In a natural ecosystem, plants will grow near or next to each other because they are compatible. Plants co-exist in harmony by attracting pollinators and beneficial insects, repelling harmful pests and toxins, giving shelter and shade, or maybe even providing physical support. You can mimic these symbiotic plant relationships in your home garden. Learning which plants flourish side by side maximizes space, helps you garden more efficiently, and increases harvest yields.
To learn more about companion planting with permaculture principles in mind, check out the “Gardening in a Changing Climate” series at Rodgers Ranch Urban Farm. These classes can be taken individually or as a group. On March 14, the topic is “Guilds and Companion Planting.” For registration and details GO HERE.
One classic example of companion planting is the “Three Sisters,” a successful model of sustainability that goes back to the domestication of crops in Native Americans and ancient Mesoamerican societies. The “sisters” are corn, beans, and squash, three important agricultural crops that have been proven to grow and thrive better together while providing a nutritious diet for humans. Corn provides carbohydrates and calories as well as support for growing pole bean vines. Beans are rich in protein, provide stability to the corn, and deliver crucial nitrogen to both corn and squash. Squash leaves provide living mulch to both corn and beans, and this deters weeds, prevents moisture evaporation, and keeps the ground cool. Plus, squash is full of vitamins and yields oil from the seeds. Inter-planting these crops also promotes soil fertility for future harvests. Instead of experimenting with a hit or miss strategy, let proven, time-honored combinations like the Three Sisters work their magic on your garden!
There are countless other companion planting combinations. Basil protects tomatoes and peppers from hornworm and makes a “spaghetti sauce” garden happy. Nasturtiums are good to plant near broccoli and cabbage because cabbage moths love brassicas but prefer laying their eggs on the flower’s leaves. This encourages ravenous caterpillars to stay put and spare your crops (and the flowers look nice, too). Planting herbs like dill, fennel, and coriander attracts beneficial birds and insects that prey on destructive (and highly visible) worms. Flowers that sprout on borage attract lots of pollinators and give your harvest a boost. Interestingly, planting a variety of herbs and flowers together creates a mixture of scents and colors that confuses pests in search of their ideal host plants.
Of course there are plant combinations you want to avoid. Allelopathy is the biological phenomenon in which one type of plant inhibits the growth of another through chemicals in their flowers, leaves, and roots. For example, when leaves drop to the ground in fall and decompose, they may release toxins that inhibit germination or suppress growth in nearby plants and trees. Trees containing allelochemicals may pull water away from other plants. Black walnut trees store such chemicals in their buds, nut hulls, and roots, and the distribution in the soil around these trees proves toxic to tomatoes, pepper, eggplants, potatoes, azaleas, and pine and birch trees. Members of the onion family will stunt the growth of beans and peas. The list goes on. It’s survival of the fittest out there, but working with nature and learning which plants are proven allies or enemies will give your garden a boost! CLICK ON THIS for some ideas.
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