If you are a little nervous, here a few Pairings to start you off with things. Here you will find some Basic Principles of Companion Planting. Here’s how combining plants can help you harness natural pest control power and create harmony in your
Veggie Patch.
Smart garden planning is not just about what you plant – what you plant next door to it could be just as important. The ideas behind companion planting may seem a little old-fashioned, but this practice is well worth trying if you’re interested in creating a sustainable and budget-friendly edible garden.
What is companion planting?
Companion planting is pairing plants for particular purposes, such as attracting or repelling insects and enriching the soil with nutrients. In your kitchen garden, the goal is to help you produce healthier, more productive plants that are less plagued by pests and weeds, which means more delicious fruit and veggies for your efforts. Seen as a natural way to cut back on garden chemicals, it’s often used in organic and biodynamic vegetable gardens.
Nature’s own buddy system
When you use companion planting, you’re essentially building a little community where each plant has a specific job. Some plants are there to repel pests, protecting crops from damage. Some flowering plants – especially ones with yellow, blue and purple flowers – are in charge of attracting pollinators to boost the size and quality of the harvest. Others do their duty by drawing nitrogen from the air and adding it to the soil to feed their green leafy neighbours – beans and peas can do this – or providing essential shade and trellis-like support for their fellow plants (hello, sunflowers!).
The companion planting commandments
Follow these vegetable garden tips to help you succeed with companion planting.
Know their needs
Companion planting relies on both plants having a good chance of survival, so pairing plants with different growing needs probably isn’t going to work. They should have similar soil, water and sun requirements.
Size matters
If you put plants with large leaves like pumpkins next to smaller crops such as carrots it can smother them. Make sure your crops are comfortable in the space and won’t compete for light.
Root around
It’s best if the roots of neighbouring plants grow to different depths. That way, they won’t be competing for the same nutrients in the soil and you’ll be using the space more efficiently. Try planting shallow-rooted lettuces alongside deep-rooted corn.
The more the merrier
Too much of a single crop in one veggie patch can be a recipe for disaster when it comes to disease and pest outbreaks. By mixing up your plantings of herbs, flowers and vegetables, including plants that grow to different heights and allowing some of the herbs and veggies to flower, you can create a more balanced, resilient and biodiverse garden ecosystem.
Friend or foe?
Nurturing positive relationships is one thing, avoiding toxic ones is another. Some plants just don’t get along, so keep them apart if you want to get the most out of them. For example, many gardeners believe alliums like spring onions and garlic can affect the growth of beans and peas. Even relatives can be problematic because they tend to attract the same pests and diseases, so you may want to avoid pairing members of the nightshade family such as capsicums, eggplants, tomatoes and potatoes.
Try these easy plant pairings
Companion planting is about experimenting to see what works in your garden, so take notes as you go. Here are some of the best combinations for beginners.
Lettuce and strawberries
If you’ve ever tried pairing them in a salad or maybe even a green smoothie, you’ll know these spring favourites make a great team. Compact lettuce fits well between strawberry plants, giving you more value from the same patch of soil. Both plants shade the soil to keep it cool and moist and make it harder for weeds to grow. Plus, any strawberries ripening underneath lettuce leaves may be harder for birds and animals to spot.
More good lettuce companions: beans, carrots, celery, corn, marigolds, onions, radishes, sunflowers
Avoid: mint, parsley
Carrots and onions
These two team up to tackle each other’s villains. The onions take on the carrot fly, while carrots are thought to cover up the scent of onions, which may confuse the onion’s usual pests. To boost your defence against carrot fly, and to add flavour to your roasted veggies, plant some rosemary nearby – its strong scent can help keep enemies at bay.
More good carrot companions: chives, leeks, lettuce, radishes, sage, tomatoes
Avoid: celery, parsnips
Tomatoes and nasturtiums
Tomatoes are one of the easiest crops to grow at home, but plenty of garden pests enjoy them as much as you do. Plant nasturtiums nearby – these are thought to repel whiteflies with their scent and act as a decoy or ‘trap crop’ for aphids, keeping them distracted from your tomatoes. The edible flowers attract pollinators such as bees and hoverflies to plump up your fruit, along with predatory insects like ladybugs and lacewings that can feast on the aphids. Problem solved!
More good tomato companions: asparagus, basil, cabbages, carrots, chives, marigolds, onions
Avoid: eggplants, fennel, potatoes
Cucumbers and marigolds
Marigolds are companion planting superheroes that are said to use their scent and a chemical secreted from their roots to repel common pests. Plant them near cucumbers to deter aphids, cucumber beetles and soil-dwelling nematodes. Attracting pollinators to improve your cucumber harvest is another big plus. Add some dill to attract parasitic wasps to prey on the aphids (and to come in handy when it’s tzatziki time).
More good cucumber companions: beans, celery, chives, corn, lettuce, nasturtiums, peas
Avoid: potatoes
Capsicums and geraniums
Plant fragrant geraniums in your garden and it won’t just be you who benefits from the strong scent – it may also help repel pests from your veggies. As a trap crop, some geraniums are said to lure cabbage worms and Japanese beetles, preventing them from harming your capsicum plants. The colourful flowers can also attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, which means more tasty capsicums for you.
More good capsicum companions: basil, cabbage, garlic, marigolds, onions, peas
Avoid: fennel, potatoes
Article Source HERE
If you would like to see a more Extensive List of Edible Companion Plants, click HERE
This was to give some of you a start. I have Lots!!!