FollowCompanion Planting Basics
Companion planting is a gardening trick that has been used for centuries, and while there is no research to point to, the basics of how these plants grow, what they do for each other and how they deter pests is well known. A smart vegetable gardener learns about what each vegetable they are planting needs in order to ensure that they get the best harvest. With companion planting, gardeners know that their harvest will be improved, they can reduce the work and care needed and they will also avoid the mistake of planting incompatible vegetables next to each other.
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These are the basics of companion planting to help you get started in your own vegetable garden.
Reasons to Start Companion Planting
There are many reasons to give companion planting a try, and all are going to benefit the vegetables that you plant in one way or another. There are some plants that naturally repel certain insects looking for an easy meal, so creating borders with the plants around bug favorites is a natural defense mechanism. Taller vegetables planted near shorter, fragile vegetables provide shade for leaves that need some sun, but not full sun all day. Other plants are able to break down vital nutrients that other vegetables need, but are unable to absorb on their own. Finally, ground growing vegetable plants can act as ground cover, helping to retain moisture for other plants and repelling weeds. These aren’t even all the ways in which companion plants benefit each other, but they are the most important.
Not Every Plant Plays Nice
While there are a lot of great companion plant combinations to try, it is important to realize that not every plant plays nice around others. Don’t just plant two random types of vegetables next to each other in the hopes that they will begin supporting each other. Some vegetables will choke out others, drain all the nutrients from the soil and prevent smaller plants from growing.
Keep Similar Vegetables Apart
One rule of thumb is to keep vegetables in the same family away from each other in the same bed. This helps to reduce the chance that something comes along to take out the entire crop of both types. Instead, plant them in different areas of the garden with a companion plant of their own.
Plant Smelly Deterrents Next to Meals
There are some vegetables, like cucumbers and tomatoes that are just favorite meals for a lot of pests. Smell is a strong deterrent for most of these pests, so plant flowers or herbs whose smell they can’t stand as a protective barrier around easy meals.
Shade and Sun Plants
Some plants love the sun, and bolt as soon as they get enough, then there are those vegetables that wilt in the sun. Plant these types of vegetables together so that the tall vegetable is able to provide some shade to the shorter shade loving plants.
Compare Roots
Root vegetables compete for space beneath the soil, but some vegetables like lettuces and peppers do not grow a huge root system in the soil. These plants are great next to each other because they use the space that the other leaves open.
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