Companion Planting: The Secret to a Thriving Garden

Companion planting is a gardening technique where certain plants are grown together to benefit each other. Some combinations improve growth, deter pests, and enhance soil health, while others can hinder plant development. By knowing which plants like each other and which ones don’t, you can create a more productive and harmonious garden! So let’s get growing!

Beneficial Plant Pairings

1. Tomatoes and Basil

Basil enhances the flavor of tomatoes and repels common pests like aphids and whiteflies.

2. Carrots and Onions

Onions help deter carrot flies, while carrots loosen the soil for onion roots.

3. Corn, Beans, and Squash (often called The Three Sisters)

• Corn provides support for beans.
• Beans fix nitrogen in the soil.
• Squash leaves provide shade, reducing weeds.

4. Marigolds and Vegetables

Marigolds repel nematodes and deter pests like aphids and beetles.

5. Lettuce and Radishes

Radishes loosen the soil, making it easier for lettuce roots to grow.

6. Cabbage and Dill

Dill attracts beneficial insects that prey on cabbage pests.

7. Strawberries and Borage

Borage deters pests and enhances strawberry flavor.

8. Garlic and Roses

Garlic repels aphids and helps prevent fungal diseases on roses.

9. Capsicums/ Chillies and Chives

Chives improve the flavor of capsicums and chillies and repel aphids.

10. Cucumber and Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums act as a trap crop, attracting pests away from cucumbers. We also have in stock American Upland Cress that white cabbage moths love to lay their eggs on – once the caterpillars eat the cress they die as the cress contains saponins (soap).

Plant Combinations to Avoid

1. Fennel and Most Garden Plants

Fennel releases chemicals that can inhibit the growth of nearby plants.

2. Tomatoes and Corn

Both are susceptible to the same pests, such as corn earworms.

3. Beans and Onions

Onions can stunt the growth of beans due to allelopathic effects – they release chemicals that are harmful to beans, the chemical is intended to kill competing weeds nearby.

4. Carrots and Dill

Mature dill can inhibit carrot growth.

5. Cabbage and Strawberries

Cabbage can prevent strawberries from thriving.

6. Potatoes and Tomatoes

Both belong to the nightshade family and attract similar diseases.

7. Broccoli and Capsicums/Chillies

Broccoli competes for nutrients with capsicums and chillies and can stunt their growth.

By incorporating companion planting into your garden, you can enjoy better plant health, improved yields, and fewer pest problems. For more gardening tips and to purchase high-quality seeds and plants, visit Wendy’s Garden.