Companion planting is the practice of planting plants next to or close to each other (or at a distance) for various of reasons for the benefit of another variety of plant. Companion planting has long been used by gardeners and, by observing and sharing with other gardeners, companions became "common knowledge" and not just folklore or wives tales. In our times of wanting to avoid pesticides whenever possible, more research is being done on the practice of companion planting and much of the "common knowledge" is proving to have some truth.
Concepts of Companion Planting
- Planting to repel unwanted insect pests. It has been "common knowledge" to plant African marigold because they expel chemical from roots and foliage that repel insects and nematodes.
- Planting to attract beneficial insects such as pollinators, as well as predatory and parasitic insects.
- For larger crops, the planting of a nearby host crop to attract certain insects away from the production crop.
- Cover crops to replenish nutrients to the soil for the next planting. Example - Legumes to replenish nitrogen to the soil.
- Spacial interaction is the planting of taller sun-loving plants near lower growing shade tolerant plants to increase yield.
- Nurse cropping, similar to spacial interaction, is the concept of taller plants with a full canopy providing shade or windbreak to smaller, more tender varieties, or to even suppress weeds.
Not only does companion planting provide benefits to your garden, you too can reap the benefits of the practice by adding variety, color and other useful plants that you may not have considered growing such as herbs, flowers and other vegetables.Peppermania has added a Dowloadable Companion Planting Guide for Vegetable and Herbs to the web site and you can download it by clicking the Bumble Bee.
Happy Planting!
Beth in Texas
