Lets Talk Companion Planting!
Companion planting involves pairing plants that benefit each other when grown in close proximity. Here are some examples of beneficial companion plantings:
1. **Tomatoes and Basil:** Basil repels pests like aphids, mosquitoes, and tomato hornworms, while enhancing the flavor of tomatoes. Plant basil around tomato plants to improve growth and deter pests.
2. **Corn, Beans, and Squash (Three Sisters):** This Native American planting technique involves interplanting corn, beans, and squash together. Corn provides support for beans to climb, beans fix nitrogen in the soil, and squash shades the ground, suppressing weeds and conserving moisture.
3. **Carrots and Onions:** Onions deter carrot flies, while carrots repel onion flies. Planting these two together can help protect both crops from pests.
4. **Lettuce and Radishes:** Radishes deter pests like cucumber beetles, aphids, and flea beetles, while lettuce provides shade and helps conserve moisture for radish roots.
5. **Marigolds and Vegetables:** Marigolds repel nematodes, aphids, and other garden pests. Planting marigolds around vegetable beds can help deter pests and protect crops.
6. **Nasturtiums and Cucumbers:** Nasturtiums attract aphids away from cucumber plants, acting as sacrificial plants. They also repel pests like cucumber beetles and whiteflies.
7. **Garlic and Roses:** Garlic deters aphids, Japanese beetles, and other rose pests. Planting garlic around rose bushes can help protect them from pests and diseases.
8. **Cabbage and Dill:** Dill attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings, which prey on cabbage pests like aphids and cabbage loopers.
9. **Peppers and Petunias:** Petunias repel aphids, tomato hornworms, and other pests that can damage pepper plants. Planting petunias around pepper plants can help protect them from pests.
10. **Beans and Potatoes:** Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, benefiting nitrogen-hungry potato plants. Interplanting beans and potatoes can help improve soil fertility and potato yields.
These are just a few examples of beneficial companion plantings. Experimenting with different combinations and observing the results in your garden can help you discover which companion plants work best for your specific growing conditions and preferences.
1. **Tomatoes and Basil:** Basil repels pests like aphids, mosquitoes, and tomato hornworms, while enhancing the flavor of tomatoes. Plant basil around tomato plants to improve growth and deter pests.
2. **Corn, Beans, and Squash (Three Sisters):** This Native American planting technique involves interplanting corn, beans, and squash together. Corn provides support for beans to climb, beans fix nitrogen in the soil, and squash shades the ground, suppressing weeds and conserving moisture.
3. **Carrots and Onions:** Onions deter carrot flies, while carrots repel onion flies. Planting these two together can help protect both crops from pests.
4. **Lettuce and Radishes:** Radishes deter pests like cucumber beetles, aphids, and flea beetles, while lettuce provides shade and helps conserve moisture for radish roots.
5. **Marigolds and Vegetables:** Marigolds repel nematodes, aphids, and other garden pests. Planting marigolds around vegetable beds can help deter pests and protect crops.
6. **Nasturtiums and Cucumbers:** Nasturtiums attract aphids away from cucumber plants, acting as sacrificial plants. They also repel pests like cucumber beetles and whiteflies.
7. **Garlic and Roses:** Garlic deters aphids, Japanese beetles, and other rose pests. Planting garlic around rose bushes can help protect them from pests and diseases.
8. **Cabbage and Dill:** Dill attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings, which prey on cabbage pests like aphids and cabbage loopers.
9. **Peppers and Petunias:** Petunias repel aphids, tomato hornworms, and other pests that can damage pepper plants. Planting petunias around pepper plants can help protect them from pests.
10. **Beans and Potatoes:** Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, benefiting nitrogen-hungry potato plants. Interplanting beans and potatoes can help improve soil fertility and potato yields.
These are just a few examples of beneficial companion plantings. Experimenting with different combinations and observing the results in your garden can help you discover which companion plants work best for your specific growing conditions and preferences.