Whether you want your container plants to get along or you’re looking for pest control for a larger garden, companion plants are one way to achieve this naturally.
Some plants prepare the soil. Beans and peas are famous for doing this. They add nitrogen to the soil, effectively fertilizing it for other crops to come. Carrots, parsnips, and other root vegetables also prepare the soil because they mix and aerate it.
Some plants repel pests. The plants that are especially helpful in this regard are carrots, the brassicas such as mustard greens, kohlrabi, cauliflower and broccoli, and onions and garlic. These plants act as bug repellent, scaring away pests as diverse as aphids, the carrot rust fly, and the slug. Probably they just don’t want to have garlic breath.
Some plants invite helpful insects to live in your garden. Parsnips are the star of these plants. If you allow them to flower and go to seed, they attract predatory insects.
What should you plant next to the most common crops in your garden?
Tomatoes are a friendly plant. They like to live near their seasonings and sauce fixings such as basil, oregano, parsley, onions, chives and celery. They are also friendly with companion flowers such as geraraniums, petunias and nasturtiums. They do not enjoy living near walnut trees or dill plants.
Carrots love rosemary, sage, and alliums. Think of them as a seasoning for your carrots. Grow beans before you grow carrots to prepare the soil with nitrogen. Tomatoes grow well with carrots, but the carrots do not grow well when they are beside tomatoes.
Lettuce loves radishes, kohlrabi, beans and carrots. Plant radishes and lettuce together and you also have the fixings of a salad. They are not as fond of celery, cabbage, cress and parsley.
Potatoes like to grow near horseradish because it increases their resistance to disease. For those who like it hot, horseradish and potatoes are also a good culinary complement.
Image courtesy of rdragan at Stock Exchange.