A Quick Guide to Companion Planting

Filling your garden with fruits, flowers, and vegetables is a wonderful thing to do. But, rather than just going at it gung ho, there is a lot to be said for taking a moment to think about the combinations of plants you should grow.

Companion planting is based on the idea that certain plants are allies to other plants whilst some plants (though these are few and far between) should be planted with caution. The act of planting intentionally to help with pest management and growth rate is what companion planting is all about.

There are lots of resources online offering lists of suggested companion plants. As well, take a look at these ideas for harmonious growing with plants that are fast friends and ones that you should keep on the opposite side of your garden.

How Does Companion Planting Work?

Source: GrowVeg/YouTube

When certain plants are planted together, several things may happen. One plant might be of enormous benefit to the other by repelling certain bugs or even acting as a sacrificial plant to entice pests away.

Plants grown nearby might be mutually beneficial by attracting pollinators or helping to bring out flavors in the other’s fruits. Check out the ways that companion planting can be an all-around help to your plants.

Deterring or Attracting Certain Insects and Pests- Certain plants can help to repel pests from other plants. A good example of this is planting tomatoes and basil together. Basil helps to repel thrips that plague tomatoes and also disorients the moths that lay eggs of the dreaded hornworm.

Planting nectar-heavy flowers such as zinnias, nasturtiums, and marigolds will help to attract much-needed pollinators to the garden. Flowers in the garden can also act as sacrificial plants or trap crops. Slugs especially love marigolds and may well leave your prized veggies away if they have enough marigolds to snack on.

Improving Soil Fertility- Plants from the legume family, with the help of soil microorganisms, actually fix nitrogen into the soil and make it available to nearby plants.

Some plants, such as comfrey and burdock, have very deep taproots and can mine down and reach nutrients that are deep within the soil. These nutrients are then brought to the surface and made available to plants around them. Their leaves, too, can be broken off and used as green manure for nearby plants.

Shade and Support- Simply the physical attributes of one plant can help Support another. Taller plants can be planted to help provide afternoon shade for lower-lying plants. A good example of this would be growing cool-loving lettuce in the shade of heat-loving cucumbers.

Strong and tall plants such as sunflowers and corn can act as supports for vining plants such as cucumber and beans. A traditional example of this can be seen in the growing of ‘the three sisters’.

What Are Considered ‘Bad’ Companions?

When gardeners speak of bad companions, they tend to be referring to plants that have some kind of detrimental effect on other plants. Walnut trees and other allelopathic plants, for example, release a growth inhibitor making it difficult, if not impossible, for other plants to survive in their midst.

Planting a whole bunch of plants from the Brassica family is considered a bad idea as they share many of the same pests. Pests will happily hop from cabbage to kale to broccoli and devour your crops.

What Are Some Classic Companion Plants?

Some companion planting combinations have been reduced to simple gardening folklore with gardeners swearing by certain practices. Others, however, are ditching them in search of science-backed options. Either way, here are a few classic companion planting combinations that are often sworn by.

Garlic to Deter Pests- Pungent compounds in garlic act as a powerful deterrent to certain pests. Garlic has been found to repel, amongst others, yellow mealworm larvae, gall midges, cabbage flies, common cutworms, and sweet potato whiteflies.

Source: Epic Gardening/YouTube

Nasturtiums as a Trap Crop- As well as being beautiful and delicious, nasturtiums are often planted as trap crops. This means that they are planted to lure pests away from other crops that you want to thrive. They are most commonly used to attract aphids away from your brassicas.

Cucumbers, corn, and pole beans- This trio is based on the same principles as the growing of ‘the three sisters’. In this combination, the three crops act as Support for one another with the cucumbers growing along the ground protecting its moisture, while the corn act as trellises for the pole beans to grow up. The beans help by fixing nitrogen in the soil.

There are variations of this planting trio that involves sunflowers. These, however, are allelopathic and can stunt the growth of certain other crops.

Related Content:

• 15 Reasons Nasturtium Needs to Be in Your Garden
• 10 Edible Flower Recipes
• Skip the Pesticides! 10 Plants That Naturally Protect Crops From Pests
• Making the Most of Your Garden Space: Exploring Vertical Space from Below the Soil to Atop the Trellis
• The Pros and Cons of Planting Seeds Versus Planting Seedlings

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