Companion planting is a gardening technique that involves planting different types of plants together to create a more beneficial environment for all the plants involved.
It is an important aspect to consider when planning your organic garden. By carefully selecting which plants to grow near each other, you can help to improve the growth, health, and productivity of your entire garden.
Companion planting offers several benefits, some of which include:
1. Attracting beneficial insects and repelling pests Many herbs have strong scents that can attract beneficial insects, such as pollinators and ladybugs, which can help control pests. Other herbs, such as marigolds and mint, have strong scents that can repel pests.
2. Improving soil quality Some herbs, such as comfrey and clover, can help to improve the soil quality by adding nutrients and organic matter. Others, such as mint and chamomile, can help to suppress weeds.
3. Disrupting the life cycle of pests Some herbs, such as garlic and onions, can disrupt the life cycle of pests by releasing chemicals that make them less likely to survive.
4. Creating a more balanced garden ecosystem: By planting various plants
together, you can help create a more balanced garden ecosystem. This can make your garden more resilient to pests and diseases, and it can
also help to improve the overall health of your plants.
When it comes to companion planting, herbs are a great choice. They have many benefits and can be used in a variety of ways. Herbs, like people, prefer to live with harmonious neighbors. In nature, plants generally occur in groups that can live together and mutually complement each other. These groups are called "natural plant associations." Natural plant associations have several characteristics that help fully utilize available light, moisture, and soil.
This natural association of plants can be imitated when planning your garden using companion planting theories:
- Plants that require less light will live in the shade of those that need plenty of light.
- The roots of some plants may penetrate deep into the earth, while others are surface-rooted.
- Plants do not all flower and fruit simultaneously in the growing season.
- Some plants mature quickly in the season before others to maximize the light source.
- Plants can repel predatory insects from their neighbors or attract beneficial ones.
- Some herbs will enhance the growth of their neighbors, while others will hinder growth.
- Some herbs will repel harmful insects from the garden by
exuding aromas from their leaves or roots that repel unwanted insects.
- Other herbs will attract pests onto their own leaves, thus freeing the vegetables or fruits from damage.
Aromatic herbs will enhance the growth of neighboring plants, repel unwanted pests, and attract butterflies and bees to your garden. Some of the best herbs for companion planting include borage, chamomile, chives, hyssop, lavender, lovage, marjoram, parsley, sage, tarragon, thyme, and yarrow.
However, not all herbs are beneficial for companion planting. Some herbs, like dandelion, fennel, and wormwood, tend to inhibit plant growth. Rue is bitter and can also inhibit growth, but it repels flies, and wormwood protects cabbages from the white cabbage butterfly.
With the increased use of harmful chemical sprays to combat pests, companion planting can offer a viable alternative. It requires experimentation and personal observation.
To get started with gardening, refer to the guide below. It contains a list of commonly used herbs and their benefits, as well as information on which herbs benefit from companion planting. If you wish to buy high-quality organic seeds for these herbs, simply click on the photo or herb name.
Alfalfa Medicago sativa (L.)
Grows well with dandelion; protects shallow-rooting plants.
Anise Pimpinella anisum (L.)
Seeds will germinate and grow better if sown with coriander.
Basil Ocimum basilicum (L.)
Does not like to grow near rue, basil being one of the sweetest and rue the most bitter.
Borage Borago officinalis (L.)
Aids strawberries & attracts bees to the garden.
Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum (Moench)
Returns calcium to the soil when grown as a green crop; loosens heavy soil.
Roman Chamaemelum mobile (L.)
Grow near peppermint in small quantities to increase peppermint's essential oil content.
Celery Apium graveolens (L.)
Celery and tomatoes are mutually beneficial.
Aids apple trees and prevents apple scabs.
Hinders the seed formation of fennel; attracts bees to the garden.
Dandelion Taraxacum officinale (F.H.Wigg.)
Releases ethylene gas, which inhibits the growth of neighboring plants; it has a special affinity with alfalfa.
Dill Anethum graveolens (L.)
Aids cabbage; mature dill inhibits carrots.
Fennel Foeniculum vulgare (Mill.)
Inhibits dwarf beans, caraway, and tomatoes.
Excretes a substance from its roots that kills soil nematodes; beneficial to tomatoes.
Garlic Allium sativum (L.)
Beneficial to roses. Controls blight on potatoes and tomatoes. A spray is used against the brown rot of stone fruit. Garlic, onions, and shallots inhibit the growth of peas and beans.
Increases the yield of grapes when planted near grapevines; inhibits radishes
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia (Mill.)
Helps repel moths that eat woolen clothing and carpets. A border of lavender attracts beneficial insects and aids plant growth.
Radiates a beneficial atmosphere and is said to promote the flow of milk in cows. If rubbed inside a new beehive when collecting a swarm, the swarm will never leave the new hive. Mint Mentha spp. Repels cabbage butterfly caterpillar.
Keeps broccoli free from aphids. When planted under apple trees, it helps keep away woolly aphids.
Parsley Petroselinum crispum (Mill.)
Beneficial to roses and tomatoes.
Repels ants & protects against mosquitoes.
Protects cabbage from white cabbage butterflies. Plant stinging nettle and chamomile near peppermint to increase essential oil yield.
Repels carrot fly. Rosemary and Sage have a stimulating effect on each other.
Roses Rosa damascena (Mill.)
Aided by garlic and parsley.
Rue Ruta graveolens (L.)
Repels houseflies; inhibits neighboring plants; sweet basil growth is stunted in the presence of rue.
Sage Salvia officinalis (L.)
Protects cabbages from white butterflies and makes cabbages more tender.
Benefits onions and green beans.
Southernwood Carlina acaulis (L.)
Moth repellent protects cabbage from cabbageworm butterflies.
Spearmint Mentha spicata (L.)
Repels ants and controls aphids in vegetables.
Benefits neighboring plants by increasing the yield of essential oil and the content of medicinal constituents.
Tansy Tanacetum vulgare (L.)
Repels flies and ants.
Beneficial for the whole garden.
Thyme Thymus vulgaris (L.)
Repels cabbage root fly.
Attracts earthworms.
Insect repellent.
It inhibits the growth of neighboring plants, repels moths, and protects cabbage from white butterflies.
Increases the aromatic quality of all herbs.
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