A Basic Guide To Companion Planting

Hey Guys, 
I hope everyone is doing well.

I just wanted to share with you guys a quick and easy guide on companion planting.

Companion planting… this may be a term many of us in the gardening world are already familiar with, but for those who have never heard the term before… fear not as this small basic guide is here to help

What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting means planting one or more plant, whether that’s veggies, herbs or flowers together to form a supportive network or community that ensures the health and survival of the community of plant that are growing together.

Fruits, vegetables and herbs are noticeably more resilient and productive when planted within a supportive community.

Companion planting tomatoes with nectar-rich flowers actively encourages pollinator insects, which encourages pollination of the tomatoes, helping them to thrive.

The Benefits Of Companion Planting

Companion planting can save a lot of time and effort and potentially a lot of heartache through lost crops, as companion planting is nature’s way of boosting soil fertility, reducing damage to your plants by pests, and reduces weed competition.

Companion planting helps keep your garden productive and naturally increases yields, which leads to happy gardeners!

Natural Companions

There are many plants which are natural companions to one another and thrive within a community. Such as tomatoes, the perfect companions for tomatoes would be either basil, flowers or even carrots as each plant actively supports the other.

Nasturtium flowers which are planted next to either cabbage, kale or broccoli, or any member of the brassica family will naturally lure hungry caterpillars away from eating your veggies.

Potatoes have perfect companions with Garlic as many pests that could prove harmful to your potatoes cannot stand the scent of garlic and therefore will leave your beloved potatoes alone.

Planting Lettuce alongside onions will also act as a deterrent for pests as just like garlic, many pests cannot tolerate the scent of onions.

There are so many potential companions found within your garden and it’s part of the fun to explore what works together and what doesn’t.

Plants To Avoid Using Companion Planting

Not all plants have companions… and here are some examples of plants that should not be planted together.

Beans & Onions: these two should not be planted close together because of the  allelopathic properties of onions.

Tomatoes & Potatoes: Avoid pairing these two as they are both susceptible to the same pests and diseases

Cucumber & Squash: Cucumber and squash come from the same family and both need nutrient-rich soil in order to thrive so it’s best not to plant these as pair as they will both compete for the nutrient rich soil.

Lettuce & Celery: Lettuce and celery should never be planted together because celery can attract pests, including aphids and whiteflies, which increases the risk of infestation of the lettuce and damages both crops.

Thank you for reading, 
Until next time,
Kim