Cannabis plants are heavy eaters and need a lot of nitrogen to thrive, so using cover crops can be an important part of growing the crop. These crops help reintroduce nutrients into the soil and promote biodiversity and healthy microbial populations in the root zone.
Whether you’re using a no-dig or no-till cultivation system, cover crops are a key component of sustainable organic farming. They are known to prevent soil erosion, suppress weeds, increase biodiversity, reduce irrigation requirements and contribute organic matter to the soil.
Companion Planting
Companion planting is a method of using cover crops that allows cannabis growers to improve the overall health of their plants. These plants can be beneficial to weed growth by improving soil quality, deterring pests, and helping to maintain moisture levels.
There are many different types of cover crops that can be used in growing marijuana. However, there are some that are especially beneficial to marijuana cultivators.
One of the most common methods of using cover crops is companion planting. This is a natural method of using plants that help each other in many ways, including providing shelter, root space, shade, and increasing biodiversity in the garden.
This practice is often associated with permaculture, the idea of using plants and other resources in a way that enhances the ecological balance and sustainability of a landscape. The benefits of this technique are numerous and can include improved yield, a healthier garden, and reduced costs for gardening supplies.
In addition to boosting soil health and preventing erosion, companion planting can also be beneficial for weed growers because it can increase the resin content of their buds. Certain plants, like basil and dill, can boost the terpene content of a plant’s buds.
Another type of companion plant that is particularly useful to weed growers is marigolds. These flowers are known for their ability to repel aphids, whiteflies, and other common garden pests. They also produce a strong insecticide that can spread throughout the entire growing patch, keeping invasive insects far away from your cannabis.
Finally, a great companion plant for weed that can improve the flavor of your buds is basil. Its sweet scent and little green leaves attract pollinators, which can make your weed taste better.
Companion planting is a natural and effective way to ensure the health of your weed grow. By using this method, you can be sure that your buds are getting all the nutrients they need while also avoiding pests and molds. It is a very simple and cost-effective way to ensure that your buds are healthy and strong! Regardless of whether you are growing indoors or outdoors, companion planting can help to improve your garden and grow healthy cannabis!
Nitrogen Fixation
Cover crops can be used as a way to boost the soil’s nitrogen (N) content in a natural way. These plants work with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to draw in Nitrogen from the air, which is then absorbed into the plant’s root system.
This process is called nitrogen fixation, which is important for healthy plant growth and yields. Typically, the amount of N fixed by cover crops depends on the soil’s current N levels and the species of the cover crop itself.
For instance, clovers are highly effective at boosting the soil’s N supply, especially when they are used over a long period of time. They can fix pounds of N in the soil over a growing season, which means you can save money on fertilizers while also improving your crops’ health and yields!
Other nutrient-fixing cover crops include alfalfa, lucerne and wheat. These perennials are easy to grow and can be sown directly into pots or planted alongside the main cannabis crop in garden beds or larger containers.
In addition to their ability to fix Nitrogen, these crops also help build up soil organic matter and increase water penetration into the soil. This helps the plant’s roots grow better, ensuring that they absorb the most water possible and have the proper nutrients to support strong root development.
Using a cover crop to improve Nitrogen fixation is especially important for cannabis cultivation, as it can decrease the need for synthetic fertilizers while delivering essential nutrients to your plants in an ecofriendly way. For this reason, it’s best to use a variety of different cover crops that suit the local soils and climate.
Some of the best cover crops for nitrogen fixation are clovers, alfalfa, lucerne, and wheat. These plants are low-maintenance, easy to grow and add a natural humus layer to the soil. They are also attractive to pollinators and add a nice touch of green to your cannabis garden.
Weed Suppression
Weeds are a major concern in the cultivation of cannabis, as they can overrun a field, reduce crop quality and yield and spread thousands of seeds that will be a nuisance for years to come. They also pose high labor costs and threaten crop health, quality and harvest yield.
Cover crops are a great way to suppress weeds in cannabis cultivation. They can prevent weeds from growing in the soil and also provide a shelter for beneficial microorganisms that will help to keep them away.
In addition, they can help to improve soil health by providing nutrients for the microorganisms that live in it. In the long run, this will help to reduce your need for pesticides and also help you to have a healthier plant.
Depending on the species of cover crop you choose, they can help to deter a variety of different weeds. Some are specifically designed to do this and will even develop flowers that attract bees, flies and other beneficial insects so they can keep the weeds away from your cannabis plants.
Some of the most effective weed suppressing cover crops include:
Basil (Ocimum basilicum): This aromatic herb is known to repel and disperse insect pests like flies, beetles and aphids that can eat your cannabis plants. Its flowers are also full of nectar, which can help to attract beneficial insects that will keep weeds away from your plants.
Marigolds: Calendula officinalis, or marigold, is another great weed suppressing cover crop that can be used in the garden to control aphids. It produces gorgeous bright-orange flowers that mesmerise these insects and divert them away from your cannabis crop.
Buckwheat – Mancan: This short-season cover crop is easy to grow indoors and can be incorporated into a cannabis cultivation system as part of a cover crop blend. It establishes blooms quickly and reaches maturity within 70 to 90 days. It suppresses weeds and also extracts soil phosphorus from the soil more efficiently than other grain-type cover crops.
Weed suppression is a critical element of organic and regenerative cultivation methods, including no-till. It can be done in combination with other practices, such as crop rotation and reducing irrigation requirements.
Soil Health
Cover crops can be a great way to keep cannabis cultivation environmentally sustainable by providing a range of benefits for the soil. These benefits include preventing soil erosion, suppressing weeds, boosting biodiversity, improving nutrient uptake by the main crop and maintaining healthy microbial populations in the root zone of the crop.
The first step in using cover crops as part of your cannabis cultivation system is to assess the soil health needs of your growing site. This will help you identify which cover crop species are best suited to your particular situation, and the time of year in which you want to plant them.
Depending on the climatic conditions of your site, it may be worth establishing cover crops in the winter to prevent soil erosion and to increase organic matter levels. Alternatively, it could be worth planting cover crops in the early stages of growing your cannabis to boost fertility and improve your growing site.
Another key way that cover crops benefit the soil is through the provision of carbohydrates for bacteria and fungi in the soil. These microorganisms then use these carbohydrates to break down the plant matter that is deposited in the top layer of soil and release nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous.
These nitrogen-rich carbohydrates are also eaten by other organisms in the soil, such as earthworms and arthropods. This helps to support a complex soil food web that promotes good crop health and productivity.
In addition, some cover crops act as bio-fumigants, releasing compounds that help to suppress pests and pathogens in the soil. This can make it easier to fend off invasive weeds and to reduce the amount of pesticides used in your grow.
The most important thing to remember when selecting a cover crop is that they need to be planted in between the main crop and should not be directly next to the plant. In other words, they should not be sown on the same soil bed as your cannabis plants.
