Companion Planting Can Help Your Veggie Garden Thrive

One of the keys to a successful veggie garden? Companion planting! Certain plants can benefit each other, and when grown in close proximity, both plants thrive while you reap the rewards. Let’s explore how it works, so you can choose the best herbs & veggies from Tomasi Garden Center to complement your garden landscape layout.

The Many Benefits of Companion Planting

1.   Insect Control

Certain plants attract insects and pests, while others deter them. We can use this to our advantage. For example, we can plant garlic to repel undesirable pests. You may also choose to plant nectar-rich flowers, like ageratum, to attract pollinators which will then improve the pollination of your flowering veggies, like squash.

2.   Boost Plant Health

Plants absorb substances from the soil, which can change the biochemistry of the soil itself. We can use companion planting to adjust the soil’s biochemistry in favor of nearby plants.

3.   Manage Shade

We can plant taller plants near other plants that need shade. For example, placing a tomato trellis near lettuce.

4.   Improve Soil Fertility

Each plant offers different nutrients to the soil. By planting a variety of crops, we can ensure proper fertility. We can take that a step further with companion planting, choosing veggies that complement each other’s soil fertility needs.

5.   Offer Support

Lower-growing plants that like to sprawl, like peas, often need additional support. We can plant taller veggies nearby, which then provide natural support to the sprawling veggies.

6.   Say Goodbye to Weeds

Companion planting allows us to minimize open areas where weeds tend to grow. This gives us more control over our gardens and eliminates some of the need for weed management.

Popular Companions for Your Garden

It’s more common for plants to have positive relationships with each other than negative ones, so there are a variety of combinations to choose from when companion planting. The following offers several suggestions, and you can choose what works best for your garden and flavor preferences.

Carrots

• Chives – Boost the flavor and growth of carrots, as they ward off flies, aphids, and mites.
• Leeks, rosemary, and sage – Deter the carrot fly.

Tomatoes

• Basil – Wards off mosquitoes, whiteflies, aphids, and spider mites.
• Dill – Stops cutworms from laying eggs while promoting parasitic wasps that will kill pest caterpillars.
• Thyme – Helps stop armyworms from laying eggs.
• Asparagus – Deters nematodes.

Broccoli

• Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and other brassicas – When planted all together, you can easily cover with a net to protect from cabbageworm and other similar pests.
• Oregano – Helps ward off and destroy insects.

Lettuce

• Basil – Boosts flavor and growth of lettuce.
• Garlic, onions, and chives – Ward off pests by covering the scent of the lettuce with their own scent.
• Radishes – Act as a trap crop with flea beetles.

Cucumbers

• Oregano and dill – Can deter pests like aphids and mites.
• Tansy and radishes – Ward off cucumber beetles, flea beetles, ants, and other insects.

Corn

• Spinach – The shade of corn promotes spinach growth while spinach keeps corn’s roots cool.
• Beans – Regular and pole beans offer nitrogen to corn.
• Sunflowers – Provides protection from wind and structure support.

Are you ready to start companion planting? Tomasi Garden Center is ready to help you with all of your landscaping and gardening needs.