Companion Planting is the time-tested pairing of plants that help each other. This form of planting was for centuries considered a common cure for bug control and fertilization. The idea behind companion planting is simple. Plants and insects have traits that are helpful to one another, allowing them to form a mutually symbiotic relationship. Check out our plant profiles for more data on your seeds HERE.
Companion Planting
Companion Planting is a must for any organic gardener as well as newcomers. It saves time, money, and energy when used efficiently. Your garden can work as a small community with many plants giving help to one another. Every organic gardener wants to create a lovely, natural, and safe setting for their plants to grow. If you wish to make an Eden like Mother Nature, companion gardening is a method to try. Companion planting lets you meet many plants’ needs such as Nutrition, Environment, and Light Conditions. The following are a few samples of gains from Companion Planting.
Nutritional Requirements
Always plant according to the nutritional needs of the plants. A great case of this would be how beans and peas give a large amount of nitrogen. It’s a good idea to plant your lettuce and spinach that need a lot of nitrogen in the same space.
Environment Spacing
Planting your seeds according to spacing instructions is quite vital. However, if you use the 3rd dimension, ignored when seeding, you can see some helpful partners. An excellent case of companion planting is the kinship between Carrots and Peppers. You can plant Carrots at the bottom of Peppers for shade and shelter.
Colours & Smells
Brightly coloured flowers and fragrant herbs can upset and keep the pest population at bay. They make a poor climate for the pests getting them to move onto other beds. In another case, if you plant Brassica’s, try growing White Viola’s in the same space to keep the Cabbage Moth populous at bay.
Pests & Pollinators
Not all bugs are pests for your plants. Bee’s, Butterflies, and Lady Bugs all play a vital role in keeping your garden growing and bug-free. If you’re having issues with Aphids, try planting Calendula or Coriander near your Peppers to bring Lady Bugs. A ladybug will eat up to 3x its weight in Aphids daily!
Companion Planting Groups
One of the most famous companions planting groups known as The Three Sisters mixes corn, beans, and cucumbers. First, your corn stalks give a growing post for your beans, which in turn provide lots of nitrogen for the hungry corn. Finally, the cucumbers provide ground cover to keep soil moisture levels while also getting extra nitrogen. The Three Sisters are the best example of companion planting around. Everybody gives something while getting something out of the deal.
If it tastes good together, It should grow together, except for Onions & Beans. You can find more Friends & Enemies in the chart below.
PLANT |
FRIEND |
ENEMY |
INFORMATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | Aster Flower, Dill, Tomato, Coriander, Parsley, Basil, Comfrey, and Marigold | Alliums and Potato | Asparagus Needs Moisture as well as Fertilized Soil |
| Beans | Leafy Greens, Corn, Radish, Brassica, Strawberry, and Cucurbits | Alliums | Beans Supply Nitrogen for Corn and Sunflowers as They Provide Growing Support for Beans. |
| Beetroot | Lettuce, Alliums, and Brassica | Pole and Runner Beans | Add Minerals as well as Compost Accelerators for Beetroot. |
| Brassica | Viola, Celery, Sage, Dill, Alliums, White Flower, and Nasturtium | Solanaceae, Mustard, and Strawberry | Brassicas Should Always be Planted with Pungent Herbs and Edible Flowers. |
| Celery | Beans, Alliums, Brassica, and Solanaceae | Corn | Celery Requires a lot of Sun also. |
| Cucurbits | Corn, Beets, Beans, Radish, Sunflower, Carrots, Dill, and Nasturtium | Sage, Potato, and Rue | Water Early Cucurbits in the Mornings to Avoid Fungal Infections and Molds. |
| Potato | Beans, Corn, Cabbage, Carrot, Celery, Onion, Marigolds, and Comfrey | Asparagus, Cucurbits, Root Vegetables, Sunflower, Fennel, and Tomato | Potatoes are Best Grown In Trenches also Remember to Keep the Soil Moist. |
| Strawberry | Beans, Lettuce, Spinach, Thyme, and Borage | Brassica | The Best Flavoured Strawberries Grow Next to Thyme indeed. |
| Tomato | Asparagus, Beans, Basil, Celery, Chives, Onion, Cucurbits, Lettuce, Pepper, Marigolds, and Nasturtium | Corn, Potato, Kohlrabi, and Brassica | Tomatoes Should be Started Early Spring Inside and Transplanted in Late Spring or Early Summer Outside. |
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