You can choose certain plant varieties for mixed cultivation in the garden, although some of them should not grow together. Therefore, to achieve a robust harvest, you can grow some vegetables that grow better together next to each other in the vegetable patch. This is a great way to maximize the efficiency of your garden. For almost every vegetable you grow, there is likely a useful companion plant that will help increase soil nutrients,to drive away pestsand to help you get the most out of your garden. Here are some ideas and information about common varieties and neighboring plants as a mixed culture in your own garden.
Tips for planting a mixed crop in the garden
Unlike othersareas of gardeningThe neighboring planting is not always based on hard scientific facts, but on observations. Additionally, there is always an element of trial and error to see what works best. However, understanding your vegetable garden as a system of biodiversity where plants are all connected and interdependent will help you make better decisions. This approach can have numerous advantages.
Plants also play a role in soil fertility by improving nutrient supply, availability and absorption from the soil. Tall plant varieties such as corn can provide shade for green plants such as lettuces that do not do well in the hot summer sun, as well as support for plants that require espaliering. ThePlanting different types of vegetablescan also help mark garden rows and distinguish fast-growing plants such as radishes from slow-growing varieties. Proper companion planting can even help suppress weeds. Below are combinations of plants that you should not grow together.
Corn and tomato neighboring plants
Both tomatoes and corn are susceptible to worm and fungal infestations, so an infestation in one area could spread to the other. Therefore, plant your tomatoes with basil or chives to enhance the flavor, but avoid the dill. However, carrots are another good choice. Pair corn with beans and pumpkins. Basil and tomatoes go together, not just in sauces but also in the garden.
This herb helps tomatoes produce higher yields and repels both flies and mosquitoes. Marigolds are another good companion that repels nematodes and other garden pests. Other friends of tomatoes include asparagus, carrots, celery, the onion family, lettuce, parsley and spinach. Neighbors that you should not plant with tomatoes include: cabbage, beets, peas, fennel and rosemary. So keep these plants separate to prevent the spread of pests or diseases.
Mixed culture in the garden with peppers, cabbage or beans
Cabbage and other vegetables in the brassica family, such as broccoli and kohlrabi, inhibit the growth of vegetables in the nightshade family, such as peppers. However, there are suitable companion plantings for peppers. These vegetables grow well with onions, tomatoes and eggplant, while cabbage should be planted with mint, cucumbers or lettuce. Basil is also a good friend of peppers and helps repel aphids, spider mites, mosquitoes and flies. Basil is also believed to improve the flavor of the peppers. Other good companions are onions, spinach and tomatoes. What you should avoid are beans to prevent the vines from spreading between plants.
Corn and beans grow well together because beans grow on the stalks of corn. This means you don't need to build a trellis for this. Beans also bind nitrogen in the soil, which is good for the corn. Marigolds, nasturtiums, rosemary and savory repel beetles and savory improves growth rate and taste. Other companions include broccoli, Brussels sprouts and other members of this family along with cucumbers, peas, potatoes and radishes. Beets or anything in the onion family affects the growth of beans, with onions in particular hindering the growth of bean plants.
Avoid the neighborhood between sage and cucumbers
Sage tends to have a detrimental effect on cucumber plants, stunting growth and attracting harmful insects. Companion plantings for cucumbers would be dill, peas and radishes. Plant sage with your rosemary or with cabbage and carrots where it will deter insects that can damage these plant varieties. Additionally, grow marigolds and nasturtiums among your cucumbers to ward off aphids and beetles. Beans, celery, corn, and lettuce are also good onesNeighboring plants. Bad neighborsfor cucumbers would be aromatic herbs such as the aforementioned sage, which can inhibit their growth.
Mixed culture in the garden of potatoes and zucchini neighboring plants
Both zucchini and potatoes grow quickly, although the latter can be voracious eaters. They use up the available nutrients in the soil and leave the zucchini fighting for their life. Therefore, zucchini are more likely to thrive with corn, where the vines have a place to climb. Melons and beans are also suitable neighbors for this plant variety. Corn and pumpkins are good gardening friends because the stalks of corn give the vines a place to grow. Zucchini and squash also work well alongside beans, peas, radishes, dill and marigolds. Pumpkins and summer squash can also easily cross-pollinate, leaving you with strange-looking hybrid vegetables. Grow your summer squash with edible nasturtiums to control pests. BuildPotatoes next to companion plantslike horseradish and beans or close to herbs like basil and thyme.
Carrots and parsnips
Carrots are sensitive to heat, which is why they go well with tomato plants that can provide them with some shade. Tomatoes are also known to produce solanine. This is a natural insecticide that fights pests that attack carrots. Tomatoes also benefit from carrots because they aerate the soil around the roots of tomato plants, allowing more air and water to reach the roots. Leeks and carrots are also good neighbor plants, as leeks repel flies and carrots repel moths and onion flies.
Rosemary, sage and chives also help repel flies. Carrots and parsnips are susceptible to the same diseases and pests, increasing the risk of you losing both plants to an infestation. Parsnips grow well near tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic. Cilantro and dill are not good ideas for neighboring plants because both produce compounds that can harm carrots.
Avoid mixed cultivation in the garden with fennel and eggplant
Although fennel can keep harmful insects away from plants, it is best kept out of the vegetable garden. It inhibits the growth of eggplants and many other vegetables. Eggplants require more nitrogen-rich soil, so it's best to plant them with beans. This is especially true for bush beans, which can repel pests on eggplants. Unfortunately, fennel is not very suitable for mixed cultivation in the garden. The best way to keep it away from your vegetables and herbs is to grow the vegetables in a separate bed or raised bed.
Peas and Garlic
When planted together, the sulfur compounds contained in pungent garlic bulbs inhibit the growth of sensitive pea plants. Garlic repels many types of pests and even critters like rabbits. Plant this vegetable near other vegetables and herbs such as tomatoes, eggplant, and dill.
You can grow your peas with beans, corn or cucumbers. Follow these guidelines for your future intercropping garden to increase your yields, minimize pest or disease problems, and simplify garden management.
A clear table with suitable and unsuitable planting partnerscan be found here.
