2/6/2020

The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels

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THE COMPLETE GUIDE INTO THE WORLD OF

COMPANION PLANTING

Are you looking for a new method of gardening? If so, then companion planting is one direction that you should look into. As the home gardening sector continues to grow, di erent green-thumbed individuals are coming up with all kinds of new methods, including this innovative technique. With companion planting, you can plant di erent kinds of plants and harvest them together, and at the right time.

In this article we’ll provide you with some of the ‘need to know’ details that you should follow in order to become an expert companion planting gardener. We’ll look at the plants that you should plant together, and those that you shouldn’t. There are also several bene ts that come with companion planting, some of which we’ll carefully take you through. But rst, what is companion planting?

WHAT IS COMPANION PLANTING?

Companion planting is a bit more than just the general notion that some speci c plants can bene t others if they are planted close to each other. It has been de ned as the planting of two or more crop species together in order to achieve bene ts such as higher yields and pest control.

However, scientists look at the process with more exacting minds. They have proven that companion gardening embraces various strategies that increase the plant's biodiversity in all agricultural ecosystems – and in what we like to call a simple garden! In layman’s language, it is two plants that help each other to grow.

Companion planting has a long history, but the methods of planting plants for the bene cial interaction are not always well documented in texts. In many situations, they are created from oral tradition, front porch musings and family recommendations. Despite these historical traditions and the science of horticultural farming, we often practice companion planting simply because it’s a practical planting method!

It allows you to grow herbs, veggies and exotic crops to their full potential. The process also helps to keep insects away, as well as helping you to maintain healthy soil. Eventually, you’ll note that the food you grow even tastes better. To kick-start your gardening adventure, here are some important reminders: You should know that beans can grow with almost everything. You can plant them next to spinach and tomatoes for great results.

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels To increase their resistance to diseases, you should plant your horseradish next to your potatoes.

Summer corn elds are easily converted into elds of pumpkins in the autumn. In the past, the First Nations people of North America planted pumpkins together with pole and corn beans in a method called the ‘Three Sisters.' The corn o ers a su cient ‘pole’ for the growth of beans, while the beans trap nitrogen in the soil, which is then greatly bene cial for the pumpkins. The pumpkins create a dense ground cover to stop the spread of weeds and to also keep away harmful pests.

Pumpkins also function best as a row type of crop when planted together with sun owers.

It’s a good idea to plant some healthy nasturtium next to your squash, as it helps in keeping away those lousy squash vine borers.

Consider using sweet marjoram in your gardens and beds to make your herbs and vegetables sweeter!

WHY IS COMPANION PLANTING SIGNIFICANT?

There are many bene ts to companion planting. For instance, tomatoes taste better when planted together with basil. Similarly, harvesting them to make a lovely salad is easy, because they are located next to each other.

What are some of the other additional bene ts?

IT HELPS IN PEST CONTROL

Companion planting is a traditional art that needs a great deal of planning, but this is worth it, as it will help you have a good harvest. Using the three sisters method that we’ve already mentioned, you can plant corn for trellises, and after the corn has grown to just a few inches, you can proceed with adding the beans and squash.

Here, the bean seeds feed the corn with nitrogen and provide shade for the roots. The corn, on the other hand, provides them with something easy for climbing. It repel pests and encourages growth!

Companion planting supports plant diversity that is bene cial to the soil, the ecosystem, and the gardener. Plant diversity provides insect diversity and decreases the number of parasites in your garden.

SAVES ON SPACE

Today, there are many plants that can be planted together. A good example is tomatoes and carrots. If you have a small garden, planting these two crops is not only an intelligent but also a nutritious gardening method.

If you want to plant potatoes, beans, and corn, then you don’t have to use up a considerable portion of your garden. It will be more straightforward and far much bene cial if you plant these three together!

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH COMPANION PLANTING

Companion planting assists in pollination and the control of pests, and helps you to make the best use of your gardening space. All of these factors eventually go a long way in increasing your crop productivity.

Nowadays, most large-scale farms grow plants in a mono-crop type of system. This means that you’ll probably nd large tracts of elds containing only a single crop.

Apparently, it’s easier to water and care for the plants in such a system, but you’d have to use a lot of chemicals to control the pests. Let’s use the example of tomatoes. Here, every tomato hornworm in the area will be attracted to your farm. However, if you plant them with lettuce, you’ll experience some exciting ndings. The tomato o ers the right amount of shade for the salad, while the latter repels all tomato pests.

COMPANION PLANTING IS VIEWED AS GOD’S NATURAL WAY OF

GROWING PLANTS

How do things grow in nature? They are mixed in all manner of plant varieties. Therefore, we can say that nature knows best! Companion planting reduces and improves avours, and allows you to plant more varieties at one time.

Plants such as basil are good when planted together with di erent garden crops. They improve the avour of tomatoes and lettuce, and repel bugs such as mosquitoes. Who wouldn’t want a plant in their garden that keeps away mosquitoes?

WHAT SHOULD YOU PLANT TOGETHER?

Through the centuries, we’ve cultivated our gardens and noticed that certain plants grow well together.

Some vegetables, owers, and herbs are good for the soil, and each other! We’ve also seen that others repel pests. All in all, companion planting o ers a good blueprint for a much-improved garden yield.

VEGETABLES

Artichoke

Here is an architectural type of plant that o ers shade and form to your vegetable plot. It’s not a delicate plant to grow, and you can plant it together with crops such as tomatoes, carrots, and beans.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a perennial crop that is perfect for companion planting. You can grow it together with parsley and tomatoes.

Beetroot

Beetroot (https://www. rsttunnels.co.uk/page/top-of-the-crops-beetroot) is a crop which is best for companion planting as it does not take up too much space. You can grow it together with plants such as Broccoli, beans, cabbage, lettuce, onions and brassicas, and passion fruits.

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Broad Beans

Beans, like all other legumes, are perfect for adding nitrogen to the soil. They can easily be planted together with corn, potatoes, celery, cucumber, and soybeans.

Broccoli and Calabrese

One of the best things about companion planting is that you can grow brassicas at any time of the year.

You can plant them together with onions, beets, cereals, and potatoes.

Brussel Sprouts

Wondering which plants with which you should grow your Brussels sprouts? We found that they go well with sage, thyme, malting barley, and clover.

Cabbage

Cabbage is a common vegetable that adds a great taste to your food and improves the process of digestion. It’s also easy to plant, and it grows well with other vegetables such as celery and beans.

Carrots

Carrots are another beautiful vegetable that is recommended to people su ering from eyesight problems. To get the best out of your carrot plantation, you can grow them together with other vegetables such as leeks, onions, tomatoes, and alliums.

Cauliflower

Grow your cauli ower together with plants such as celery, spinach, peas, and beans.

Celeriac

Celeriac, unlike other vegetables, is not an easy plant to grow. It requires rich water-retentive, fertile soils.

Grow it together with other herbs such as brassicas, cucumbers and bush beans in order to get high yields.

Celery

We all love to add celery to our foods for its spicy avour. Well, you only need to grow it in your polytunnel with other crops, such as bush beans, cucumbers, and brassicas.

Courgette

Your Courgette needs a lot of pollinators. As such, one of the best plants to grow together with your Courgette are the Nasturtiums.

Fennel

Fennel is merely the name given to two closely related crops. These are the herb fennel and the Florence fennel. You can grow it together with vegetables that need ample shade, such as summer salads.

Garlic

Do you enjoy cooking with garlic? You should grow it together with lettuce, celery, peas, potatoes, and cucumbers.

Kale

This is one of the most common vegetables, and extremely trendy right now. You can plant it together with other vegetables and fruits such as cabbage, tomatoes, cauli ower, and passion fruit.

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Mushrooms

These are some of the oldest plants on earth. They can grow almost anywhere, but to get the best out of your mushrooms you need to choose their best companion plant. They go well with vegetables such as turnips, Brussels sprouts, turnips and fruit trees, as well as cabbage.

Onion (bulbing)

You can plant your onions with many di erent kinds of vegetables. Some good examples here include broccoli, carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, passion fruit, and cabbage.

Pak Choi

This type of vegetable requires high levels of nitrogen in the soil. Therefore, you should plant it together with plants such as beans and peas. To repel pests, you could also use onions or garlic.

Parsnip

From the scienti c name Pastinaca Sativa, these grow well with di erent fruit Peas and Mange Tout

They both grow well with plants such as turnip, cauli ower, garlic, and brassicas. Here, it’s important to remember the role peas plants take in adding nitrogen into the soil.

Potatoes

These plants are one of the most common vegetables, famous in stews, and as either mashed potatoes or as a jacket potato. They grow well together with beans, corn, passion fruit, and brassicas.

Radishes

Growing radishes is easy, and ideally planted with eggplants, cucumbers, lettuce, peas, pole beans and common beans. All these companion plants help in producing high yields and adding a great taste to your crop!

Spinach and Swiss Chard

These two plants are a great addition to any garden. They both produce large green leaves that can be added into salads and a variety of tasty recipes. You can grow your spinach and Swiss chard together with passion fruit, cauli ower, and brassicas.

Runner Beans

If you are planning to grow runner beans, you should consider planting them with plants such as strawberries, radishes, and celery.

Sweet Potatoes

You can plant your sweet potatoes together with beans, corn or even peas.

Turnips

Turnips grow well with plants like broccoli and peas..

FRUITS

There are also di erent fruits which grow well once planted together with other crops. You can learn about them by simply looking at the table below: https://www.firsttunnels.co.uk/page/Companion-Planting-Guide 5/15

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Types of Fruits

Companion Plants

Apricot

Chives, garlic, leeks, nasturtium, and da odils Aubergines

Potatoes and tomatoes

Blackberries

Strawberries, pine trees, oak trees, yarrow and dewberries Cape Gooseberries

Yarrow, pine and oak trees

Cucumber

Beans and peas

Figs

Lemon balm, dandelions, borage, mustards, marigold Grapes

Chives, geraniums, mustards, oregano, peas, clover and blackberries.

Kiwi Fruit

Carrots, swiss chard, carrots, spinach

Melon

Pigweed, chamomile, summer savoury, sow thistle Citrus Fruits

Yarrow, dill, fennel and lemon balm

Peach

Basil, tansy, southernwood

Peppers and chillis

Alliums, basil

Pineapples

Clover, chives, garlic, southernwood, da odils Raspberries

Tansy

Squash

Corn, beans, okra

Strawberries

Bush beans, lettuce, onions, passion fruits and spinach Sweetcorn

Squash, pumpkins, pole beans

Tomatoes

Cabbage, broccoli, roses, peppers, asparagus EXOTICS

Exotic plants can also make good companion for other plants. Let’s take a look at some of the most bene cial plants in this category.

Exotic Plants

Companions

Co ee plant

Potatoes, kale, beans

Ginger

Spinach, carrots, eggplants, spinach, eggplants https://www.firsttunnels.co.uk/page/Companion-Planting-Guide 6/15

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Grapefruit

Thyme, yarrow, companion dill, borage, calendula and cosmos

Lemongrass

Peppers and tomatoes

Olives

Thyme, borage, calendula, wormwood

Pomegranate

Basil, thyme, summer savory

Tea

Beans, potatoes and peas

Vanilla

Banana plants and arrowroots (plants which can provide good shade)

HERBS AND SPICES

These plants are also good for companion planting with a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Spices and Herbs

Companion Plants

Basil

Tomato, oregano, pepper, petunias, grapes

Chamomile

Most herbs, cucumber, onion, cabbage

Chervil

Radish, broccoli, lettuce

Chives

Roses, apples, carrots and grapes

Cumin

Cucumbers, potatoes, cabbages

Curry leaves

Tomatoes, onions and garlic

Comfrey

Nutrient accumulators or mulch

Coriander

Chervil, anise, cabbages and carrots

Dill

Coriander, cabbages, carrots and anise

Lavender

Lettuce, onions, tomatoes, oregano, sage, rosemary, basil, lemon

Lemon balm

Eggplant

Mint

Eggplant, lettuce, peas, broccoli

Mustard

Carrots, corn, cucumbers

Mizuna and Mibuna

Beetroot and beans

Oregano

Peppers, pumpkin, grapes

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Parsley

Apple, asparagus, corn, tomatoes

Rosemary

Beans, brassicas, and carrots

Sa ron

Sea holly, lanceolate leaves and Chinese chives Sage

Rosemary, cabbages, beans

Sorrel

Strawberries, cabbage and tomatoes

Tarragon

Eggplants and most vegetables

Thyme

Cabbage, potato, strawberries and Brussels sprouts Yarrow

Aromatic plants

FLOWERS

Do you have a ower garden, or are you thinking of starting one? If so, with the right companion plants yours will be attractive and healthy. Start by checking out this list of good companion crops for your owers:

Flowers

Companion Plants

Antirrhinum

Grapes and lettuce

Azalea

Kalmia latifolia, pieris japonica

Borage

Squash, tomatoes and strawberries

Calendula

Mint and sage

Canna

Strawberries

Celosia

Petunia, ageratum and marigold

Dahlia

Agapanthus, alstroemeria, anthemis tinctoria Fuchsia

Torenia and begonias

Marigolds

Pepper, gourds, roses, alliums, brassicas, zucchini Maurandya

Lavender, wormwood, sage, thyme

Menconopsis

Cimicifuga, variegated Solomon’s seal and under ferns Nasturtium

Beans, brassicas, cucumbers, fruit trees and tomatoes Pelargonium

Marigolds, lavender, geraniums and yarrow

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Sun ower

Squash and cucumber

Sweet Peas

Alyssum. Lobelia, roses, catmint and lavender Wall ower

Garlic, sweet woodru and garlic

WHAT SHOULD YOU NOT PLANT TOGETHER?

Here are some of the plants that do not go well with your vegetables, fruits, exotics, herbs and spices: VEGETABLES

Vegetable

Bad Companion Plants

Artichoke

Beans and peas

Asparagus

Onion, potatoes and garlic

Beetroot

Runner or pole beans

Broadbeans

Fennel, soybeans and dry beans

Brocolli and Calabrese

Peppers, beans, strawberries

Brussel Sprouts

Mustards, nightshades

Cabbage

Grapes

Carrots

Dill, parsnip and radish

Cauli ower

Dill, parsnip and radishes

Celeriac

Aster owers, and corn

Courgette

Corn and aster owers

Fennel

Almost everything

French beans

Fennel soybeans

Garlic

Cabbages and grapes

Kale

Peppers

Kohlrabi

Pole beans

Leeks

Swiss chard

Lettuce

Cabbage, celery, parsley

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Mushrooms

All plants with small leaves as they do not provide good shade

Onion

Peas and lentils

Pak Choi

Peas

Parsnip

Lettuce, onions, carrots

Peas and Mange Tout

Pak Choi, onions, peppers

Potatoes

Carrot, cucumber, pumpkin

Radish

Grapes

Runner Beans

Celery, grapes

Shallots

Grapes, celery, peppers

Spinach and Swiss Chard

Leeks and strawberries

Spring Onion

Lentils and peas

Sweet potato

Cabbage, corn, cauli ower

Turnip

Hedge mustard and knotweed

FRUITS

Types Of Fruits

Bad Companion Plants

Apricot

Peppers

Aubergines

Peppers and tomatoes

Blackberries

Tomatoes

Cape Gooseberries

Tomatoes

Cucumber

Potatoes and aromatic herbs

Figs

Eggplants

Grapes

Radishes and potatoes

Kiwi Fruit

Eggplants

Melon

Peas and beans

Citrus Fruits

Maize, cowpea, sorghum and sweet potatoes

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Peach

Corn, cowpeas, sweet potatoes

Peppers and chillis

Apricots, tomatoes, black walnuts

Pineapples

Walnut trees and eucalyptus

Raspberries

Peas, beans and other nitrogenous plants

Squash

Potatoes

Strawberries

All members of the cabbage family

Sweetcorn

Celery and tomatoes

Tomatoes

Peppers and chillis, beets, brassicas, rosemary EXOTICS

Exotic Plants

Bad Companions

Co ee plant

Pumpkins, carrots and cucumbers

Ginger

Walnut trees

Grapefruit

Cabbages and spinach

Lemongrass

Plants which consumer a lot of water such as the eucalyptus

Olives

All plants with small leaves as they do not provide a good shade

Pomegranate

Eggplants

Tea

Walnut trees and other water consuming plants Vanilla

Peas and beans

HERBS AND SPICES

Spices and Herbs

Bad Companion Plants

Basil

Thyme, common rue

Chamomile

Potatoes and radish

Chervil

Radish

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Chives

Beans and peas

Cumin

Peas and beans

Curry leaves

Eggplants

Comfrey

Walnut and eucalyptus trees

Coriander

Dill

Dill

Cilantro or coriander

Lavender

Common rue and thyme

Lemon balm

Mustards and mints

Mint

Lavender, dill, cilantro

Mustard

Lemon balm, cabbages and grapes

Mizuna and Mibuna

Thyme and common rue

Oregano

Radish, potatoes, common rue, thyme

Parsley

Common rue and thyme

Rosemary

Peas and beans

Sa ron

Plants belonging to the allium family

Sage

Any member of the allium family

Sorrel

Alliums and lettuce

Tarragon

Common rue and members of the allium family Thyme

Common rue and allium family crops

Yarrow

Allium family plants and common rue

FLOWERS

Flowers

Bad Companion Plants

Antirrhinum

Tomato and tobacco

Azalea

Eggplants

Borage

Tomatoes and cauli ower

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Calendula

Plants that attract aphids and spider mites Canna

Walnut trees and other trees that consumer a lot of water from the soil

Celosia

Plants of the allium family

Dahlia

Fava beans and potatoes

Fuchsia

Tomatoes and other solanaceae

Marigolds

Avoid planting near walnut trees

Maurandya

You should also plant near walnut trees

Meconopsis

Plants that attract pests such as aphids and caterpillars

Nasturtium

Cauli owers

Pelargonium

Walnut trees or plants which consume a lot of water from the soil

Sun ower

Pole beans

Sweet Peas

Avoid planting them near plants with aphids Wall ower

Avoid insect and pest infested crops

WHY SHOULD YOU USE A POLYTUNNEL?

A polytunnel is similar to a greenhouse, only that it’s much more e ective and reliable. Polytunnels come

with a variety of di erent covers and designs

(https://www. rsttunnels.co.uk/polytunnel-

coversDetail/super-therm-polythene).

Here are some of the reasons why you should choose a polytunnel for your garden:

COST-EFFECTIVE

You need to spend quite a bit of money just to build a small greenhouse. You can buy a polytunnel that is more than four times in size for less money, and use it to plant a variety of owers and vegetables.

PORTABLE

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels You’ll also nd that a polytunnel is not xed to the ground like a greenhouse. Hence, you can move it from one point to another, depending on what suits you best. Interestingly, it’s much easier to move your polytunnel than to replace soil in a greenhouse!

FREE FROM SOIL DISEASES

Borrowing from the above point, you can avoid soil diseases that damage your crops by simply shifting your polytunnel around your garden. In a greenhouse, you’d probably have to cut down your entire crop if you nd that a disease from the soil has a ected it, but this is not the case with a polytunnel.

SUMMARY

Isn’t companion planting exciting and potentially very rewarding? From this article, we can draw some important conclusions. First, planting two ‘friendly’ plants together saves you on farm space, as well as on the additional costs of gardening. For instance, the cost of buying items like fertilizers and tools will be greatly reduced. Also, it makes gardening a lot easier.

A good example is found when you need to water your plants. With companion planting, you can do it all at the same time. Another essential point is that plants are healthier when varieties are grown together.

When nitrogenous plants like beans are planted together with corn, this ensures that your corn grows to higher heights, and it will be a lot tastier.

Of course, there are those plants that cannot ‘stand’ each other. Planting such crops together makes them grow poorly with stunted growth and poor nutrients. Others won’t even get the privilege of enjoying the sun.

All in all, with the growing rise in home gardening technology and new techniques, the polytunnel is arguably one of the best places to grow your crops. Here, you can grow two companion plants and harvest them within the shortest time possible. As a garden farmer, you’ll de nitely feel proud when you start harvesting healthy vegetables and fruits at a low cost, all from using the right resources. We have come a long way from traditional planting methods!

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The Complete Companion Planting Guide | First Tunnels Excellent

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