okay so I have a really dumb question. and can you please put it in layman's terms and I'm really new to this.what are the best kind of companion plants? would basil or tyme work? how about lavender? And does proper companion plants eliminate the need for bottled nutrients? Thanks guys. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Proper soil amending (building) eliminates the need for bottled gimmicks. I'd take a peek at ITG's helpful thread on how to start building a soil, then expand from there. Focus on your "humus" content first, second aeration and then move onto amendments.
FWIW, I use garlic as one of the best pest deterrents around. I do a spring crop every year of clones and would hide them among my container garlic. The garlic was planted the previous fall and overwintered. Anyway, I noticed I never had any problems with spider mites, or anything else for that matter. Mentioned this on another forum with some very experienced organic gardeners and had to laugh when a guy posted a pic of a just stripped plant in a 5gal bucket with 4 garlic sprouts growing around the edge. A little planning is called for. The garlic bulb is put in the fridge for a few days to a week (the cold triggers the sprouting) and each clove is planted in a party cup with drainage. Still takes 2 weeks or more for the clove to sprout. Then you just pop the whole thing out and plant them along the edge when you upcan the vegging plant for flowering. Figure on at least a month for the garlic so as to coincide with the flowering upcan. I do use garlic to grow myco's and the mix after harvest is full of it. Allium's in general are great for Myco's and are the first things I grow in fresh mix for just this reason and whatever is planted in that mix after the recycle just goes crazy. Just an observation if anyone's interested. Wet
Awesome info Wet, thanks for posting. I bought and planted some garlic last year and it never even sprouted Never tried growing garlic before and had no idea what I did wrong, but my plan was to grow it along side the girls. Skipped the fridge step so maybe I'll give it another try
Well, some store garlic is irradiated to keep it from sprouting. Check the loose garlic in different stores to see if any has started to sprout and that's what you go with. I've run into the same thing with ginger and shallots from different stores. Store A would sprout and grow just fine and store B would just rot in the ground. Heat has a lot to do with it also. Outside, you plant after the first frost but before the ground freezes. The old saw is "Plant on Halloween and harvest on the 4th of July". Wet
Thanks for the bit about garlic wet. I might have to add that in my IPM cycle. Definitely going in the herb garden. Have you looked into going no till? Would be less work, though less room in the veg area too. (No potting up or recycle periods)
I bought seed garlic online so the issue was user related I'm sure. I just potted it up in a pot under a CFL and it never sprouted. Didn't realize they need to be planted then have a cold period....duh Live and learn though huh? Thanks again. I just bought some chia seeds and red clover...going to try that along with thyme, pennyroyal and camomile next run.
Is a 7.5 gallon pot big enough for the no till technique? I veg' for about a month after transplant into the 7.5's. I remember Jerry saying that he has gotten multiple grows out of the same pot doing no till, but I think he was using 60 gallon pots outside and 20(?) inside. Anyone had success with multiple grows using 7.5 gallon pots?
I'm using 7 gallon smart pots, as is LD from what I gather. I'm simply emulating him while adjusting the process to my own availability/ability. From some tidbits I've picked up over the interwebz, 7g is as small as is realistically possible unless you grow very small plants. 10g is recommended though I'm not paying any more for pots til I get more soil made up. I won't switch even then anyways. Sorry I didn't catch this sooner, been a busy week.
Thanks for the reply, G'. Good to know I don't have to dump all my old pots out and remix. My pots from last spring's harvest have been sitting around and are quite dry. Do you think a good soaking with plain water (w/molasses and fish hydrolysate) will be sufficient to invigorate the microherd, or will I need to brew up an ACT?
O.K. I'm gonna get back on topic here.... I've just finished reading both companion planting threads. I shut down my grow for the summer because of the heat, but am getting ready to get started again for the fall. I've been researching no-till and companion planting techniques for this new grow. I'm comfortable knowing that I can no-till in the pots that I have, but there are a few things I'd like to clear up about the companion planting. I grow inside so repelling/attracting bugs is not something that is necessary for me. What I am interested in is stimulating oil production for increased odor/flavor (terpenes, terpenoids?). If I have read correctly, Chamomile and Stinging Nettle are the plants I want for this effect, no (I already have these seeds from Horizon)? Would planting both of these plants with my canna' be "overkill"? Or will the effect be increased by having them both in the pot? And one other thing that I didn't see touched upon in any detail. How do you time the planting of these companion plants? Is it best to have them well established before flowering, or plant just before switching to 12/12? Or maybe plant based on the maturation time of the companions so as to coincide with the flowering time of the canna'? Thanks, all!
Maybe we'll get an answer someday. I think I'll post this in the old thread as well. Double the coverage...
imo, planting different crops with your mj is doubtful to have ill effect. They could attract more pests, but they can also act in repelling bad bugs too. Do your research and choose carefully. I doubt they would help too much as 'green manure' or help with bringing nutrients and minerals from down deep in the earth, because they can't go that deep. I believe they could help if you have a mycos in your soil and they could feed each other. Sometimes I dream of very large 'raised bed' type of style grow, with all kinds of plants throughout and a large MJ tree in the corner.
From the little I have read and understand, Chamomile would be the best bet, just keep trimming and training it throughout the pot. I would, personally speaking here, make sure my cover crop is established before my canna is in, though I don't think it will matter much if it's vice versa. I would establish them as soon as I could, though I would look into Rosemary, Cilantro, Lemon Balm, Peppermint/Spearmint and my fav, Spike Lavender if you want pest protection and prevention. Nettles get really tall for this kind of crop, I don't think they would be the best bet for a companion crop indoors. I'm going to pick up some dutch white clover seed and try establishing chamomile in a couple pots soon, so hopefully it'll be enlightening. If they have dried out really bad I'd hit em with a bit of aloe + water, to help speed up the absorption. Peat becomes hydrophobic after it loses too much moisture, so it takes a while to re-wet the material. Then I would, just to reestablish the herd quickly, apply an ACT.
Make sure you get roman chamomile and not german chamomile. Roman grows 6-8 inches while German gets up to 3 ft.
Red mites loves spearmint. Not sure if it attracts them, but they'll gobble it up. Chamomile attracts ants. This happened some many times over the summer I gave up until I can get some lavender established to combat the ants. Everywhere I move this small pot of lavender, the ants make a big circle around it. No references on this. It's just from personal observation this summer.
I got rid of ants in our house via plant oils. Only did it once and I haven't seen any inside still, 3 months later.
Did you ever see the Paul Stamet video were he makes super attractors? It's under his 5 ways Mushroom Can Change the World.
TBH I haven't stepped up to the challenge of learning what I should about Stamet or fungal interactions....I'm kind of swamped by work and outdoor activities; I do 90% of my reading and absorbing during winter when I'm laid off. Buuut, since I do have the day off, I spose listening to some videos while I'm trimming seems appropriate...