Introduction
If you want to grow a garden where your plants help to look after themselves and each other, you really need to know about companion planting combinations.
By the end of this article, you’ll understand the benefits of companion planting, and which plants will live in harmony together, and which ones definitely are not friends.
What is Companion Planting Combinations?
So what is companion planting all about? Well, this method is based on using the symbiotic relationships between specific plant species.
Certain plants can repel pests or attract beneficial insects, while others can improve soil fertility or provide structural support.
Image credit to Outsideclick on Pixabay
Tall Companion Plants
Tall plants can be planted as companion crops to other plants that need support.
A common example of this would be growing corn or sunflowers next to peas or cucumbers, which like to climb.
Companion Planting to Improve Soil Fertility
Peas, beans and other legumes help to make nitrogen more available in the soil.
Plants with long taproots, like burdock, enrich the topsoil by siphoning up nutrients from deep in the soil.
This benefits plants that have shallow roots.
Beets are composed of 25% magnesium, so planting these add minerals to the soil, making them an excellent companion plant combination with chicory and endive, for example.
Companion Planting to Suppress Weeds
The idea here is to minimize open areas between your rows of crops- such as potatoes, for example, by planting tall upright plants where weeds would otherwise spring up everywhere and start strangling your precious plants.
As all us gardeners know to our peril: bare earth is open season for weeds- they just love it!
So plant some useful companion plants with your crops to minimize areas for the dastardly weeds to take hold.
Companion Planting for Pest Control
Companion planting improves pest control by utilizing the natural interactions between different plant species to deter pests.
Certain plants emit odours or natural chemicals that repel or confuse pests, reducing the likelihood of infestation.
For example, planting marigolds alongside vegetables can deter nematodes, while intercropping onions with carrots can help repel carrot flies.
Additionally, some companion plants attract beneficial insects that prey on common garden pests, further enhancing the overall pest control system within the garden.
If you want to learn more about beneficial insects, visit my post :
Environmentally friendly pest control products
How to Enhance Pollination
Companion planting enhances pollination by attracting a diverse range of pollinators to the garden.
When compatible plants are strategically placed in close proximity, they release scents and nectar that appeal to bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
This increased biodiversity of pollinators leads to more efficient and thorough pollination of the plants, resulting in higher yields and better quality produce.
Additionally, companion plants can act as natural windbreaks or provide shade, creating a more favourable microclimate that further supports pollinators in their crucial role.
The Aims and Principles of Companion Planting
In a nutshell, the aim is to maximise the existing power and balance of the ecosystem in your garden to produce the highest yields whilst suppressing pests and weeds naturally.
That’s why companion planting is so widely used in organic and sustainable farms and gardens.
Common Combinations
Next up- winning companion plant combos.
Strategy is involved in the selection of companion plants: some plants grow together harmoniously, whilst others do not. ( More about that later!)
The Three Sisters: An iconic example of companion planting is the combination of corn, beans and squash- known as the ‘three sisters.’
This is a traditional Native American method which maximizes space and soil nutrients.
Natural Trellis
The corn provides a natural trellis for the beans to climb, allowing them to access sunlight and grow well.
In turn, the beans fix nitrogen in the soil, benefiting the corn and squash.
The squash’s broad leaves provide a natural mulch, which helps suppress weeds and retain soil moisture.
Squash is also thought to disorient the beastly adult vine borer.
A Symbiotic Relationship
This intercropping technique fosters a symbiotic relationship among the three plants, enhancing overall yields and promoting sustainable agriculture.
A classic win-win scenario!
Basil and tomatoes
It’s commonly thought that planting basil with tomatoes improves their flavour.
Another benefit for the tomatoes of living alongside basil is that it produces flowers, which attract pollinators.
Its strong smell repels thrips, aphids, spider mites and mosquitoes.
Basil also deters the pesky moths which lay tomato hornworms as well as egg-laying by armyworms.
Credit for image to Reginal on Pixabay
Flowering plants alongside plants that need pollinators.
Plant rows of flowering plants such as zinnia, alyssum, cilantro, comfrey, nasturtium, cosmos, calendula or petunias to plant alongside plants that need pollinators.
Pair with tomatoes, beans, squash, strawberries or asparagus. The flowers will attract pollinating insects, leading to improved pollination.
Alyssum is seen as a great companion plant as it attracts hoverflies and green lacewings, which eat aphids.
Petunias are also thought to deter asparagus beetles, so well worth planting near your precious asparagus crops.
They’re a super easy annual to grow and will flower beautifully right through the summer.
- Nasturtium and Brassicas.
“Nasturtium is head and shoulders above them all, taking the brunt of pest attacks.”
Companion planting guide vegetables
If you’ve read any of my other posts, you’ll know that I am a staunch ambassador of the magnificent plant, the nasturtium.
Not only is it super-easy to grow, and very bright and beautiful, but it is a best friend to all the plants in your garden.
It will attract caterpillars away from your crops and lure black flies away from your fava beans.
- Sunflowers and cucumbers or pole beans. Who could possibly fail to appreciate the big blast of sunshine brought by a sunflower? However, not only are sunflowers a great magnet for pollinators, but they are a popular companion plant to those which need support to grow. Think of pole beans and cucumbers, for example. They need support, and what’s more attractive than the lovely sunflower to grow up? Much prettier than canes!
Another reason why sunflowers make great companion plants is their height.
They offer shade and a windbreak to those plants that don’t appreciate too much direct heat in the summertime.
Lettuce, for example, will scorch if subjected to too many hours out there in the direct sun, so the tall, friendly sunflower will act as a parasol.
Credit for Image to 165106 on Pixabay
- Peas and beans with spinach, lettuce and brassicas. As with the sunflowers idea, peas and beans make good companion plant combinations with low-growing crops that benefit from shade during hot weather.
- Tansy and asparagus, beans, cabbage, carrots, celery, corn, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce. Plant tansy near these companion plants to repel many pests that would otherwise scran down happily on your precious crops. Tansy repels cutworm and Colorado potato beetle, among other pests. Many believe that asparagus serves as a popular companion plant itself, repelling nematodes.
Tansy flowers also attract beneficial insects and pollinators, such as ladybirds and wasps.
These cheerfully feast on the pests which may attempt to eat your crops, so they are very much to be encouraged.
However, tansy is considered to be invasive in some areas, so check local guidelines before planting it.
- Poached egg plants and lettuce. These companion plants have a great symbiotic relationship. The flowers of the poached egg plant attract hoverflies which love scoffing aphids- keeping them from scoffing your lettuce. Everyone is happy!
However, not all planting combinations are companion planting combinations! Oh no- read on, to discover that not all plants make great companion crops….
Incompatible Plant Combinations
Planting certain crops together can hinder their growth and overall health.
For instance, the growth of beans and onions can be inhibited when planted nearby due to the release of chemicals that can negatively affect each other. (Whoops!)
Similarly, planting tomatoes near potatoes can lead to decreased tomato growth, as potatoes can release substances that hinder the growth of their neighbouring tomato plants.
Additionally, planting corn near tomatoes can inhibit the growth of both plants due to the competition for nutrients in the soil.
Therefore, it is important to consider plant compatibility when planning a garden to ensure optimal growth and productivity.
Read This Post to Discover Other Planting Combinations To Avoid:
Do not grow these plants together
Tips for Successful Companion Planting
Consider plant growth habits
Before you commit any plants to the soil, figure out what their growing behaviour is like.
For example, if you plant several different low-growing, spreading plants, then naturally they are going to compete with each other for space.
Plants Grow at Different Speeds
Bear in mind the different speeds at which your chosen plants will grow.
For example, melons and squash are going to need some elbow-room but grow slowly.
Therefore they can make a cheerful companion plant combination with fast-growing crops, such as lettuce or radishes, which will be harvested before they need that extra space.
Plant Tall Plants With Low-Growing Ones
Think about pairing tall plants will low-growing ones, as they are not going to need to fight for space.
The low-growing plants are also likely to benefit from the shade provided by their tall companions.
Credit for Image to Couleur on Pixabay
Rotate companion plantings each season
Rotating crops each season is essential for maintaining soil health and optimising yields.
Alternating the types of crops grown in a particular area minimizes the risk of soil depletion and nutrient imbalance.
Additionally, rotating crops helps to disrupt the life cycles of pests and diseases.
This practice also contributes to improved soil structure and fertility, ultimately promoting sustainable biodiversity in your garden.
Conclusion
The most popular companion planting combinations are based on the following basic guidelines: plants that attract pollinators
- Plants that have a strong aroma deter pests, making them useful companion plants
- Plant shade-benefiting plants alongside taller plants that provide shade.
Avoid planting together plants that compete for the same nutrients from the soil. - Rotate planting each year
- Plant pollinator-attracting plants alongside those that require pollination.
That’s the basic principle of companion planting.
Feel free to experiment with different combinations and see what works best for you and your garden.
Make sure to keep your garden well-fed and watered like us, as its success depends on it.
Further Reading
If you’d like to read more into the subject of companion planting, I would suggest that you check out the following:
29 Plants You Should Always Grow Side-by-Side – Companion Planting
Companion planting guide vegetables
Companion planting chart guide