What is Companion Planting, and Can it Make My Garden Better?

Posted By : Benjamin Lawn and Landscape | Date : 08-24-2016· Leave a Comment

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When you think of the perfect garden, you might imagine rows of identical plants. This arrangement might work well in Farmville, but in the real world you can get much better results from a mix-and-match configuration. With companion planting, you plant beneficial flowers, herbs and vegetables together so they grow better, require less weeding, and keep pests away. Consider adding some of these plants to the mix to grow the garden of your dreams.

Basil

Basil is delicious on its own, especially in pesto. However, it gets even better when you plant it with peppers or tomatoes. Fresh, home-grown tomatoes are already fantastic, but this herb makes them taste even better. Plus, you’re two-thirds of the way to a caprese salad! Basil is a great choice to add to your backyard garden as it also keeps away many flying insects, including mosquitoes and flies.

Chamomile

Do you enjoy chamomile tea? Funny enough, so does your garden. There are many reasons to mix this herb in with the rest of your garden plants. It will increase the oil production in surrounding herbs and intensify their flavors. And if you add it near cabbage the chamomile will attract wasps for better pollination and natural pest control.

Oregano

Oregano is a core staple for Italian cooking, but it also provides benefits to nearly every plant in your yard. It will spread around existing vegetables and flowers without taking too many nutrients away. In the process, it will provide ground cover to increase humidity in the bed, and stimulate plant growth in the process. If you have an aphid problem, oregano also attracts this insect’s predators.

 

Garlic

We all know garlic is for repelling vampires … obviously! But it offers many other benefits for gardeners. Most importantly, it acts as a general pest deterrent for many problem bugs, such as slugs, mites and beetles. It works well as a companion plant for many veggies, but it will stunt the growth of peas and beans, so be careful where you plant it!

Nasturtium

This annual has gorgeous edible flowers and adds a beautiful touch that’s highly beneficial to your vegetable beds. Nasturtium keeps squash and cabbages safe by killing white flies and scaring away beetles. It also has a pleasant scent that can cover up any smells associated with fertilizer, pesticide or compost.

These garden BFFs always perform better when planted together. Since most companions must be planted very close to each other in order to achieve the desired effect, companion planting is perfect for small backyard gardens where space is at a premium. Try some in your own garden to improve variety, add flavor, and keep pests under control!

*Header image courtesy of Rodale’s Organic Life.