Perfect Pairs: Companion Planting for a Thriving Garden

Aside from water, sunlight, and fertilizer, plants need other plants to thrive. Like people, plants grow better when surrounded by the right companions. That’s why in gardening, we call this companion planting.

Some plants thrive well with a pair, while some don’t—so researching before pairing plants up is vital.

In this article, you’ll learn:

• What is Companion Planting? 

• Benefits of Companion Planting

• The Pair-fect Plants

• Plant Pairs to Avoid

• Found Your Pair Yet?

What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is the act of planting trees, shrubs, or fruits together with other plants that mutually benefit each other when paired. This is commonly done to avoid pests, aid in pollination, and improve soil quality.

Certain plant combinations depend on your garden’s needs, so assessing your plants first is better.

Benefits Of Companion Planting

Companion planting gives a ton of benefits to your plants. It also provides rich diversity within your garden, as plants of different kinds and types are paired together.

As long as the right plants are paired with one another, you’ll be able to reap these advantages.

1. Pest Control
   Certain plants can repel pests, so it reduces the need for pesticides. A good pest-repellant plant is Marigolds.

2. Disease Control
   The accumulation of plant diseases such as powdery mildew can be avoided with companion planting. Such plants include garlic.

3. Aid in Pollination
   Better pollination means better yields. Pollen helps in reproducing plants through fertilization and seed development.

4. Improve Soil Quality
   Plants that improve soil fertility are referred to as nitrogen-fixing plants. Plants that generate large amounts of nitrogen include beans, oats, and peas.

5. Save Garden Space
   Companion planting is highly advantageous for those who have small gardens. Tip: You can plant vines under a taller plant to utilize the space underneath, as well as keep weeds from growing.
   

The Pair-Fect Plants

In companion planting, pairing the right plants is key to a flourishing garden. Here are the best plant pairs you can try planting in your garden:

As long as the right plants are paired with one another, you’ll be able to reap these advantages.

1. Marigolds and Tomatoes: The strong scent of marigolds keeps whiteflies away from infesting your tomato plants.

2. Mint and Brassicas: The scent of a mint’s leaves confuses flea beetles, thus preventing them from laying their eggs on brassicas.

3. Carrots and Radishes: Radishes deter carrot flies from infesting your carrot plants.

4. Carrots and Leeks: The strong scent of leeks protects root crops like carrots from carrot flies. In the same way, root crops prevent leek moths from infesting your leek crops.

5. Calendula and Beans: Calendulas lure away aphids from beans while simultaneously attracting beneficial insects including ladybirds and hoverflies that prey on aphids.

Plant Pairs To Avoid

In gardening, we also have this thing called plant incompatibility, hence should not be planted together. These are the commonly believed plants that you should not plant near each other:

1. Mint and onions near asparagus

2. Pole beans and mustard with beets

3. Cabbages near strawberries

4. Cabbages, cauliflower, and potatoes near tomatoes

5. Garlic and onion with beans and peas

Found Your Pair Yet?

In companion planting, wisely pairing plants can make your garden thrive, so it’s always a smart move to do enough research on what plants to plant near each other. Be careful on choosing the plant combination for your garden if you want it to thrive.

By taking note of the above-mentioned plants, your garden can stay healthy and flourishing all year round.

Kel Lake Garden Centre can help you when you decide to start companion planting. At our shop, we have the right tools and we can give you the right advice you need for your garden. Shoot us a message for inquiries!