Companion Planting

Posted by Katie Elzer-Peters
March 5th, 2009
Filed in Fruits, Veggies and Herbs
Tags: companion planting, flowers, vegetables

Have you seen that book “Carrots Love Tomatoes?” Chris is reading it. I think it is about companion planting. Even if it isn’t, that is what we are talking about today! How growing plants from different plant families can help you, the organic gardener, have an easier time successfully growing your vegetables. Some plants emit a fragrance that insects and creepy crawlies find repugnant. Other plants attract bees, birds and butterflies, which are great pollinators. Here are some symbiotic relationships you should keep in mind while planting your garden.

Companion Plant Combinations

Rue: Rue is a great plant to deter Japanese beetles. (Check to make sure you aren’t allergic before working bare-handed.)

Marigolds: All marigolds are great to plant in and around vegetable gardens. The strong odor of the marigold flowers deters many pests.

Basil: Basil acts as a natural fungicide, and a deterrent to mites, mosquitoes and aphids.

Mint: Mint is especially effective against aphids and creepy crawlies that like cabbage. Mint is best kept in a pot, even if you sink the pot into the ground. Otherwise, it can spread rapidly out of control.

Beans: Beans are great to grow around almost anything because they are nitrogen-fixing plants, and help “feed” plants around them.

Radish: Plant radishes at the base of pea plants, lettuce plants and cucumber vines. They are a general insect repellent.

Petunias: Protect bean plants.

Garlic chives: Protect roses with their small, have pretty purple flowers in the late fall.

Tomatoes: Protect cabbage by repelling the diamondback moth larvae.

Pumpkins: Grow well around corn. They take up the ground space around the corn plants, and keep weeds away by shading them out.

Riot of Color and Vegetables!

As you can probably see, there are some surprising combinations of flowers, herbs and vegetables that grow together and help each other. You probably hear people talk about the evils of monoculture agriculture. Any time you plant acres and acres of one plant, you leave yourself open to total destruction by insect or disease pests.

Companion planting is one way to get around that – naturally. by planting a wide variety of vegetables and flowers together, you keep insect plants hopping, literally! (Love the pun!) So, don’t segregate your flowers and vegetables-let them grow happily together.