companion planting

[SeaMaiden]

Hark and hence unto me maiden.
empathy
allopathy
homeopathy
telepathy
osteopathy
naturopathy
antipathy (describes moi)
hydropathy (considering your name you should embrace this one)

LOL Seamaiden, MM just owned you. I love word games.

I love them, too! But not the word games teenagers like to play, oh man don't even get me started on that. I don't miss it one bit!

 

[mad librettist]

LOL
I know what you're saying and I don't contend there are no worthwhile sets of companion plants.
Clover makes a good cover crop. On this forum it has been established as a living mulch and has been differentiated from the term"companion".
At that, clover has been described as best grown outside the canopy, along the edge of the pot. It starves for light. To maintain it, unlike with corn, I would have to reduce my canopy. In a field situation, this might be desirable. If I was harvesting a second crop of equal value, it might be desirable. With a small basement grow or whatever, you're just using up space and energy to reduce your grow..

vertical lighting or very minimal side lighting should be all that's required. Also, taller varieties like crimson clover can grow to be companions, not pushing aside the canopy but growing right into it. There is plenty of light to go around, already being wasted in every grow room. Maybe you can't fit more cannabis without crowding your plants, but that doesn't mean a secondary plant or plants can't fit.

These are shade tolerant plants. They don't need hps, just minimal cfl, LED, or in the case of vert growers, nothing at all.


The energy issue is a red herring.


As for companions that require full sun, like lupine, pulses, beans, etc, remember that the flower period will be the veg period for the companions. Then when you chop and drop in a new clone or seedling, it is surrounded by flowering plants that finish their cycle as the cannabis veges.

I always put my clones in their final container from day 1, and I like long veg periods. Companion planting is a matter of seizing an obvious opportunity that works with my current system.


A little imagination is all you need, and you'll find nature has plants to offer for every niche. Even a vert SOG garden can benefit. If using large containers with multiple plants, even better.

 

[SeaMaiden]

Cilantro and certain other herbs will straight up bolt immediately if given too much direct sunlight. So that might be a good choice to underplant as a companion. Only thing I don't know is whether an herb like cilantro would compete or compliment. My tendency is toward compliment, if for no other reason than because I love (to eat & cook with) cilantro. My grandmother always grew culantro in her other potted plants (tropical outdoor location).

 

[mad librettist]

in my experience cilantro does well among unrelated plants

outdoors they attract lots of pollinators