Tips for Successful Companion Planting in Your Garden
With Mother's Day just around the corner, we are moving beyond the last frost. It’s time to head to your local Farmer's Market and/or big-box store to pick up a supply of flowers, herbs and vegetables. Who knew there were so many varieties of tomatoes and peppers?
This article will talk about which plants grow well together, and briefly talk about why you need to companion plant.
What is companion planting? Companion planting is a gardening method where certain plants are grown together to benefit each other. For instance, the "Three Sisters" technique involves planting corn, beans, and squash together. Beans add nitrogen to the soil, corn offers support for bean vines, and squash acts as a natural mulch, reducing weeds and retaining moisture.
Here’s a list of vegetable crops you can grow together:
Companion Planting Chart
Type of Vegetable | Companion Planting |
Cabbage | Beets, celery, lettuce, spinach, onions |
Carrots | Beans, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, tomatoes |
Corn | Climbing beans, cucumber, marjoram, peas, pumpkins, squash, zucchini |
Onions | Cabbage, carrots, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes |
Collard Greens | Nasturtiums, marigolds, rosemary |
So what about flowers? These are a few of my favorites: Marigolds, Zinnias and
Nasturtiums. If aphids are chewing up your garden, it's time to plant some nasturtiums. Easy to grow and pretty in bloom, nasturtiums repel aphids, squash bugs, striped pumpkin beetles, and whiteflies. Plant nasturtiums near beans, cabbages, and cucumbers to ensure an insect-free growing season.
Do you like to make salsa and can in the fall? Great companion plants for tomatoes include zinnias and marigolds. Zinnias are great pollinators.
Once your garden is well underway, you might notice green caterpillars on your beautiful collard greens. How do you get rid of them, you ask? Grab a spray bottle and fill it with neem oil (available at any hardware or big box store) and spray it on the leaves. You need to spray at least once a week. Other natural remedies include vinegar and water. You’ll need to reapply the vinegar and water solution after a rain.
It’s time to start gardening. What do you plan on growing this spring?