Companion planting involves cultivating various plant species in close proximity to enhance their growth and health. While much of the research on the advantages of planting specific crops in tandem is centered on vegetable gardens, ornamental plants, such as roses, can also gain from understanding which plants are compatible, as this can aid in reducing the risk of diseases and pest problems.
In contrast to other gardening methods, this approach often relies more on anecdotal evidence and traditional gardening wisdom, such as that found in farmers’ almanacs, rather than strictly on scientific data. Experimentation plays a crucial role in discovering what is most effective for your specific garden. By viewing your garden as a complex ecosystem where plants interact and rely on one another, you can make more informed decisions about your plant selections. Continue reading for a chart that outlines suggested companion plants and additional advice for commonly grown garden crops.
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What does companion planting mean?
Companion planting refers to the technique of growing various plant species in close quarters to provide specific advantages to each other. At times, the benefits may be asymmetrical, with one plant primarily contributing to the advantages of the other. In other situations, the benefits are reciprocal, with each plant promoting the well-being or strength of the other.
Companion Planting Guide
Prior to considering companion planting in your garden, it’s essential to adhere to the principles of crop rotation. Avoid planting the same crop in the same location for successive gardening seasons, as this practice can result in pest infestations, disease issues, and nutrient deficiencies.
The information regarding which plants serve as effective companions can differ significantly depending on the source you refer to. There are only a handful of hard facts that are widely accepted and agreed upon.
Below is a compilation of well-known garden vegetables along with suggested companion plants based on anecdotal evidence:
Advantages of Planting Companions
Companion planting offers a variety of advantages. Certain plants can draw in helpful insects and pollinators, repel pests, and serve as natural insect deterrents. They can also protect against predators and unwanted animals. For example, raccoons tend to avoid the scent of cucumbers.
Vegetation contributes to soil fertility by enhancing the supply, accessibility, and absorption of nutrients from the soil. For instance, taller crops like corn can offer shade to sensitive plants such as lettuce, which struggle in the intense summer heat, and can also act as a support structure for climbing plants. Mixing various crops in the garden can aid in defining rows and differentiating between quick-germinating species like radishes and those that take longer, such as lettuce. Additionally, effective companion planting can aid in controlling weed growth.
Tip
To achieve optimal growth, it’s advisable to position companion plants as closely as possible while still adhering to their recommended spacing guidelines. These spacing preferences are typically found on seed packets and in plant care manuals. It’s important to note that plants have varying spacing needsfor instance, some may thrive when spaced 6 inches apart, while others may require 12 inches. In such situations, a good compromise would be to plant them 9 inches apart.
Top Companion Plants
Certain pairings of vegetables excel at enhancing each other’s growth or at warding off typical pest and disease issues. Notable examples of these remarkable combinations include:
- Corn, pole beans, and squash, often referred to as the three sisters, were originally cultivated by Indigenous peoples of the Americas many centuries ago. The tall stalks of corn serve as a natural support for the climbing beans. In return, the pole beans enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, which benefits all three plants. Meanwhile, the broad leaves of the squash, which grow close to the ground, help to keep the soil moist, provide shade, and suppress weed growth.
- Cucumbers, sunflowers, and pole beans work together in a similar way to the three sisters method. The sunflowers provide support for the climbing pole beans, and the cucumber vines cover the soil.
- Basil and tomatoes are often regarded as ideal companions in the garden. Basil helps deter thrips and interferes with the behavior of the moths responsible for tomato hornworms.
- Sage, when paired with carrots or cabbage, serves as an effective deterrent against carrot flies and cabbage moths.
- Parsley and tomatoes: The presence of parsley draws in helpful insects that assist in managing harmful pests that target tomato plants.
Moreover, certain plants provide advantages to nearly any companion plant they are grouped with, either by deterring harmful insects or by drawing in beneficial insects that target the pests. Notable examples of these allies are:
- Nasturtiums: This plant attracts ravenous caterpillars away from brassicas such as cabbage, broccoli, and kale.
- Mint: The aroma of this plant is highly effective at deterring aphids, ants, and flea beetles.
- Garlic, a close relative of onions, emits a potent aroma that deters aphids and also keeps various mites, moths, and beetles at bay.
- Dill is recognized for its ability to draw in ladybugs, which are effective predators of harmful aphids and spider mites.
Herb Companion Planting
Not every garden has the space to cultivate a wide range of crops for companion planting. However, this doesn’t imply that you can’t benefit from the many advantages of herbs, such as deterring pests, attracting pollinators, and inviting other helpful insects, all of which can enhance the biodiversity of your outdoor space.
From aphids to tomato hornworms, here are several culinary herbs that can help manage various pests in your garden or draw in helpful insects:
Let certain herbs flower, as this is when they attract helpful insects naturally.
Floral Companions in Gardening
Incorporating flowers into your vegetable garden not only enhances its aesthetic appeal and offers fresh cut flowers but also serves practical purposes. Annuals like nasturtiums, sunflowers, marigolds, and zinnias, along with perennials such as lavender, help deter pests while attracting helpful insects.
Blooms as a Guide for Pollinators
Bees and various other pollinators play a crucial role in the distribution of pollen, which aids in the growth, reproduction, and fruiting of vegetable plants. These pollinators are particularly attracted to flowers such as zinnias, sweet alyssum, daisies, sunflowers, and cosmos.
Using Flowers to Deter Problematic Pests
Some flowers, such as petunias, act as a deterrent for squash bugs and tomato hornworms, making them excellent companions for beans, tomatoes, and corn. On the other hand, marigolds are effective against cabbage worms, which primarily affect cabbage, mustard greens, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and similar vegetables. Additionally, ornamental alliums, which include edible varieties like onions, scallions, and chives, help keep away deer, rabbits, aphids, cabbage loopers, carrot flies, and potato beetles.
18 Plants That Naturally Repel Insects for Your Garden
Tips for Planting Companion Flowers: Timing and Techniques
Incorporate flowers that will blossom concurrently with your vegetables. Numerous gardening manuals and seed packets provide information on blooming periods. Additionally, consider the watering and sunlight needs of the plants. It’s generally advisable to group plants with similar care requirements together.
Consider the hues the flowers will display and the varying heights of the plants. For example, if your tomato plants, supported by cages, cast shade on your sun-loving marigolds, it would be wise to position the marigolds in front of the tomatoes. This way, you can appreciate their vibrant, golden blooms while ensuring they receive the sunlight they thrive on.
Provided that their care needs align, you can plant them in adjacent rows or create borders with the shorter, more decorative species.
Vegetables That Should Not Be Planted in Proximity
Just as some plants thrive alongside each other, others can create challenges when planted in close proximity. Typically, plants that have overlapping requirements for nutrients, water, space—both in terms of their aboveground foliage and belowground root systems—and sunlight should be kept apart. For instance, a quickly spreading zucchini or winter squash can easily overshadow lettuce, stunting its growth. Likewise, tomatoes and corn are not ideal companions, as they vie for the same nutrients and water, and the tall corn can overshadow the sunlight-loving tomatoes.
To minimize the risk of spreading plant diseases like blight, it is important to separate crops that are vulnerable to the same issues. This principle also holds true for pests. Vegetables like cauliflower, kale, and other members of the cruciferous family tend to attract pests such as aphids, flea beetles, and cabbage loopers. Therefore, it is advisable to plant them as far apart as possible, ideally at opposite ends of a garden bed.
Certain plants can hinder the development of others. Fennel is frequently cited as a poor companion plant, necessitating a separate location in the garden, away from other crops. Similarly, beans and allium family members, such as onions and garlic, do not coexist well, as onions can negatively affect the germination of beans.
