What is Companion Planting and How Can It Help Your Homestead?
Friends and enemies. We all have ’em - even plants! As a gardener, it’s your job to make sure every plant is placed next to its respective “companion,” or else you might jeopardize your garden’s ability to flourish.
“Companion planting” is a technique that involves growing plants in proximity to others so that you can repel insects, increase soil nutrients, and help bring about a more balanced ecosystem.
In this post, we’ll break down the basics of companion planting and its many benefits to your garden. Plus, we’ll provide you with a helpful companion planting guide you can keep on hand as you go about planting your next crop.
What is Companion Planting?
It didn’t take long for our ancient ancestors to realize that certain plants simply didn’t grow well next to each other. Plants, much like people, need a healthy space, nutrients, and of course, good company, to live happily.
Unfortunately, plants can’t choose the company they surround themselves with, so it’s up to us to know who they get along with and who they don’t.
Companion planting is a form of polyculture, which is the idea of raising multiple crops in the same place for a more natural, diverse ecosystem.
By following the principles of companion planting, your garden can naturally provide the nutrients other plants need to thrive. On the contrary, if a plant is placed next to an “enemy” it can give off the wrong nutrients, invade its space, and prevent growth.
A good example of companion planting is rice crops in China. For thousands of years, the Chinese have planted mosquito ferns next to rice to provide the correct amount of nitrogen and reduce the number of problematic pests.
Benefits of Companion Planting
So, how exactly can a plant’s allies benefit your yield? Here are some of the many benefits of companion planting.
Pest Control
No one likes insects and pests in their garden. However, many gardeners are opposed to using chemicals found in fertilizers and sprays. Companion planting is an all-natural way to get rid of unwanted bugs that can otherwise destroy your crop.
It’s as simple as positioning a plant next to or around another plant that repels the insects that regularly invade your garden. For instance, aromatic plants like lavender, rosemary, mint, onions, and garlic are all excellent at repelling insects.
Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrogen is a primary nutrient for plants and plays a vital role in the process of photosynthesis. Nitrogen deficiency happens when the organic matter in your garden contains too much carbon. Certain plants contain more nitrogen than others.
For example, many plants within the legume family are used to help fix nitrogen deficiencies in gardens. So, if your garden is lacking nitrogen, consider adding more plants that naturally produces more nitrogen
Physical Support
You may have noticed in your gardening ventures that some plants are more delicate than others. Elements like rain and wind, among other factors, can all take a toll on the structure of plants. By placing firmly rooted plants next to weaker ones, you can protect your plants against harsh conditions that could otherwise harm the outcome of your crop.
Water Conservation
When you enhance the nutrients in your garden’s soil, it will inevitably better conserve water and keep your plants hydrated for the long haul. Providing each plant with its proper companion is one of the best ways to feed your plants the natural minerals it needs to stay well-hydrated.
Prevents Weed Growth
On the topic of friends and foes, weeds are a gardener’s worst enemy. This is because weeds compete with the surrounding plants for nutrients, light, and moisture. If left uncontrolled, weeds can significantly damage the growth of plants and, at times, even kill them.
Pumpkins and squash are a great example of preventing weeds with companion planting. These plants cover the ground with their dense vines, while large leaves prevent the giving of sunlight that weeds need to grow.
Improves Flavor
Many experienced gardeners swear that companion planting improves the overall taste of your fruits, vegetables, and herbs. This may be due to many of the factors listed above. When plants are given the proper nutrients, space, and protection – they tend to produce larger, better-tasting fruits and veggies.
Optimize Use of Space
Last but not least, companion planting maximizes the use of your precious ground space. This is especially helpful if you’re into urban gardening. You can grow plants under other plants, let them grow up one another’s vines, or simply plant some herbs under trees.
Companion Planting Guide
So, which plants grow well with one another and which don’t? You might be surprised to find that more plants get along than don’t, but that makes steering clear of their few enemies that much more important — or else!
Fruits
Cantaloupe Companion Plants
Friends - Beans, borage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, collard greens, corn, kale, lettuce, marigolds, okra, oregano, petunias, pumpkin, radishes, spinach, squash, and sunflowers.
Enemies - Cucumbers, potatoes, and watermelon.
Strawberry Companion Plants
Friends - Asparagus, beans, borage, cabbage, caraway, lettuce, lupin, onion, spinach, and thyme.
Enemies - Berry plants, chrysanthemums, melons, mint, nightshades, okra, and roses.
Tomato Companion Plants
Friends - Asparagus, basil, bee balm, borage, carrots, celery, chives, cucumber, garlic, marigolds, mint, onion, parsley, and peppers.
Enemies - Corn, mature dill, kohlrabi, and potatoes.
Pro Tip: Among the best companion plants for tomatoes is basil because it wards off flies and mosquitoes. Plus, they are said to enhance one another’s growth and taste.
Vegetables
Cabbage Companion Plants
Friends - Beans, beets, celery, chamomile, clover, cilantro, dill, hyssop, marigold, mint, onions, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, sage, spearmint, and thyme.
Enemies - Grapes, mustard plants, pole beans, strawberries, and tomatoes.
Carrot Companion Plants
Friends - Alliums, beans, leeks, lettuce, onions, rosemary, sage, tomatoes, and wormwood.
Enemies - Dill, parsnip, and radishes.
Corn Companion Plants
Friends - Beans, cucumber, melon, parsley, pea, potato, pumpkin, and squash.
Enemies - Celery and tomatoes.
Cucumber Companion Plants
Friends - Beans, cabbage, corn, marigolds, oregano, peas, radishes, and tomatoes.
Enemies - Potatoes and sage.
Garlic Companion Plants
Friends - Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chamomile, dill, eggplant, fruit trees, kale, marigold, peppers, potatoes, roses, rue, spinach, and tomatoes.
Enemies - Asparagus, beans, parsley, peas, and sage.
Kale Companion Plants
Friends - Beets, celery, cucumbers, dill, garlic, hyssop, lettuce, mint, nasturtium, onions, potatoes, rosemary, sage, spinach, and swiss chard.
Enemies - Beans, strawberries, and tomatoes.
Lettuce Companion Plants
Friends - Beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, chives, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, onions, radishes, and strawberries.
Enemies - Cabbage, celery, cress, and parsley.
Onion Companion Plants
Friends - Beets, cabbage, carrot, chard, lettuce, pepper, strawberry, and tomato.
Enemies - Onions, beans, and peas.
Peas Companion Plants
Friends - Beans, carrot, corn, cucumber, mint, radish, and turnip.
Enemies - Garlic and onion.
Peppers Companion Plants
Friends - Basil, beans, carrots, eggplant, onion, okra, petunias, sunflowers, and tomatoes.
Enemies - Beans, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale.
Spinach Companion Plants
Friends - Beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, peas, and strawberry.
Enemies - Potatoes and squash.
Summer Squash Companion Plants
Friends - Corn, borage, marigold, melons, oregano, and pumpkins.
Enemies - Potatoes.
Zucchini Companion Plants
Friends - Beans, catnip, dill, garlic, lemon balm, marigolds, mint, oregano, parsley, peppermint, and radishes.
Enemies - Potatoes.
Herbs
Basil Companion Plants
Friends - Asparagus, beans, bell peppers, beets, cabbage, chili peppers, eggplant, marigolds, oregano, potatoes, and tomatoes.
Enemies - Rue and sage.
Cilantro Companion Plants
Friends - Anise, herbs such as basil, chervil, parsley, leafy greens like cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, spinach, legumes, potatoes, and tomatoes.
Enemies - Chives, fennel, tansy, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, and yarrow.
Mint Companion Plants
Friends - Beets, bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, chilies, eggplant, kale, lettuce, mint, peas, squash, and tomatoes.
Enemies - Chamomile and parsley.
Pro Tip: Mice generally hate the smell of mint, so if you’re dealing with mice in your garden – consider planting this herb!
Oregano Companion Plants
Friends - Cabbage, cauliflower, and cucumber.
Enemies - None.
Rosemary Companion Plants
Friends - Beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, hot peppers, and sage.
Enemies - Carrot, potatoes, and pumpkins.
Sage Companion Plants
Friends - Cabbage, carrots, rosemary, strawberries, and tomatoes.
Enemies - Cucumbers and rue.
How to Get Started with Companion Planting
Now that you know your favorite plants’ friends and enemies, how exactly can you set up your garden in such a way that follows all the rules of companion planting? Don’t worry – it’s quite simple!
We recommend starting with a list of the plants you want to include in your garden. From there, map out where you want to place them according to the companion planting guide. As for garden beds, any kind will work – from a classic square “white picket fence” spread to more exotic options like lasagna gardening or hugelkultur beds.
To get a better idea of how to set up your companion planting garden layout, check out this video by Off Grid Gardening.
Get Gardening with the Right Companions
As you can see, companion gardening is a great way to keep your plants living in harmony with one another. Not only does it save you space and keep your plants healthy, but it also increases your yield’s size and taste (who wouldn’t want that?!).
So, tell us. Will you be incorporating this method when building your next crop? If so, don’t forget to revisit this page for quick, easy access to which plants grow well next to one another and which don’t.
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