Companion planting, or companion gardening, is not a new idea. It’s actually been around since the beginning of agriculture as what we call “polyculture” farming – multiple plants on the same land – as opposed to “monoculture” farming, done with only one type plant. Vast expanses of corn, wheat, or other singular crops are the contemporary standard for commercial farming, and even residential gardening. However, any green thumb will concede that repeatedly cultivating a single crop will also have a repeated single effect on your soil, depleting necessary nutrients. It will also turn your plot or grow room into a reliable buffet for pests.

The answer, then, as ancient as farming itself, is to collect plants that support each other. One plant consumes loads of this or that nutrient, while another returns the same chemical to the soil. Still another repels pests, and its neighbor attracts pollinators. Companion gardening harnesses the synergy of naturally occurring processes for a truly organic product. Here are some companions your cannabis could benefit from.