Get the Most Out of Your Garden with Companion Planting

Companion planting means cultivating plants that lend a hand in each other’s growth. Which plant enhances? Which repels? For instance, certain aromatic plants repel harmful insects but adversely affect other plants. Note likewise that you may need to experiment with companion planting. They are affected by your gardening habits, soil types, plant varieties, microclimates, etc.

Aromatic Plants

• You cannot go wrong with companion planting aromatic plants with cabbage.
• Aromatic plants ward off cabbage worms.
• If you plant yarrow near aromatic herbs, it enhances their indispensable oil production.

Asparagus

Asparagus

• Companion planting asparagus plants with tomatoes, parsley, basil, nasturnium, and marigold is a good plan.
• Parsley and basil protect asparagus from the asparagus beetle.
• Do not interplant asparagus with onions, chives, garlic, leek, or mint.

Basil

Basil

• Companion planting basil with tomatoes will help not only the flavor and growth of tomatoes but the basil will also repel tomato hookworms.
• Basil keeps at bay mites, aphids, asparagus beetles, and flying insects like mosquitoes and gnats.
• Companion planting basil with asparagus, cabbage, pepper, and beans is a good plan.
• Do not place rue and basil together.

Beans 

• Companion planting beans with carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, potatoes and most other herbs and vegetables is another great tip.
• Bush beans and strawberries thrive well together.
• Do not plant beans with fennel, onion, kohlrabi, and basil.
• Avoid planting pole beans with sunflower, beets, and cabbage.
• Note: Fennel is not compatible with most plants.)

Bee Balm

Bee Balm

• Companion planting bee balm with tomatoes assists the latter’s growth and flavor.
• No companion planting bee balm with field mustard.

Beets

• Beets are a companion plant to lettuce, the cabbage family, the onion family, bush beans, kohlrabi, sage, and radish.
• No companion planting beets with mustard and pole beans.

Borage

• It wards off tomato worms and appeals to bees.
• Borage agrees to companion planting with strawberries and squash.

Catnip

• As a border, catnip likes companion planting with what you have and will safeguard them against flea beetles, Japanese beetles, aphids, cockroaches, and ants.
• Catnip especially likes companion planting with eggplants.
• Catnip has nepetalactone, a compound that affects a cat’s behavior.

Chamomile

• They go well with onions, squash, and cabbage. (Onions are also companion plants to lettuce. They guard against slugs.)

Dill

• Dill is a companion plant to cabbage, lettuce, the onion family, and garlic.
• Dill dislikes companion planting with tomatoes, caraway, and carrots.

Marigold

• Freely plant marigolds as companion plants.
• They free your soil of nematodes, and repel tomato worms, asparagus beetles, etc.

Peas

• They are companion plants with most vegetables.
• They also help build nitrogen to the soil.
• No companion planting with the onion family, potato, and gladiolus.

Tansy and Garlic

• They are companion plants working together to fend off insects that prey on roses and raspberries.
• Some of these pests are aphids, borers, fruit moths, ants, Japanese beetles, and spider mites.

Tarragon

• An all-around friend.

Tomatoes and the Cabbage Family

• Do not plant tomatoes and the cabbage family together.
• They are not companion plants as they inhibit each other’s growth.

Wormwood

• It repels cats and other animals.
• Plant wormwood as a border to keep them away from your garden.
• Wormwood is also a moth repellant.

Beginning Gardeners

• With companion planting, you can cultivate a mixture of crops that assist each other.
• If you are new at gardening, be more acquainted with your plants. Notice growth traits, root formation, soil demands, and especially the scent. You will learn fast!
• The smell of the plants determines which insects visit your balcony garden.

Try your hand at companion planting. You will see your companion planting helping your plants thrive as the they are neighborly to each other.