COMPANION PLANTING
Companion plants are plants that can benefit from being planted close to other plants. There are many reasons why gardeners and farmers would choose to grow different vegetables together. For example, nitrogen-fixing plants can benefit the soil for other plants. Plants that have similar seasons and growing periods can be planted nearby so that they finish around the same time and can free up space for the next seasonal crop. Plants with deeper root systems will compete less with plants with shallower root systems. Companion planting can thus help conserve space, increase diversity, and sometimes produce healthier vegetables.
Some examples of companion plants are below:
Plant:
Tomato
Corn
Eggplant
Asparagus
Spinach
With:
Basil
Beans
Marigolds
Parsley
Strawberries
WHY THESE PLANTS?
Basil can naturally repel insects, helping tomatoes. Beans fix nitrogen for corn. Marigolds spread a lot and can cover a lot of ground, outcompeting annoying weeds. There are many reasons to try companion planting in your garden, and the good news is, the examples listed above are just a few of the beneficial interactions between different crops! Listed below are further resources for deeper reading:
Clemson Explains Why You Should Companion Plant
WVU Extension's List of Companion Plant Pairings
Berea College's List of Companion Plants
HAPPY PLANTING!
