.
• Anise: attracts some beneficial insects and repels Aphids, white-fly, and fleas.
• Borage: attracts pollinating bees and wasps, strengthens plant resistance to many common pests and diseases, and adds trace minerals to the soil.
• Carrots: even repel insect pests. In the right containers, I might plant a few small carrots around the edge once the cannabis plant is in flower.
• Catnip: in the Mint family and has many of the same attributes as other types of Mint. It attracts Cats of course, who might poop in yer pots.
• Chamomile: will attract beneficial insects.
• Chives: plant around the base to discourage insects from climbing the trunk.
• Garlic: produces a naturally occurring fungicide which will help in the garden with disease prevention. Garlic discourages Aphids, Fleas, beetles, and spider mites. It can accumulate sulfur though, so in pots as opposed to the same soil is great.
• Lavender: good around the edges of containers, it deters snails and slugs as well as many other insects.
• Marigolds: ideal companions throughout the garden as they attract hoverflies, which prey on aphids and white-fly.
• Mint: deters many insects by disrupting their ability to locate food sources within the vicinity of the plant – it literally masks the scent of surrounding plants.
• Nasturtium: deters many pests including Aphids, white flies, beetles, and bugs.
• Peppermint: contains menthol and repels white cabbage moths, aphids, flea beetles, and bees too actually! The menthol content in mint acts as an insect repellent too.
• Sage: produces flowers which attract many beneficial insects.
• Thyme: will attract beneficial insects.
• Tarragon: good throughout the garden. Perennial Herb, very aromatic and related to Wormwood.
• Valerian: useful anywhere in the garden, it

In conclusion, companion planting for cannabis is a great way to promote healthy growth and reduce pest problems in your garden. By planting these companion plants, you can attract beneficial insects, repel unwanted pests, and even regenerate the soil. Plus, many of these plants have additional uses in cooking and wellness, making them a great addition to any garden.

If you have any additional companion planting tips or experiences, we would love to hear them in the comments below! And if you found this information helpful, feel free to share it with your friends and followers who also enjoy gardening or growing cannabis.

Happy planting!