Are you new to the concept of companion planting and want to avoid common mistakes that set many gardeners back?
Trust me, by the end of this article, you’ll have mastered the skill of companion planting and be ready to uplift your garden drastically! Let’s dive right into it!
Common Companion Planting Mistakes
1: Planting Tomatoes & Corn Together
Planting tomatoes and corn together in your garden can be a mistake because both crops attract the same kind of pests. These include corn earworms and tomato hornworms that pose a great risk to your crops combined.
A better option would be to grow your tomato plants near basil to repel pests naturally.
2: Pairing Beans & Onions
If you didn’t already know, onions release not just one but many compounds in the air and ground. Some of those compounds can potentially stunt bean growth and delay harvest times.
Try growing beans near corn for a natural trellis effect that actually allows bean plants to be productive.
3: Growing Carrots & Dill Side by Side
The problem with growing dill alongside carrots is that the longer the dill grows and the more mature it becomes, it can inhibit carrot growth and weaken roots, leading to a poorly developed root system.
You can either plant dill far away from your carrot patch or only plant young dill which may not have such adverse effects.
4: Placing Cucumbers Near Aromatic Herbs
Although it seems like a pretty natural match, cucumbers absolutely DO NOT grow well in the same radius as strong herbs like sage and rosemary. They hinder cucumber growth and keep it from developing optimally.
A better option would be to pair something like nasturtiums with cucumbers as they will provide the additional benefit of pest protection as well.
5: Mixing Peppers & Beans
If you plant peppers and beans too close together in the garden, there can be tough competition in the soil for necessary nutrients and resources. This will weaken pepper plants and lead to their deterioration.
A better pairing would be pepper and basil. The basil will work wonders for deterring pests too.
6: Planting Potatoes Near Tomatoes Or Eggplants
Potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants, although quite delicious combined, belong to the same nightshade family and are vulnerable to the same kind of diseases.
In this case, you want to keep your potatoes away from other nightshades and pair them with beans for better soil nitrogen instead.
7: Growing Broccoli & Strawberries Together
The main reason why growing broccoli and strawberries together isn’t the best idea is that broccoli depletes nutrients from the soil that strawberries need to thrive and grow juicy fruit.
Try planting your strawberries near thyme or spinach for better, well-rounded growth.
8: Planting Radishes Next To Hyssop
So, what hyssop essentially does is that it stunts radish growth and doesn’t allow it to develop to its fullest potential. You might also notice underdeveloped or deformed radish roots if they’re planted close to hyssops.
Instead of hyssop, pair radishes with lettuce for mutual benefits.
9: Placing Sunflowers Near Beans
Although sunflowers appear to be the most calm, collected, and least territorial plants out there, they still release compounds that may inhibit bean growth.
Try growing sunflowers near corn to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies that benefit the garden ecosystem.
10: Mixing Garlic & Peas
Garlic seems to inhibit pea plant growth and development because it releases certain compounds that can have that effect on peas.
I’d suggest pairing garlic with something like roses to repel pests in the garden.
11: Planting Fennel With Anything
Now, you might be wondering, “Is fennel really that bad that it can’t be paired with anything?” Unfortunately…yes…
Fennel will inhibit the growth of most plants in a close enough radius.
If you really love fennel and want to grow it, plant it in a separate container away from other plants.
