Companion Planting For Your Vegetable Garden |
Planting herbs along with the vegetables also deters the pests due to strong smelling nature of herbs. For example putting rosemary with beans will ward-of the weevils from beans. Similarly putting rosemary, sage, thyme and mint with cabbage prevent the attack of cabbage moths. If you decide to use basil, you will benefit a lot. Basil keeps the flies away from potatoes. Planting chives will deter aphids, mint will prevent ants, garlic shields the potatoes from blight and horseradish will prevent the spud from beetles.
Companion planting vegetables assists in keeping the pests away from other vegetables. For example Rhubarb protects beans from blackfly and leeks prevent carrot fly coming near carrots. Other popular categories of this type of planting are: celery that keeps moths away from cabbage and tomatoes help asparagus by keeping away the beetles. Some vegetables are selective in choosing to live with other vegetables. So you have to be careful in planting these.
Asparagus is very common in this type of planting as it goes well with most vegetables. However, planting asparagus with tomato, parsley and basil is perfect for the whole group. Bush beans are ideal for planting with potatoes, cucumber, corn, celery and strawberries. However, don't think of planting the bush beans with onions. The two stunt each other's growth. In this type of planting, lettuce protects radishes and onions protect beetroot. Planting the cabbage family, (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale) along with beet, celery, cucumber, lettuce, onion, potatoes and spinach is extremely beneficial. But planting the cabbage family with dill, strawberries, pole beans and tomatoes will have adverse effects. Carrots are great for planting with a wide variety of vegetables like peas, celery, cucumber, lettuce, rosemary, onions and sage; but they should not be grown with dill.
Celery happens to be the friendliest vegetable. It goes well with almost all the vegetables but has a special liking for asparagus. Similarly planting lettuce with carrots, cucumber and strawberries creates good produce. On the other hand corn will rebel against tomatoes, but will love to grow with potatoes, beans, peas and pumpkin.
There are various flowering plants which can be used in planting with vegetables. Zinnias prevent pest attack if used; it is planted with cucumbers, melons and marrows. Planting marigolds with beans helps in protection of beans.
The list of plants used in companion planting is long and some are:
Borage can be used for planting with tomatoes and strawberries. It magnetizes bees and wasps and also adds useful minerals to the soil.
Catnip keeps away the beetles, ants and mice, and has a sweet fragrance.
Chives further the zest and development of carrots and tomatoes. It prevents scab if planted with apple trees.
Planting coriander with some vegetables repels aphids, spider mites and potato beetle.
Peas helps in enriching the soil with nitrogen, which is very useful for a variety of other plants.
Parsley along with tomatoes and asparagus defend against beetles and attract hoverflies.
The menthol in mints is exercised for good usage as it repels white cabbage moths, aphids and flea beetles, but invites bees and beneficial insects.
Planting radishes with the squash plants give protection against insects which eat the fleshy vegetables.
Companion planting is the mantra for organic farming. Exercise the uses, so as to improve the production of your vegetable garden.
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