Companion Planting

    luv2garden.com  By Abigal Gordon

Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening

 

 

 

 

 

Companion planting is the placement of various crops in close physical proximity to on another so as to symbiotically compliment the progress of each other.

One traditional practice was planting of corn and pole beans together. The cornstalk would serve as a trellis for the beans to climb. The inclusion of squash with these two plants completes the Three Sisters technique, pioneered by Native American peoples.

Companion planting was widely touted in the 1970s as part of the organic gardening movement. It was encouraged not for pragmatic reasons like trellising, but rather with the idea that different species of plant may thrive more when close together. It is also a technique frequently used in permaculture, together with mulching, polyculture, and crop rotation.



 

 
The combinations of plants also make for a more varied, attractive vegetable garden. Many of the modern principles of companion planting were present many centuries ago in the cottage garden.


Companion plants can benefit each other in a number of different ways, including:

  • Flavor enhancement — some plants, especially herbs, seem to subtly change the flavor of other plants around them. Such as Basil is known to enhance the flavor of tomatoes.
  • Hedged investment — multiple plants in the same space increase the odds of some yield being given, even if one category encounters catastrophic issues
  • Level interaction — plants which grow on different levels in the same space, perhaps providing ground cover or working as a trellis for another plant
  • Nitrogen fixation — plants which fix nitrogen in the ground, making it available to other plants
  • Pest suppression — plants which repel insects, plants, or other pests like nematodes or fungi, through chemical means
  • Positive hosting — attracts or is inhabited by insects or other organisms which benefit plants, as with ladybugs or some "good nematodes"
  • Protective shelter — one plant type of plant may serve as a wind break, or shade from noonday sun, for another
  • Trap Cropping — plants which attract pests away from others

 
Plant Good Neighbors Bad Neighbors Miscellaneous Notes
Asparagus Tomatoes, parsley, basil

Garlic
Onions

Allums

 

 A substance called asparagin in asparagus repels certain tomato pests.

* Alliums Stunt Growth
Broad Beans Broccoli. Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage,
Cauliflower, Corn, Lettuce, Lovage
Marjoram, Potatoes,Spinach

Summer Savory - Plant with beans and onions to improve growth and flavor. Discourages cabbage moths.
 

Fennel
Garlic
Onions

Allums

 * Alliums Stunt Growth in some varieties
Bush Beans Sunflowers (beans like partial shade; sunflowers attract birds and bees), cucumbers , potatoes, corn, celery,

Plant Summer savory with beans and onions to improve growth and flavor. Discourages cabbage moths.

 Onions Sunflowers attract birds keep this in mind if you have a crop such as berries that birds savor. Sunflowers also attract Aphids
Beets Onions, kohlrabi

Tomatoes

Pole beans

Beets are good for adding minerals to the soil. The leaves are composed of 25% magnesium.

Pole beans are said to stunt growth of beets
Brassicas (Cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, broccoli) Potatoes, celery, dill, chamomile, sage, thyme, mint, pennyroyal, rosemary, lavender, beets, onions

Chamomile - Improves flavor of cabbages and onions.

 Rue, Strawberry

 

 Aromatic plants deter cabbage worms

Interplant Thyme w. Brassicas as it repels cabbage worm

Clover interplanted with cabbage has been shown to reduce the native cabbage aphid and cabbageworm populations by interfering with the colonization of the pests and increasing the number of predator ground beetles

Plant Chamomile with cabbage and onions. Improves growth and flavor
Carrots Peas, lettuce, chives, onions, leeks, rosemary, sage, tomatoes, Bush beans, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, peppers, red radishes. Pole beans, strawberries, Dill * Dill stunts growth

Sage can be planted with cabbage, carrots, strawberries and tomatoes
to enhance their growth.
Celery Leeks,Tomatoes, bush beans, cauliflower, cabbage Parsnip, Potatoes, Wheat  
Corn Potatoes, peas, beans, cucumbers, pumpkin, squash, Planting sunflowers with corn is said by some to increase the yield   Sweet corn in a heavy feeder that takes nitrogen and other nutrients from the soil. Plant some climbing beans at the base of each corn stalk. The stalk will support the beans, while the climbing beans' roots will fix nitrogen from the air into the soil where its needed most.
Cucumbers Sunflowers, Beans, Corn, English Pea, Sunflowers, Radish ,Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Corn, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Radish, Marigold, Nasturtium, Savory Potato, Any Aromatic Herbs  
Eggplant Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Spinach Fennel  
Gooseberry Tansy, Tomatoes    
Horseradish Potatoes (deters potato beetles); around plum trees to discourage curculios   Plant in potato patch to keep away potato bugs.
Leek Onions, celery, carrots    
Lettuce Carrots and radishes (lettuce, carrots, and radishes make a good salad also) , strawberries, cucumbers Parsley  
Onion Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Cucumber, Lettuce, Pepper, Squash, Strawberries, Tomato

 		 Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Peas. Do not plant onions or other members of the Amaryllidaceae family in the same soil for more than one season.. Rotate the crops to various sections of your garden space from season to season.

Plant Chamomile with cabbage and onions. Improves growth and flavor
Peas Squash (when squash follows peas up trellis) Garlic, Gladiolis, Onions, Shallots * Alliums Stunt Growth
Potato *Horseradish, beans, corn, cabbage, marigold, limas, Apple, Celery, Cherry, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Raspberry
Rosemary, Sunflower, Tomato		 *Horseradish deters potato bugs
Pepper [Hot] Lovage, Marjoram, Parsnip, cucumbers, eggplant, escarole, tomato, okra, Swiss chard and squash. Herbs to plant near them include: basils, oregano, parsley and rosemary   Chili peppers have root exudates that prevent root rot and other Fusarium diseases. Plant anywhere you have these problems. Teas made from hot peppers can be useful as insect sprays.
Pepper [Sweet] tomatoes, parsley, onions,basil, and carrots. fennel ,kohlrabi., apricot and related fruit trees  
Pumpkin Corn Potato  
Radish Peas, nasturtium, lettuce, cucumbers; a general aid in repelling insects Hyssop Planting an early row of radishes may lure flea beetles away from susceptible plants
Raspberry Marigold, Rue, Tansy Potatoes Should not follow: eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, or peppers and other raspberry varieties in the crop rotation. These crops are susceptible to verticillium wilt, to which most raspberries are susceptible
Shallots Lovage, Marjoram Beans, peas  
Soybeans Grows with anything, helps everything    
Spinach Strawberries    
Squash Nasturtium, corn    
Strawberries Bush beans, spinach, borage, lettuce Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage
Cauliflower, Gladiolis		 Do not plant strawberries where tomatoes, potatoes, peppers or eggplant have been grown in the past four years, because these crops carry the root rot fungus Verticillium which also attacks strawberries

Sage can be planted with cabbage, carrots, strawberries and tomatoes
to enhance their growth.
Tomato Chives, onion, parsley, asparagus, marigold, nasturtium, carrot, limas Plant tomatoes away from corn, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, fennell and kohlrabi as they have too many pests in common. Don't plant tomatoes near nut trees the roots of many of these trees secrete a phytotoxin that is toxic to tomatoes ..Walnuts for instance, will kill almost anything within reach of their roots.

Sage can be planted with cabbage, carrots, strawberries and tomatoes
to enhance their growth.
Turnip Peas Mustard  
       
       
Herbs/Spice Plants/Misc.

See also Herbal Control of Insects
Anise Coriander Wormwood  
Basil Tomatoes ,Apricot, Asparagus, Cucumber, Fennel
 		 Rue Basil is said to  repel tomato worm ,  flies and mosquitoes and to enhance the flavor of tomatoes as well as other plants.
Borage Tomatoes ,squash, strawberries   Borage attracts bees, deters tomato worm
Catnip Plant in borders; protects against flea beetles    
Celeriac (Celery root) Beans, Pole Beans, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Lovage
Marjoram, Pea, Tomato		    
Chamomile Cabbage, onions    
Chervil Radishes (improves growth and flavor)    
Chives Carrots;   Improves growth and flavor of carrots and tomatoes .

Plant chives around base of fruit trees to discourage insects from climbing trunk
Dill Cabbage (improves growth and health), carrots    
Fennel Most plants are supposed to dislike it.    
Flax Carrots, potatoes    
Garlic Roses ,Raspberries (deters Japanese beetle) Plant garlic around  everything but beans.
 		 Accumulates sulfur: a naturally occurring fungicide which will help in the garden with disease prevention.

Garlic discourages Aphids, Flea beetle, Japanese beetle, and spider mites as well as vampires and members of the opposite sex.
Hyssop Cabbage, Grape Vine, Roses
Tomato		 Cucumber, radish  
       
Lovage Plant here and there in garden.    
       
Marjoram Plant here and there in garden.    
Mint Cabbage family, tomatoes Chamomile Deters cabbage moth
Mole plant Deters moles and mice if planted here and there throughout garden    
Nasturtium Tomatoes, radishes, cabbage, cucumbers; plant under fruit trees; deters aphids and pests of Cucumbers    
Parsley Tomato, Asparagus    
Peppermint     Repels white cabbage moths, aphids and flea beetles. It is the menthol content in mints that acts as an insect repellant
Pigweed Brings nutrients to topsoil; beneficial growing with potatoes, onions, and corn; keep well thinned    
Rosemary Carrots, beans, cabbage, sage; deters cabbage moth, bean beetles, and carrot fly    
Sage Rosemary, carrots, cabbage, peas, beans; deters some insects    
Southernwood Cabbage; plant here and there in garden    
Summer savory Beans, onions; deters bean beetles    
       
Tansy Plant under fruit trees; deters pests of roses and raspberries; deters flying insects, also Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs, ants   * Tansy is TOXIC to pets & Livestock
Tarragon Good throughout garden    
Thyme Cabbage   deters cabbage worm
Valerian Good anywhere in garden    
Wormwood As a border, keeps animals from garden    
Yarrow Plant along borders, near paths, near aromatic herbs; enhances essential oil production of herbs   Host plant for ladybugs, predatory wasps
Flowers/ Ornamentals
       
Foxglove Apple, Potatoes,Tomato    
Marigolds Marigolds are ideal companions through out the garden, as they're reputed to attract hoverflies, which prey on aphids, as well as reduce the number of nematodes in the soil   Marigolds reduce the number of nematodes in soil ,If you are using beneficial nematodes they will be affected as well.
Petunia Protects beans; beneficial throughout garden    
Rue Roses and raspberries; deters Japanese beetle; keep it away from basil    
Roses Marigolds Hyssop, Lavender,  Lemon Balm, Nasturtiums, Parsley, Rue, Sage, Tansy, Thyme

 		    
Sunflower Cucumbers   * Sunflower attracts aphids and other harmful insects, so although it may be a good companion in some instances, it is best kept at a distance from most vegetables, or used as a trap crop.
Wallflower Apple    
 

 

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      * Elements of this page were adapted from Wikipedia

 

Allium

s =bulbous herbs of the lily family including the onion, garlic, chive, leek, and shallot

phy·to·tox·ic
Pronunciation: "fI-t&-'täk-sik
Function: adjective
poisonous to plants
 

am·a·ryl·lis
Pronunciation: "a-m&-'ri-l&s
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, genus name, probably from Latin, name of a shepherdess in Virgil's Eclogues
: an autumn-flowering So. African bulbous herb (Amaryllis belladonna of the family Amaryllidaceae, the amaryllis family) widely grown for its deep red to whitish umbellate flowers; also : a plant of any of several related genera (as Hippeastrum or Sprekelia)

Asparagin :a nonessential amino acid C4H8N2O3 that is an amide of aspartic acid (a crystalline amino acid C4H7NO4 found especially in plants )