Subscriptions - Maximum Yield Cannabis USA November/December 2020 | Page 74

COMPANION
PLANTSfor
CANNABIS
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Planting companion plants for your
cannabis can really help with the health
of your prized buds by fixing nitrogen,
deterring pests, and preventing erosion.
Jessica Zimmer explains the art of
companion plants for marijuana.
by Jessica Zimmer
Companion plants offer cannabis plants many benefits,
such as deterring pests, fixing nitrogen, and preventing
erosion. The home grower has a wide range of options, from
different varieties of clover to herbs like comfrey and yarrow,
to edible vegetables like peas. The best strategy is to use
companion plants that serve multiple purposes.
Wade Laughter, who is known for identifying and
propagating the high-CBD strain Harlequin, now engages in
companion planting in an outdoor farm on the western slope
of the Sierra Nevadas. Laughter reckons home growers will
benefit by creating a diverse environment in the garden.
“With many different kinds of plants, you have a
higher chance of attracting the bugs who are your
friends,” Laughter says.
There is one universal: all companion plants should be
grown low. Zelig Kronberg, head cultivator at Spring Creek
Farm in Northern California, uses companion plants that
tend not to grow high very quickly.
“We use potatoes, South African ground cherries, and
squash specifically as indicator plants to read the water
levels and nutrients of the soil,” says Kronberg.
Kronberg plants potatoes around the edges of cannabis
plants and ground cherries throughout the bed.
“These two plants protect our cannabis from wind and sun,
and retain moisture in the soil. When we cut the companion
plants, we mulch that material back into the soil. Anything
you can do to feed the soil is beneficial,” Kronberg says.
Cannabis Companion Plants Help Manage Pests
Alec Dixon, co-founder of SC Labs in Santa Cruz, CA.,
sees companion planting as an aspect of integrated
pest management.
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