My kids and I are getting ready to pick the plants we’ll put in our vegetable garden this year and that got me thinking about what plants grow well together. I’d hate to get a bunch of plants only to have them not be compatible. After doing some research I discovered that some plants work better together than others.
So, which vegetables grow well together? A wide variety of vegetable plants grow well together although there are some which do not. It’s important to check a companion growth chart from the almanac before choosing which plants to garden together.
So what we’re really talking about here is called “companion planting.” It’s been a thing for thousands of years. As long as people have been gardening, they’ve been scientifically planting certain plants together and keeping others apart. There is definitely a science to it. Some plants benefit from being close to each other. Many vegetables even thrive more when there are other flowering plants around, not just vegetable plants. As it turns out, companion planting makes for a much higher producing garden so it’s important to know what you’re planting and what’s around it.
Companion Planting
Research and planning is your best friend. It’s important to plan out your garden in advance of planting. Planning is a real science. The science of creating a harmonious garden is different than that of a farm. I grew up in Kansas and there are a lot of farms in Kansas so I have always been familiar to the concept of crop rotation (a different crop in the same area each season to fight and protect against disease and insect issues). However, I’ve learned that companion planting takes a different angle and train of thought by placing different plants near each other to protect against the diseases and insects to improve productivity.
Here is a chart from www.almanac.com to help you determine exactly which plants will help each other out in your garden. They also have additional links to help you get the most out of your garden layout.
Plants to Avoid
Just like there are plants that help each other grow there are also plants that take away nutrients and reduce the production of the plants they are near. When it comes to companion planting you need to be sure that you’re not placing incompatible plants near one another in order to avoid stunted growth, low production, disease, and insects.
Herbs and Flowers
Some of the most helpful plants in your vegetable garden are flowering plants like marigolds as well as herbs like mint. These herbs and flowers work well with your vegetable garden by repelling a variety of insect species that can be extremely harmful to your vegetable plants. Marigolds are not only bright and beautiful, but they a great protectors of your garden.
Herbs are great at adding flavor to your vegetables while keeping insects at bay. Plant herbs throughout the garden to make sure your vegetables remain healthy. By carefully selecting your plants you can have a healthy garden and a very high production.