Habitats for beneficial insects?

I'm starting my first outdoor grow and I'm looking into companion plants to aid in beneficial insects. I recently bought Green Lace Wings and they are supposed to like pollen and nectar. I'm not exactly savvy on this yet. I'm thinking that honey suckle is very robust around my area and that would be a good start. Also, my wife said that Marigold plants will attract spider mites and they will attack it before other plants. I'm looking for a book or a website that might help. Thanks!!!

https://www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com/cannabis-companion-planting/

https://www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com/cannabis-companion-planting/

Been comp planting for a number of years - works wonders and no pesticides! Use it for my grow and my normal veg. Most companion plants can also be eaten, so a double bonus

Honeysuckle is also good for camouflaging ur crop. It grows like the clappers in the right conditions.
Peppermint and garlic against mice.... the list goes on...

Don’t forget ladybugs.

Any questions, fire away

RW

Rainbow Warrior said:

Peppermint and garlic against mice....

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I get mice in my worm bin pretty bad and it has been attracting snakes. I used some home-made bokashi bran in my worm bin over the winter to keep it warm and it turned into a mouse hotel. I'll have a look at those websites after the kids go to bed lol.

I did find mulberry trees in my grow area and I didn't cut them down. Hell, I don't even have a spot open yet. I have 2 1/2 acres, but it's mostly woods. I feel bad about cutting trees down, but this is the only way that I can have a garden. Also, it's a work in progress...

I noticed a weed that I believe is called sow thistle seems to draw ladybugs, but that’s because it also attracts some kind of aphid.

Right now I’ve got a big population of mealybug destroyers living in a couple gardenia bushes that are infested with scales.

I was going to spray the bushes with spinosad but I don’t want to kill the beneficials.

MustangStudFarm said:

I get mice in my worm bin pretty bad and it has been attracting snakes. I used some home-made bokashi bran in my worm bin over the winter to keep it warm and it turned into a mouse hotel. I'll have a look at those websites after the kids go to bed lol.

I did find mulberry trees in my grow area and I didn't cut them down. Hell, I don't even have a spot open yet. I have 2 1/2 acres, but it's mostly woods. I feel bad about cutting trees down, but this is the only way that I can have a garden. Also, it's a work in progress...
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Mice are the enemy to seedlings!

Did an experiment a few weeks ago: had two little plants out back next to each other; on I left as is, the other I doused in peppermint oil for protection against mice. Only one survived.
Lesson from this experiment: with plants as in life-no protection could lead to surprises (good or bad, depending on the situation .

For about a month we had a bigger worry: a hare has decided to use our garden as his favourite chill-out space. So far nothing eaten, but I am worried about my edibles and smokeables.


Good luck with your jungle: I cut down a few trees last year; took a few hours to chop and weeks to dig out the roots.
U live on ur land? Looks amazing!

Let us know if u want to set up a small garden in ur woods. Challenging but not impossible...
Did so with my patch of dirt.
Look into permaculture for fruit and veg growing, also for companion planting...

Anyway, time to check if there’s been any hare/mice activity over night.

Have a good one!

RW

Rainbow Warrior said:

https://www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com/cannabis-companion-planting/

https://www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com/cannabis-companion-planting/

Been comp planting for a number of years - works wonders and no pesticides! Use it for my grow and my normal veg. Most companion plants can also be eaten, so a double bonus

Honeysuckle is also good for camouflaging ur crop. It grows like the clappers in the right conditions.
Peppermint and garlic against mice.... the list goes on...

Don’t forget ladybugs.

Any questions, fire away

RW

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Ok, I am reading that first website that you suggested. It said that sunflower and yarrow is good for beneficial mites. Luckily, I already planted sunflowers last year and it replanted itself x10 this year. We did it mostly for the bees, but apparently it helps with other beneficial bugs also. I looked up yarrow and I have a white yarrow in my yard, you can see it on the bottom left of my pic. That stuff is all over the yard. I'm looking at building a stockade fence around my plants for privacy and I'll probably plant the honey suckle to climb it.
Plants for composting is something else I need to look into. I already have comfrey started but I was looking to get more, like nettle and borage. I'm getting the idea that I have a decent start on companion planting but I need to do more. I'm also seeing bag worms in trees. Man, Oklahoma just legalized so I'm doing outdoor for the 1st time. I've grown indoor for about 8yrs now.

Rainbow Warrior said:

U live on ur land?

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Yes, I'm living on it. 2 1/2 acres

Rainbow Warrior said:

Let us know if u want to set up a small garden in ur woods. Challenging but not impossible...

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This is the same area as my first pic, just to the right of it. I started a huglekulture bed about 5yrs ago, but it isn't big enough to really call a garden. I had to cut down trees for both gardens. I'll probably extend my regular garden to the front of my grow area. The previous owner built a deer stand to practice bow hunting, but I was thinking about converting it to grow beans that vine and climb. I feel like I am just stoned rambling right now. I have a wood chipper and I'm thinking about running some of this brush through it.

MustangStudFarm said:

The previous owner built a deer stand to practice bow hunting, but I was thinking about converting it to grow beans that vine and climb.

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Good idea ; I usually make a frame tipi style; plant in the middle when small in pot, then into soil

MustangStudFarm said:

I feel like I am just stoned rambling right now. I have a wood chipper and I'm thinking about running some of this brush through it.

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Important rule: being mashed and using a wood chipper is a bad idea; u might end up having to learn how to roll one-handed !

RW

MustangStudFarm said:

Ok, I am reading that first website that you suggested. It said that sunflower and yarrow is good for beneficial mites. Luckily, I already planted sunflowers last year and it replanted itself x10 this year. We did it mostly for the bees, but apparently it helps with other beneficial bugs also. I looked up yarrow and I have a white yarrow in my yard, you can see it on the bottom left of my pic. That stuff is all over the yard.

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Sunflowers-good idea for bees! Others are:
Alyssum
clover
anise hyssop
Echinacea or coneflower. Also makes a good cough mixture
butterfly weed
Poppies
Geranium
Clover
Pansies
Willow
Lavender

The list goes on and on

Yarrow is good for making soil from compost; helps break stuff down

MustangStudFarm said:

Plants for composting is something else I need to look into. I already have comfrey started but I was looking to get more, like nettle and borage.

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Make a tea out of the three; stinks like the devils backside, but best Fertiliser for all plants, flowers, edibles.

Shit man, rambling on here...
I’m just a passionate gardener.

Like I said b4, use Permaculture principles and I promise u, u will have a piece of paradise in a couple of years.

Have a good one!

Any questions feel free to fire away anytime!

RW

Rainbow Warrior said:

Important rule: being mashed and using a wood chipper is a bad idea; u might end up having to learn how to roll one-handed !

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It def looked bad when I put it that way... I had a tree bounce back at me the other day when I was cutting them down, so I know that there is danger doing this stuff.

MustangStudFarm said:

It def looked bad when I put it that way... I had a tree bounce back at me the other day when I was cutting them down, so I know that there is danger doing this stuff.

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Respect ur tool(s)

MustangStudFarm said:

I'm also seeing bag worms in trees.

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Those fuckers that make the giant web nests in pecan trees? My grand dad used to set them on fire. I wonder if Bt would do the job.

Bee balm is good for bees, also attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, and hummingbirds eat a lot of insects especially mosquitoes.
The bees and butterflies attract the things that eat them, like small songbirds, which also eat a lot of the bugs which bother us.
Ants are a mixed blessing as they eat a lot of pest insects, but they can start to farm aphids on your plants. Learned that the hard way with peppers. Roses and firethorn (pyracantha) plants will attract spider mites, aphids away from your plants, and discourage unwanted visitors if planted along the edges of your gardens. The firethorns are also evergreens with bright orange berries that stay on the bush through the winter, birds love them. They can grow between 8 and 10 feet tall, or up to 20 if you train them against a wall or fence so they make a good privacy screen.
Bt works on all caterpillars, but it also affects monarch butterfly caterpillars so be careful not to spray it on any milkweed (it's the only thing they eat).

CanadianJim said:

Roses and firethorn (pyracantha) plants will attract spider mites, aphids away from your plants, and discourage unwanted visitors if planted along the edges of your gardens.

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I never heard of Firethorn, but I am looking into it now and it looks like a good investment. I've been too busy to keep up with this thread because I am trying to do an indoor and outdoor grow this summer. My wife is taking horticulture classes and she got a few plants, but I don't know what they are. They are supposed to be for beneficial insects though. After I get caught up, I'll post some pics.

Alright, I know that I didn't make the biggest impact on habitats for insects but it should be a good start. After reading, I came across info that made things simple. If it produces a flower, then it will attract beneficial insects. I'm currently looking into flowering shrub/dwarf trees and they look pretty cool really.



My wife made 2x small flower beds next to the veggie garden.


Random flowers from last year. It was a seed pack called "pollinator mix". There is white/pink yarrow in the back ground.


My first outdoor grow... I will have a better set-up next time!

Looks impressive; nice work with the companion planting!
Try Buddleja, also known as Butterfly Bush.
You won’t be disappointed on the wildlife front. Grows fairly quick

Butterfly bush can be a bit temperamental, if your winters are too cold it will take a while to start growing in the spring, especially if you have to prune it back every year.

It will attract butterflies and hummingbirds though. There seem to be two opinions on whether or not to prune it back in the fall, you'd have to find out what works for your area. Most people find the flowers quite attractive.

I hack mine back; never had a problem with them growing back, especially the older ones.

Anyway, looks like you are getting seriously into the whole thing. If I have any questions on the subject, I contact you

RW

Sitting in my backyard this afternoon, watching a monarch lay eggs on the milkweed it occurred to me, would planting things that attract butterflies near cannabis plants really be a good idea? Budworms are a huge problem for some growers. And it's really a catchall term for any caterpillar whose egg was laid on a bud as it was growing, so really any butterfly except a monarch could be a problem.