Uncover the Hidden Benefits: 7 Compelling Reasons to Embrace Companion Planting in Your Garden
Companion planting is an exciting and beneficial gardening technique that both beginners and seasoned gardeners can enjoy. By strategically placing different plants together, you can enhance plant health, improve soil fertility, and create a vibrant garden ecosystem. Let’s explore seven compelling benefits of companion planting, along with practical examples to boost your gardening success.
1. Deterring Pests
Companion planting is an effective way to keep pesky insects at bay. Certain plants emit natural aromas that repel harmful pests. For example, marigolds can reduce nematodes by up to 65% and deter aphids, making them ideal companions for vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. Pairing these flowers with your crops helps create a pest-resistant garden. Predatory and parasitic insects target moth larvae such as cabbage worms, cabbage loppers, and the dreaded tomato hornworm. So, strategically putting plants that draw in these beneficial insects near specific plants helps with pest control. Examples of these plants are alyssum, chamomile, yarrow, and catmint. If you allow dill, fennel, and other members of the carrot family, garden allies will be attracted.
By selecting the right pairs, you can establish a natural pest barrier, resulting in a healthier gardening environment.
2. Attracting Beneficial Insects
Not only does companion planting fend off pests, but it also attracts helpful insects that are crucial for pollination and pest control. Flowers such as yarrow and dill bring beneficial bugs like ladybugs and lacewings, which effectively feed on aphids and other unwanted pests. Adding these plants enhances biodiversity and can increase crop yield by up to 30% due to heightened pollination.
Including these companion plants in your garden not only supports a balanced ecosystem but also boosts the productivity of your harvest. Often we think of beneficials as just pollinators, but it is insects that help with pest control too. Planting certain plants can help attract both types of beneficials. Planting nectar rich flowers and herbs help attract a variety of beneficials. Plants like dill, zinnias, lavender, parsley, marigolds, yarrow, echinacea and more. You can research many more types of companion plants that help attract all types of beneficial insects. One thing I have learned is that herbs are underrated as far as importance in the garden for deterring and attracting.
3. Shade Regulation
Strategically planting tall crops, such as corn or sunflowers, can provide much-needed shade for shorter plants. This is especially beneficial in regions experiencing sweltering summers where excessive sunlight can stress delicate crops. For instance, planting lettuce under sunflowers can lower soil temperature by 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, thus improving the overall health and growth of heat-sensitive plants. I have always heard you can't grow lettuce or other cool weather crops in Arkansas during the summer. This is not the case if you plan where to plant them. I plant sunflowers on the west end of my garden and plant lettuce and spinach so that I can have a fresh salad all summer. I also plant lettuce under other tall plants like tomatoes. Radish is another plant that grows better in cool temps, but I plant under my squash and radishes also help with deterring squash bugs by camouflaging the smell of the squash plants.
Creating layers by mixing plant heights establishes microclimates that encourage thriving gardens even in challenging weather. I stopped planting in rows and began interplanting for this purpose, plus the diversity in plants helps with all 7 of these benefits of companion planting.
4. Natural Supports
Climbing plants like peas and beans can benefit from taller plants, such as sunflowers, providing them with natural support. This not only saves precious garden space but also maintains the integrity of your layout. Supporting upward growth reduces soil compaction, enhances air circulation, and ensures plants receive adequate sunlight.
For example, using sunflowers to support bean vines can create more room for air and light, leading to healthier plants overall.
5. Improved Plant Health
When compatible plants grow together, they tend to thrive better than when isolated. Companion planting can enhance plant health, as certain plants boost each other’s defenses against diseases and pests. Garlic, known for its antifungal properties, can reduce the incidence of disease spread when planted next to crops like roses and peppers. I leave clover growing in my garden for this purpose. Clover is considered a nitrogen fixer. It adds nitrogen back into the soil. Beans also add nitrogen to the soil, so planting them with corn makes for healthier corn plants. Corn loves nitrogen. There are many more examples of how plants add in plant and soil health.
By carefully planning your garden layout to include plants with complementary properties, you're setting the stage for robust growth.
6. Improving Soil Fertility
Several plants, particularly legumes, are adept at fixing nitrogen in the soil. When grown alongside nitrogen-hungry crops, such as corn, they can enhance soil fertility significantly. Research shows that planting legumes can improve nitrogen levels by about 40%, greatly benefiting nearby crops. As stated above planting specific plants near others can help with plant and soil health. Planting onions and carrots together help for a better crop of onions. Carrots (root crop) looses the soil around the onion, allowing onion looser soil to grow.
Moreover, diverse root systems contribute to better soil structure, which enhances moisture retention and nutrient availability, ultimately supporting healthier plants.
7. Weed Suppression
Companion planting is an effective method to suppress weed growth naturally. By incorporating quickly spreading ground cover plants, such as clover or sweet potatoes, you can create competition for sunlight and nutrients, minimizing weeds' chances of survival. For instance, using clover can decrease weed presence by as much as 50%, allowing your main crops to thrive without unwanted competition. I plant leaf lettuce and spinach around a lot of my taller plants, because the taller plants provide shade, BUT also to keep down weeds. If you plant the seeds thick enough, you will not need to weed. Another strategy for weed control I use, which some people think I am crazy for doing, is planting mint in my garden. Yes, it can spread and take over, but it keeps unwanted weeds away and help with deterring pest and attracting other beneficials. I do trim to keep it from getting out of control. Plus, it smells wonderful. I also have lot s of herbs. My garden is planted so dense, you can barely see the soil.
This approach not only reduces manual weeding time but also promotes a more self-sustaining garden.
Embrace Companion Planting for a Thriving Garden
Companion planting is not just an innovative gardening practice; it is a time-tested method that celebrates the wisdom of nature. By recognizing the advantages of this technique, like deterring pests and improving soil fertility, you can significantly enhance your garden’s productivity.
Whether you are a seasoned expert or just starting, consider experimenting with diverse plant pairings this season. You might be surprised by how much your garden thrives when you embrace the interconnectedness of plants. Go over to our Facebook page and check out pictures from my garden to show how I companion plant. I will be posting videos as well. One piece of advice, if you think you have planted enough flowers and herbs for companion planting` PLANT MORE! It works, I have not sprayed pesticide (other than neem or insecticidal soap occasionally) in 8 years.
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